“For as long as men and women have worn clothes, there has been a hierarchy based on clothing. The clearest example was when the sexes were separated into skirts and trousers: women wore only dresses (a symbol of submission) and men only wore trousers (proof of dominance). Women's clothing was created to impede and hinder movement (through tight skirts or many layers), while men valued the ease and comfort of trousers. (Meza, Echazarreta) Women's fashion through the centuries can be used to trace the history of equality between men and women. As women achieved greater independence, they claimed the right to choose what to wear, and that included allowing women to wear pants. There are three things that helped make it socially acceptable for women to wear pants: the invention of the bicycle, World War II, and influential women. How things were Early 19th century women's clothing was designed for style and beauty, unfortunately, this left practicality, safety and comfort completely out of the picture. Corsets, worn to slim the waist and lift the chest, presented many serious health problems for women. These vices that women carried on their bodies increased blood pressure and made breathing very difficult. Fainting was so common that a fainting couch was designed and featured in most households. Prolonged use of corsets weakened the back and stomach muscles to the point that some women, who had worn corsets for many years, struggled to stand upright without them. If tightened too tightly, they had the power to damage internal organs and move them out of alignment, causing serious health problems. (Berkowe)The skirts that women wore weren't much better. They wore... center of paper ......and independent.Works Cited1. Meza, Jessica and Acacia Echazarreta. "A Brief History of Skirts and Trousers." A brief history of skirts and trousers. Np, nd Web. December 17, 2013.2. Berkowe, Heather. "What are the dangers of old-fashioned corsets? | EHow." EHow. Demand Media, April 2, 2011. Web. December 17, 2013.3. Adam. "A Tale of Two Tragedies ~ Invisible Paris." Tale of two tragedies ~ Invisible Paris. Np, nd Web. December 17, 2013.4. Van Alten, Mary. “Weeklysilence is just another WordPress.com site.” Weekly silence. Np, nd Web. 18 December 2013.5. "Clothes make the woman." Tall doll. Jones Publishing Inc., May 2013. Web.6. Hammond, Colleen. "Dressing with Dignity - History of the Women's Fashion Industry - How to Fight the Sexual Revolution and Immodesty in Clothing!" Np, nd Web. December 18, 2013.7. Macy, Sue. "The Devil's Advanced Agent." Np, October 2011. Web.