Pop-Culture | Posted by Zhenya T on 08/24/2010
“The Woman”: Feminism and Fashion
"The Woman" - Mad Men era femininity reflected by the era's fashion
As the season changes, so do fashion trends; Elle, Vogue and many other magazines have shifted focus from bikinis to boots. This brought a thought to my mind about something that is supposedly back in style: “The Woman.”
“The Woman” is a trend that was conjured up on the runways of Louis Vuitton and Prada in the 1950′s and 1960′s. Obviously, other designers made clothing for women; however it was those two that were somehow considered to have captured the stereotypical essence of femininity. Both collections displayed subdued hues, midi-length, some sort of hourglass shape and frills. Prada seems to send the message that some ruffles on my boobs will do the trick of enhancing not only my bust but also my view of what it is to be a woman. Louis Vuitton just pushes all that you have (in the chest area) upwards and puts it on display whilst pairing those kind of tops with flared out skirts albeit, sometimes, in leather which makes it more interesting. Another thing that annoys me? The claim by magazines, that have bitten, chewed, and spit out the designer message ‘curves are back’. Trouble is, they’re masquerading under this slogan because what they really want to say is ‘it’s okay to have boobs this season’. Designers should dictate fashion and not body shapes.
We all know that the times are hard with the economic downturn and design houses also suffer so they’re reverting to old tricks to try and showcase collections that connote better times. However the 50′s and 60′s had troubles of their own so are the designers really just following the trend set up by Mad Men? I have never seen the show but references in fashion magazines have allowed me to conjure up a pretty solid image of the aesthetic that the show sells: glamour, sex and glorified sexism in the location of an office in the 60′s.
I just want to know why in the A/w10 we’re still regressing to the past when looking for something feminine. I don’t think what that aesthetic of Mad Men presents is practical because times have moved on and I just can’t see myself wearing a dress where my boobs are decorated and pushed up with a bit of my midriff also exposed. Maybe I can’t comment on ‘The Woman’ trend because I’m still a girl but my intuition tells me that these collections were produced as a dress up for those looking to emulate some sort of past glamour. I just don’t appreciate being told what it means to be a woman (girl) and how one should dress especially if its evocative of an era where a woman had to dress a particular way due to a lack of choice.
Isabel Marant's 2011 collection
Out of all the looks I’ve seen, Isabel Marant’s was the one that actually seemed to represent the modern woman a lot better or at least fits it more with the idea of your own identity. As I flipped between the images, I had this innate inner sense of ‘this is what the woman of today looks like’. I realise that all women look differently and still it felt like every piece had a purpose. Marant’s designs made me think of someone feminine yet strong. The looks just feel so easy going with great styling. There’s no forced sexiness or attempt at modesty that’s evident in corset-like garments or cleverly placed ruffles. Marant made clothes for women with comfort in mind without taking away style. I never thought that exposure of the ankle via cropped jeans could be so cool.
I want to live in Isabel Marant’s world. I want to be the woman that can choose to either wear a skirt or a dress or a pair of jeans without compromising my feminine side. I want to look effortless and pulled together. I want clothes that represent choice and don’t force stale ideas of sexuality upon me. As I said before, maybe at seventeen I am too young to understand ‘The Woman’ but I know which woman I would like to be.
(4 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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Read other posts about: Elle, Fashion, fashion and feminism, fashion and the media, Feminism, feminism and the media, gender stereotypes, Louis Vuitton, Mad Men, Mad Men and sexism, Prada, sexism, Vogue
Post Your Comment
A @ at 11:48 am, August 24th, 2010
i think it doesn’t have to be either/or. the modern woman can dress anyway they want–everyone can switch it up between days. one doesn’t necessarily have to wear pants to be feminist.
A @ at 11:49 am, August 24th, 2010
i still love isabel marant’s collection though…
Josie @ at 12:40 pm, August 24th, 2010
A really good article, I totally agree with your point about designers dictating body shapes, which is completely absurd. It’s really great to have something that was bugging me expressed so brilliantly.
Noelle @ at 8:26 pm, August 24th, 2010
In a way, you could say designers have always been dictating body shape. This summer jumper suits have been particularly popular, but were only modeled on extremely tall and thin women. Thus, in my opinion, dictating that this type of clothing was only for that certain body shape. Clothing is always modeled on certain body shapes and different types of clothing always alter or present the body in a certain way.
I dont think that this seasons dresses from Louis Vuitton are as evil as you seemingly have made them out to be. I dont personally think they are trying to sell you on the idea that its ok to have big boobs this season. I think its just another style that they are reliving. Its just another trend, like overalls and shoulders pads and neon colors from the 80s coming back in style.
I guess I also take a personal offense to this because I dont feel that these 50′s style dresses make a woman any less of a feminist for wearing them and you seem to imply that. Since freshman year I’ve always had a love for this style of dress and I also consider myself feminist. I wear a combination between clothing like Isabel Marant desgins and dresses from “the Woman” trend, as you call it.
I guess I am just trying to understand what is wrong with liking a certain style? Just because it was a symbol of women’s lack of choice in the 50′s doesn’t necessarily mean I can not reinvent the style and wear it now with as much liberation as combat boots and jeans.
Steph @ at 10:52 pm, August 24th, 2010
I always really love when the fbomb has fashion-related posts, because it’s like a glimpse into another world. I do not get fashion. I wear flannel pajamas outside, I ALWAYS wear hoodies, even if it’s a bajillion celsius. Most mainstream fashion is…not my sorta thing, and I really thank you for posting this and giving me just a tiny glimpse into that world.
Anna @ at 3:13 am, August 25th, 2010
I’m gonna agree with Noelle on this one. When we start talking about a woman’s styles, hobbies, or mannerism’s in relation to how much of a feminist they are we start to oppress each other. As some one who is a girly, high pitch voiced, make up wearing, seamstress, welder, nanny, bike mechanic, clothing store clerk, and radical feminist punk, I know what it is like to have other feminists tell you that you are giving into stereotypes because of what you do, how you dress, or how you act. I know that it is difficult to go into a stereotypically female job and be judged and to go into a stereotypically male job and be judged. We need to focus on support for all women who want to work, dress, or act however the hell they want.
Ryan @ at 1:45 pm, August 25th, 2010
I think sexuality or sexual availability will always be a component of consideration in women’s clothing.
It is proven fact that women adjust the cloths they wear depending on where they are in their fertility cycle. The amount of skin women show has been directly linked to ovulation.
Women’s sexuality and availability will always be a part of clothing design and the choice of cloths women wear.
Ryan @ at 1:59 pm, August 25th, 2010
“the modern woman can dress anyway they want”
I thing women should continue to take responsibility for what they wear and how they manage the message of availability they give off.
Women’s choice of clothing directly relates to how the people around them respond and relate to her. Women’s bodies are extremely beautiful, powerful and sexual. Because of this I think it sensible and responsible not do deny this component of the female body but embrace it.
Zhenya @ at 3:17 pm, August 25th, 2010
This is the unedited version of the article which may make things clearer.
http://fashionflesh.blogspot.com/2010/08/woman.html
Garen @ at 3:47 pm, August 26th, 2010
The modern woman can wear whatever she damn well pleases.
Ryan, you’re wrong. The onus for ‘availability’ does not lie with the biology of the female body.
Allison @ at 4:35 pm, August 27th, 2010
Uh, why are you dictating what the modern woman can’t wear?
Emily @ at 6:25 pm, August 29th, 2010
First of all, I don’t believe these collections were produced *for* any specific collection. I believe they were produced because the designers needed to produce something as different as they could from the last couple seasons, and “Mad Men” looked like a trend that would be easy to cash in on.
Ryan: Saying “the way a woman dresses conveys availability” is barely a step away from saying “women who dress like sluts are asking to be raped!”
Women might be showing a lot of skin because they do want to attract someone. Maybe. But they might also be showing a lot of skin because they’d be uncomfortably warm otherwise. Or maybe they’re showing a lot of skin because they like the way the clothes look and didn’t care that they didn’t come in more “modest” versions. Or maybe they’re just trying out a new look. Or maybe they want to even out their suntan a little. Or maybe there are a million other reasons.
Exhibit A: Lady Gaga. How available does she look to you? Do you know that she’s currently celibate because she believes sleeping with someone will diminish her creativity?