Trousers for Women -- how early??? WW1 (Costuming for a Play I am writing)

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Elizabeth Hayden

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I am a creative writing student taking play writing this semester. I have a play set in 1919. I am wondering if it would be at all plausible for a college girl to wear trousers (Only briefly traveling on the train to her home.) I have no idea who to reach out to with this question. Thank you if you are able to respond.
 
Hi! I am not an expert, and hopefully more knowledgeable folks will chime in!

From the wikipedia entry about women and trousers:

"In 1919, Luisa Capetillo challenged the mainstream society by becoming the first woman in Puerto Rico to wear trousers in public. Capetillo was sent to jail for what was then considered to be a "crime", but the judge later dropped the charges against her.

Women increasingly wore trousers as leisurewear in the 1920s and 30s. In the early 20th century female pilots and other working women often wore trousers."

This suggests to me that trousers would have been a very fashion-forward choice for a woman in 1919.

Hope you hear from the experts soon, great question!
 
Women often wore jodhpurs for riding by 1919, and pyjamas for at home use, but slacks like the kind you might think of Marlene Dietrich or Katherine Hepburn wearing are too early for 1919. They are not something that was being made for the market, so Luisa Capetillo was probably wearing men's trousers for which she could be arrested in 1919, like a man could be arrested for wearing a dress at the same time.
 
1919 was the time of World War 1. It was when women started to wear their husband's trousers while doing the jobs which were previously assigned to men. However, it was not common for women to wear trousers in public and it was considered a crime. Later on, during World War 2, Women started working in factories while men were at war. The ladies couldn't perform all the work in factories wearing skirts so they were only allowed to wear trousers at work. However, it was still not common for ladies to wear trousers outside of work and in public.
 
A woman in a public social situation such as traveling wouldn't wear trousers until much later than 1919.
 
Thank you for all of the responses. She is back in a dress and wearing a sash (or what would that be called from shoulder to hip/) that says "Votes for Women." I think it will work better especially as I have moved the time frame up to 1913. Thank you, thank you !
 
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