The Story of Helen Hulick: The Woman Who Fought for the Right to Wear Pants in Court

In 1938, Helen Hulick, a 29-year-old kindergarten teacher from Los Angeles, became the center of a surprising court controversy—over her clothes.

Why Helen Went to Court

Helen had witnessed two men breaking into a house, and she was called to court on November 9, 1938 to testify against them. She arrived wearing her usual clothing: a pair of slacks. At the time, women were expected to wear dresses or skirts in public, especially in places like courtrooms.

The Judge’s Reaction

Judge Arthur S. Guerin was shocked to see a woman in pants inside his courtroom. Instead of allowing her to testify, he refused to proceed and postponed the hearing for five days—simply because of her outfit.

Helen didn’t back down. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, she boldly said:

“Tell the judge I’m standing up for my rights. If he tells me to wear a dress, I won’t. I like wearing pants. They’re comfortable.”

Helen Returns—Still Wearing Pants

At the next hearing, Helen again appeared in slacks. The judge became angry. He complained that her clothing was distracting the courtroom and accused her of disobeying his order to dress “properly.”

He warned her she would be punished if she wore pants again.

But Helen stuck to her principles.

She Is Sent to Jail

When she returned once more in pants, the judge ordered her to serve five days in jail for contempt of court—just because she refused to wear a dress.

Helen was taken to jail still wearing her slacks.

The Appeal

Her lawyer immediately filed an appeal. The higher court reviewed the case and ruled that the judge had been wrong. They overturned his order and declared that Helen had every right to wear pants in court.

This decision was significant. It meant that women could not be forced to wear dresses in court, and it became an important early moment in the fight for women’s rights and freedom of dress.