Sometimes inventors create an object for only one genre. The kangaroo brief, for example, is more for guys, while bras are intended, a priori, for women. But in history, it happens that these inventions end up being used by just about everyone, because in the end, it’s better when you can share everything.
1. Wristwatches were invented for women
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AND YES MY LITTLE LADY! Imagine that originally, the watch worn on the wrist was to be used exclusively by the female gender. The men had pocket watches that they slipped into their jacket pockets, and they didn’t need to clutter their wrists. But during the Boer War in South Africa, the soldiers found that the wristwatch was still much more practical for knowing the time in the field. As a result, we began to produce them for both men and women.
2. Kleenex were designed for women’s make-up removal
The first Kleenex “tissues” weren’t really tissues, they were disposable makeup remover tissues for women. But soon enough, everyone started using them to blow their noses because it was so much more convenient than washing cloth handkerchiefs. The guys at Kleenex, not idiots, they understood the trick, and they ended up saying that it was tissues.
3. Crop tops were basically a guy thing
Today, it’s more girls who wear crop tops (very short t-shirts that reveal their bellies), and the guys who wear them often belong to the gay community where they are assimilated by those who find that is “too feminine”. Yet the first crop tops date back to the 80s, when American Football players tore their jerseys because they were tired of being too hot on the field. The first brands like New Balance then began to market cropped t-shirts specifically for athletes. It was only later that women began to wear and appropriate this type of top.
4. Victoria’s Secret stores
Established in 1977, Victoria’s Secret’s primary goal was to make stores where men would not be ashamed to come and buy underwear for their wives. The idea was very good, except that now women go and get their own underwear at Victoria’s Secret instead. But guys are always welcome, of course.
5. High heels
If there’s one thing we thought was intended for women, it’s heels (even if men are reclaiming them, in voguing for example). Well history tells us that in Ancient Egypt, male butchers wore heels to avoid wading too much in the blood of animals. It was a thing of big guys who cut barbecue. That’s a corner of your mouth, huh?
6. Fedora Hat
Made famous by Delon or Belmondo in France, the Fedora is a hat that suits both men and women. But originally it was only made for women. It first appeared in 1882, worn by Sarah Bernhardt in the play Fedora, and it was adopted by women who made it a symbol of the women’s rights movement in the 1890s. It was not until 1924 that Prince Edward of Wales began to wear it and launched fashion for men. Finally, more than a hat for guys or girls, it’s a hat for stars.
7. The Red Marlboros
When Philip Morris launched Marlboro Reds in 1924, he presented them as sophisticated cigarettes for women. The male public was already conquered by the tobacco market, so the tobacco giant now wanted to reach women with cigarettes with a red filter that hid the marks of lipstick. Finally, the Marlboro Reds became unisex when we should all just quit smoking them.
8. Pink and Blue
Come on, we talk about it last because it’s not really an invention, but DID YOU KNOW, in the Middle Ages, the color pastel pink was rather attributed to boys, and blue to girls. Pink was a symbol of strength and virility while blue was the color of the Virgin Mary. Like what today’s blue-boy/pink-girl divide doesn’t really make sense.
And then if you want to steal your guy’s or your girl’s sweater, you have every right.
More inventions with the inventions of our ancestors never explained, the inventions which did not see the light of day and fortunately, and the inventors killed by their inventions.
Sources: Wikipedia (watches), Capital (Kleenex), Reead, Wikipedia (Victoria’s Secret), Wikipedia (heels), Wikipedia (Fedora), ladn, vix,