It wasn't so much as in tribute as necessity. With so many men drafted into the war women were called on to do jobs they usually wouldn't, such as working in factories. Occasionally the long dresses that were fashionable at the time would catch in the machinery and draf the workers into the mechanism. Wearing trousers reduced the chance of this happening.

As with many things during the war, cotton was in short supply. So another reason for the change in fashion was simply that making a pair of trousers used less material than a dress.