When did women start wearing pants?

Women began wearing pants in the 19th century. At first, women began to wear pants merely for function, but later wore them as a fashion statement.

In the 19th century, women began to recognize the safety issues of working in long and heavy skirts. In 1851, Amelia Bloomer debuted her billowy floor-length trousers. As the use of bicycles rose, so did the occurrence of women wearing these "bloomers" as a riding outfit. It wasn't until the early 20th century that pants began to enter the fashion scene. Harem pants made the cover of Vogue magazine in 1913. It wouldn't be until the late 1960s that women would wear pants freely for any occasion.