The Fabric Of Our Lives

I grew up in rags. No, I don’t mean I lacked proper clothes. As I’ve confessed in this column before, I’ve always been something of a fashion diva. Now you’ll know why. I’m referring to the clothing business, where “rag” or the Yiddish word for it, “shmata,” is often used as a humorous slang description. My father…

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Lois Rabinowitz: Now You Can Wear Slacks

Today’s guest post is from women’s success coach Bonnie Marcus. Bonnie takes a candid look at how attitudes towards women’s attire have often had serious consequences. Shining the light on lesser known women is what Women’s History Month is all about in my opinion. Enjoy!

It’s hard to imagine the days when women were frowned upon for wearing slacks in public. In the 1960’s, however, this was the case. Women were expected to wear a hat, gloves, high heels, nylons and a girdle. It was commonly accepted behavior for women to dress up every day before they left the house.

In the summer of 1960, Lois Rabinowitz went to traffic court in New York City to pay a speeding ticket for her boss. Lois was a 28-year-old secretary for an oil company executive. She was a newlywed and her husband of just two weeks drove her to the courthouse that morning. Lois was neatly dressed in slacks and a blouse.

Upon seeing Lois in slacks, the Magistrate of the court was outraged and sent her home.

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