To wear the pants

Origin

In Western society, trousers were for centuries the unequivocal garment of men, symbolizing authority, strength, and their traditional role as head of the household. Women, by contrast, wore dresses and skirts. The phrase "to wear the pants" thus emerged, particularly in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as a vivid metaphor for a woman who had stepped outside this sartorial and societal norm, taking on the dominant, decision-making role within a marriage or relationship. It encapsulated the societal perception of a powerful woman metaphorically donning the male attire, thereby asserting her control and leadership where it was traditionally unexpected.