Wear the pants

Meaning

Be the dominant partner in a relationship or group

Usage

Used when describing who makes the decisions

Origin & History

Origins and dates here are approximate summaries. Many idioms have disputed or unknown origins, and not every date has been checked against a historical dictionary, so treat specific dates and stories as a starting point rather than a citation.

Historically, men wore pants to show authority

Used since the early 20th century in family and workplace talk