People often ask me why I want to work in fashion. Is it just for the sake of saying how much I like clothes? No, it’s much more than that. The power that the fashion industry holds means that it is able to incite change and spark propaganda, which is something we’re seeing more of in the wake of social and political agitation. But at the same time, fashion can serve as a display of who we naturally are, and as a female, I enjoy using fashion as a mode of celebrating my femininity. When observing the recent fashion frenzy associated with feminism, it appears as though there are different ways to proclaim your gender, something that I am going to shed opinion on today.
Over the last month, I’ve increasingly noticed many women styling statement shirts that declare themselves as feminists. The slogan ‘trend’ was sparked by Dior’s Spring Ready-to-Wear collection with the capitalised ‘WE SHOULD ALL BE FEMINISTS’ tee. Now, the shirts are everywhere. Walking down Oxford Street is like walking in conjunction with a rally of proclaiming mannequins. Window after window shows statement after statement, each store having their very own slogans splashed across shirts. From Prabul Gurung’s ‘This Is What A Feminist Looks Like’ to Topshop’s: ‘Females Of The Future’, politically charged slogans are suddenly being shown as a revolutionary fashion trend. And in some sense, it’s great. It shows the power and ability of the fashion industry to install propaganda through an essential wardrobe item. But as more and more people are adhering to styling it, it becomes difficult to know whether they are doing so for the cause of feminism or for simply being on trend.
Whilst I’m not completely against the shirt, I do think that there are flaws to it. With so many women prolonging the fashionable nature of the item, it leads one to wonder: am I choosing to wear a shirt to simply jump on the bandwagon? Or, in fact: do I now actually need to wear a shirt to declare myself a feminist? If I don’t wear one, am I anti-feminist? The answer is surely no, but in an age where marches and protests are frequently occurring for the cause, one may perhaps feel pressurised to display their statements through their clothing. Declaring yourself a feminist through your t-shirt currently serves to be one of the most Instagrammed images, feeding into this idea of it being trendy. But how long will this last? Does the popularity of the statement feminist shirt display feminism as a trend, a fashionable notion to be splashed across clothing without holding genuine value? This probing question is the items flaw. And in the making of such shirts, hypocrisies are woven into them if they are rapidly constructed and mass produced using sweatshop labour, only to be worn by those fighting for fair, equal rights. In a way, it’s an ironically melancholic tragedy.
Of course, the intention of wearing such shirts is for a good cause. Its invention is to challenge the misogyny of a culture in which women are often deemed inferior if they dress in a more obviously attractive and ‘feminine’ way. But should women feel pressure to wear a shirt to end this misogyny? I don’t think so. Because feminism is a radical view that males and females should be equal. For females specifically, it is in fact about being feminine and enforcing the fact that this shouldn’t be placed below masculinity. Ultimately, men and women are different. Yet both are equally empowered. So contrary to the misogyny associated with ‘feminine’ ways of dressing as deeming a woman inferior, perhaps women should enforce a feminine presentation through fashion, as femininity should be celebrated and proclaimed. So my outfit in this post is exactly about that. I was drawn to this dress because it connoted boldness and empowerment in a feminine manner, which I honour. Wearing a dress that adorns the elegance of the female figure doesn’t scream anti-feminism. Similarly, honouring the constant appeal of a woman dressed in a more obviously feminine manner doesn’t instigate the death of feminist fashion. If one defines feminism as a belief in the equality of the sexes, if feminine clothes are deemed ‘not feminist’, what value does feminism hold? If anything, it shows a woman to be at utter ease with her gender and empowered for herself, as she should be. It acknowledges the fact that women are naturally different to men, yet still should be similarly equal. I felt feminine and powerful whilst wearing this dress – I think it’s the right way to be.
So whilst it is a powerful notion to wear a statement shirt proclaiming one as a feminist, it should be noted that one is not anti-feminist if they choose not to do so, or to dress in a more obviously feminine manner. Either way, women should continue to use fashion to celebrate what it is to be a female. After all, the equal acceptance of this to masculinity is what we’re constantly striving for.
~ x ~