Handbags, Heels and Other Women's Products Originally Made for Men

If you think the line between men’s and women’s fashions is getting blurry, you’re right. As trends shift and evolve, the cyclical nature of fashion means everything comes back into style eventually, and what is considered normal to wear today may be obsolete in a decade.        

It therefore comes as no surprise to learn that much of todays 'women's' apparel was originally designed for use by men. Clothing and accessories were improved upon to solve the problems of the day, just as pockets were once separate garments attached to the body with string.

Up until the mid 1800s, women simply wore men's clothes. Once modern manufacturing methods were introduced, both sexes enjoyed more fashionable items, previously reserved for wealthy nobility.

Here are 5 typically considered 'women's items', originally designed for men:

Make Up : In Ancient Egypt, makeup was used to denote wealth, with the dramatic black cat-eye line a favourite amongst fashionable men. Believed to ward off illness, the worlds first guyliner was made from kohl, a lead sulphite powder similar to charcoal.  

High Heels : Another Egyptian trend, studded heels were worn by the wealthy for ceremonial purposes. Elsewhere the high heeled shoe was used by butchers wishing to avoid offal-soaked feet. Persian cavalry also used the shoe shape to hold riders feet in place in stirrups.

Purses : The oldest known purse or handbag dates back over 5,000 years and was found on the corpse of Otzi the Iceman, Europe’s oldest human mummy. Originally a small bag attached to a belt used for holding coins, women went on to appropriate the manbag in the 17^th century.

Skirts : Men have worn skirts since prehistoric times and still do in many non-western cultures. Whether sarong or kilt, men’s skirts have remained in fashion throughout the years. Trousers are a new invention, only deemed necessary once horseback riding became en vogue.

Corsets : In the 1500s, the first corsets were made of wood or whale bone and were commonly used to correct posture. They were so popular amongst men that Henry VIII wore one openly to shape his waist. Tudor fashion was taken very seriously!

When, even in the year 2022, consumer goods and apparel still come unnecessarily gendered, sexist stereotypes about clothing and accessories are easy to assume. But pink was once a colour for boys, and blue much more common for girls. Trends and fads come and go.

Next time you notice a young fashionista expressing themselves through unconventional clothing, consider how fads reinvent themselves.

Even founding US father Thomas Paine was a corset maker by trade, supplying the army and the cavalry with this iconic 'women's' undergarment!