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Modern Children's Wear:

Over the course of the twentieth century, those formerly male-only garments-trousers-became increasingly accepted attire for girls and women. As toddler girls outgrew their rompers in the 1920s, new play clothes for three-to five-year-olds, designed with full bloomer pants underneath short dresses, were the first outfits to extend the age at which girls could wear pants. By the 1940s, girls of all ages wore pants outfits at home and for casual public events, but they were still expected-if not required-to wear dresses and skirts for school, church, parties, and even for shopping. About 1970, trousers' strong masculi ne connection had eroded to the point that school and office dress codes finally sanctioned trousers for girls and women. Today, girls can wear pants outfits in nearly every social situation. Many of these pant styles, such as blue jeans, are essentially unisex in design and cut, but many others are strongly sex- typed through decoration and color.