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The Riding Skirt & Its History – From the Trouser Ban, to Emancipation, to the Development of the Culottes

How did the development from riding skirt to culottes come about? And when did women start demanding to wear trousers? You can find the answer and a lot of other interesting information about the development from riding skirt to culottes in this article.


Pants – a garment forbidden to women

To find the origin of the riding skirt, we need to take a deeper look into the history of fashion. Skirts have been worn by men and women for centuries. In older depictions, Romans and Greeks are seen wearing a toga. The Germanic tribes, on the other hand, were tribes who already wore a trouser-like garment made of tanned leather or fabric at that time.

Since the 14th century, trousers have served as outer garments for men. In the Middle Ages, trousers established themselves as the main component of knight's armour. In the early days of the Middle Ages, half-length linen trousers were worn under chain mail. But the familiar garments were replaced by rigid armour that could only be combined with tight-fitting clothing. This change also influenced men's casual clothing. They increasingly wore trousers, which led to the development of a gender-specific dress code that was even partially laid down in law. 

For several centuries, women were not allowed to wear traditional trousers. Society considered it scandalous that women could wear a visible piece of fabric between their legs.

Lady with riding skirt in side saddle on black horse at Picadera
A classic riding skirt, as worn by side saddle riding was used in the 17th to 19th centuries. Here on Baroque trainer Andrea Blochwitz. (Photo: Stefanie Blochwitz Photography)

Women's Voices in the French Revolution 

From 1789 onwards, French citizens joined forces to form activist women's associations that stood up for more rights for women and questioned gender roles. They appeared in public wearing men's trousers in order to provoke. Male citizens and conservative women's associations did not like this at all, so a denunciation campaign by men in 1793 led to the banning of several women's associations in France. 

Women were only allowed to wear trousers if they could present personal permission from the city authorities. Despite this, the voices of outraged women became louder and louder, speaking about discrimination against the female sex at the end of the 18th century. With the end of the French Revolution, more revealing clothing entered women's wardrobes and ankle-high to calf-length dresses were combined with visible trousers.


Women's trousers in sports: the riding skirt with trouser legs

Any sporting activities contributed to the spread of trousers, so that it became more normal to see women wearing trousers in public. This was promoted by sports such as swimming, cycling and horse riding. It was not just the medical recommendation to exercise more that drove the movement. Above all, women were increasingly longing for independence and freedom.

Riding skirt on rider with Andalusian horse in Spanish step at Picadera
The culottes combine the functionality of trousers with the freedom of movement of a skirt.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the culotte came into fashion. It combined a skirt with trousers and showed its advantages in sporting activities that required freedom of movement, such as cycling. The culotte also became popular in the horse riding sector. Riding in a side saddle became more practical and the risk of getting caught in the undergrowth when out riding was reduced by a long skirt. 


From the circle riding skirt to the trouser riding skirt

As you can see, it was a long road to the development of the modern riding skirts available at Picadera today. They are a return to the advantages that this piece of clothing brings. The riding skirt combines the practicality of trousers with the freedom of movement of a skirt - and looks fantastic too.


Historic & chic – our riding skirt range:

Katharina Laier
Katharina Laier

Hello, I'm Katharina Laier and I'm currently studying media and communications management. I started vaulting when I was seven and had my first experiences with horses. A few years later I started western riding. I always dreamed of having my own horse until my parents made my dream come true in 2012. Since then I've been accompanied by my 11-year-old Quarter Horse mare Paula. I've overcome many challenges with her. Above all, she showed me what it means to be consistent and to work in a solution-oriented manner.

Photo: Sara Freischlag

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