The Bipartisan Appeal of the Pantsuit

Your devoted blogger began her career in skirts. Not cute skirts. Not comfortable skirts. Just...work-appropriate skirts. Back in the 80s, we were all just happy to find clothes that fit. And when you had to wrestle yourself into pantyhose every day, a binding waistband didn't make that much of a difference. We didn't have a choice, so we just lived with it.

During the recent election, you may have heard about how women were not allowed to wear pants on the floor of the senate until the early 90s. "Congratulations on your election, senator. Just make sure to shave your legs and check your hose for runs before voting on that important legislation."

It was pretty much the same outside of politics. I wouldn't have dreamed of wearing pants to go sit in a cubicle and type documents all day. It simply wasn't done, and a lowly temp was in no position to affect corporate culture.

And so it was that women fought their way to the top of their fields in skirts and heels. Once there, they had the clout to wear pants if they wanted to. Company dress codes changed and pantsuits became much more common.

But not ubiquitous. Female flight attendants first started wearing pants on duty less than 15 years ago. Their main job is to keep passengers safe in an emergency. While wearing restrictive pencil skirts and heels. 

Heck, even Wonder Woman doesn't get to wear pants. Aquaman is under water most of the time and he gets pants. Wonder Woman can stop bullets with her bracelets, but pants are just too out there. Invisible jet? Check. Lasso of truth? Sure. Leg coverings to protect her skin when a supervillain knocks her halfway across town? Nope.

Sorry - where was I?

Oh yes, pantsuits. Great things, pantsuits. They let you look professional, polished and put together with minimal effort. They leave us with more energy for everything else. And if you make a suit out of Vikki Vi separates, you even get a comfortable waistband.

That's the secret to Vikki Vi's success - back when the brand launched in the 90s and today. Pants + jacket + shell = pantsuit. No expensive tailoring required. They last for hundreds of wearings and washings, so you can mix and match the pieces for years.

Not that we'll be giving up skirts any time soon. Now that pantyhose is out and tights are in, skirt suits are much more pleasant to wear than they used to be. But they're no longer the default business outfit and that's a huge deal. We still care about how we look at the office, but exposing our legs is no longer a prerequisite for career success. 

And though men's suits are a bit dull, women's pantsuits are anything but. We're always adding new colors - and always have Vikki Vi Classics in black and navy blue. (Sign up for emails if you want to hear when we add even more colors.)

That's what we all love about pantsuits - they're the official outfit of looking good while getting things done.