30 Feminine Things That Were Originally Made for Men
Product design has never stayed fixed to one gender. In many cases, items people now label as feminine—pads, purses, pink clothes—were created to meet male needs first. Some even played functional roles in sports or religious rituals.
Tracing their origins reveals how commercial decisions, not biology or tradition, shaped who buys and uses what. Here are some examples that provide a clearer view of that unexpected history.
High Heels
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Persian cavalry in the 10th century wore high heels to stay balanced in stirrups while shooting arrows from horseback. The heel secured their foot and improved control during combat. Later, European aristocrats adopted the style as a symbol of power and height. Eventually, high heels shifted toward women’s fashion and became more decorative.
The Color Pink
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Until the 1940s, pink often appeared in boys’ clothing. It was seen as strong and attention-grabbing, while blue had a softer image. Retailers began promoting pink as a girls’ color in the postwar years. By the 1980s, the shift had taken hold in advertising, nursery décor, and children’s wear.
Stockings
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Stockings served both practical and aesthetic purposes in women’s wardrobes. They were used for warmth, polish, or to complete formal outfits. But in medieval Europe, men regularly wore them under tunics, especially those in higher classes. They were typically custom-fitted and came in rich colors to show wealth.
Handbags
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Long before pockets were standard, men needed a way to carry coins and everyday items. They attached small pouches to belts or hid them under cloaks. These bags were utilitarian and part of ordinary life. Only in the 19th and 20th centuries did handbag styles become decorative and marketed to women.
Disposable Pads
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During World War I, military bandages made of Cellucotton helped nurses treat wounded soldiers. These dressings absorbed fluids better than cotton and were easier to use in field conditions. Nurses gradually realized the same material worked for menstrual care. Kimberly-Clark saw the opportunity and repackaged it as Kotex.
Crop Tops
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Women’s crop tops now range from boxy cuts and ribbed knits to long-sleeved versions and tie-front designs. But the original cropped shirt wasn’t about trends; men began cutting off the bottoms of their gym shirts to meet workout dress codes without overheating. The look became common among football players and bodybuilders.
G-Strings
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Some of the earliest known garments were loincloths, worn by men in hot climates across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. These early versions of G-strings provided minimal coverage with maximum mobility. By the late 1800s, protective jockstraps evolved from this basic style for use in sports.
Makeup
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In ancient Egypt and 18th-century France, elite men wore makeup to reflect status, hygiene, and fashion awareness. Eye kohl, powder, and rouge were part of daily grooming. As time passed, makeup became linked to femininity, largely through changing cultural expectations. But for centuries, men led its use and popularized many of the products still sold today.
Victoria’s Secret Products
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Roy Raymond opened the first Victoria’s Secret in 1977 because he felt embarrassed buying lingerie for his wife in department stores. He wanted a store that made men feel comfortable while selecting intimate apparel. The original catalog and store items were aimed at male customers.
Yoga
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While yoga today welcomes anyone, it’s commonly linked to women, especially in Western countries where studios often promote it through wellness, flexibility, and relaxation. This image doesn’t reflect its origins because Brahmin men in India initially developed yoga as part of a spiritual and intellectual discipline.
Hook-And-Eye Clasps
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Mark Twain patented the hook-and-eye fastener in 1871 because he disliked suspenders. His version offered a better way to attach trousers without relying on shoulder straps. While it didn’t gain wide adoption for men’s clothing, the clasp became popular in women’s corsets, bodices, and bras.
Corsets
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What most people don’t know is that corsets were made to improve men’s posture and present a controlled, upright silhouette in 16th-century Europe. Worn under layers of formal clothing, they signaled discipline and refinement. However, women adopted the garment to mold their waistlines and enhance their shape.
Skinny Jeans
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The first jeans were made in the 1870s using tough denim to outfit male miners. They needed durable trousers that wouldn’t rip under pressure. The earliest fits were wide and loose, but by the early 20th century, slimmer silhouettes emerged for style and ease of movement. Levi’s then released jeans for women and marked a change in denim marketing.
Wristlets
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There was a time when wristlets weren’t simply compact women’s accessories for nights out or travel. Before standard pockets, men carried small pouches on their wrists to keep keys, coins, or documents close at hand. These wrist-worn containers made daily tasks easier and more secure.
Berets
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Originally worn by male laborers in rural France and Spain, berets served as practical headgear—warm, inexpensive, and easy to produce. The simple wool design stayed put in harsh weather and required no shaping or maintenance. Military forces also issued berets to soldiers, especially in specialized units.