FASHION AS A FORM OF EMPOWERMENT
As someone who has always been somewhat obsessed with fashion, I know that it is something that has been used to both empower and disempower women and girls. The fashion industry tends to be a huge part of the problem. On one hand providing women and girls with an outlet to express themselves and their creativity, while at the same time limiting that expression to something that must be approved of by others. Therefore, existing within a very limited scope.
Recently I've been working on a blog about everyday sexism in the fashion world, in which I highlight this. While at the same time, I've been working on a new youtube show that encourages women and girls to use fashion as a means of self-empowerment and expression. This post is kinda a sneak peak to all of that addressing both aspects of this dynamic.
Let's first start with something super positive. I recently watched a documentary on Netflix called Advanced Style, which is all about this man who photographs very stylish older ladies. It's heartwarming, because it involves two of my favorite things: clothes, and cute grandmas! It also highlights somewhat inadvertently the fashion industrys focus on fashion being something for only young women. They never have models who are older, all the models are in their 20s and fashion designers tend to design for that age range. It's great to see so many women so stylish at their ages.
Today, I came across this post by buzzfeed, which is a list of a lot of incidents of women and girls being told they can't wear certain clothes. Some even involve governments banning women from wearing certain items. Most involve the school system. Which definitely means it's time for me to tell a story about my own experience in school.
When I was a senior in high school I was almost suspended from school for wearing our Senior Girls t-shirt. To make a long story short, the shirt on the front side said Senior Girls 2002, and the backside said: Future MILFS (Most Intelligent Leading Females) of America. At that time American Pie was super popular and our administration was clearing not hip to pop culture, so they approved the shirt having no idea what it meant. Not only did they approve the shirt, but they also ordered it, had it printed, sold it to much of the Senior Girls class, before a parent figured out the reference and notified the school. They then sold really boring shirts to us. At that time I had already purchased my MILF shirt, and was planning on wearing it the first day of my senior year. I had heard rumors they would "arrest' us for wearing it, but honestly didn't think anyone would notice. My friend and I, who were both honor students, were only at school for about 10 mins in our MILF shirts before we were called into the principal's office. I believe it was the VP, a man, who threatened us with suspension or even expulsion if we didn't immediately change. They used intimidation as a huge factor to influence us. We didn't have other clothes, and they said we could stay at school as long as we wore our shirts inside out. Which we did. The whole experience was super embarrassing and humiliating and just really dumb. The irony is that before we even got to school I had stopped at my friends house so her mom could take a bunch of pics of us looking super cute in our shirts for our first day of Senior year. I think the majority of adults knew the reference and thought it was funny, not offensive.
As a side note, I still have the shirt. Take that high school!!! They can't stop me from wearing it now!!!
http://www.buzzfeed.com/rossalynwarren/items-of-clothing-women-have-been-told-they-shouldnt-wear#.siVLgD0Xm
Recently I've been working on a blog about everyday sexism in the fashion world, in which I highlight this. While at the same time, I've been working on a new youtube show that encourages women and girls to use fashion as a means of self-empowerment and expression. This post is kinda a sneak peak to all of that addressing both aspects of this dynamic.
Let's first start with something super positive. I recently watched a documentary on Netflix called Advanced Style, which is all about this man who photographs very stylish older ladies. It's heartwarming, because it involves two of my favorite things: clothes, and cute grandmas! It also highlights somewhat inadvertently the fashion industrys focus on fashion being something for only young women. They never have models who are older, all the models are in their 20s and fashion designers tend to design for that age range. It's great to see so many women so stylish at their ages.
Today, I came across this post by buzzfeed, which is a list of a lot of incidents of women and girls being told they can't wear certain clothes. Some even involve governments banning women from wearing certain items. Most involve the school system. Which definitely means it's time for me to tell a story about my own experience in school.
When I was a senior in high school I was almost suspended from school for wearing our Senior Girls t-shirt. To make a long story short, the shirt on the front side said Senior Girls 2002, and the backside said: Future MILFS (Most Intelligent Leading Females) of America. At that time American Pie was super popular and our administration was clearing not hip to pop culture, so they approved the shirt having no idea what it meant. Not only did they approve the shirt, but they also ordered it, had it printed, sold it to much of the Senior Girls class, before a parent figured out the reference and notified the school. They then sold really boring shirts to us. At that time I had already purchased my MILF shirt, and was planning on wearing it the first day of my senior year. I had heard rumors they would "arrest' us for wearing it, but honestly didn't think anyone would notice. My friend and I, who were both honor students, were only at school for about 10 mins in our MILF shirts before we were called into the principal's office. I believe it was the VP, a man, who threatened us with suspension or even expulsion if we didn't immediately change. They used intimidation as a huge factor to influence us. We didn't have other clothes, and they said we could stay at school as long as we wore our shirts inside out. Which we did. The whole experience was super embarrassing and humiliating and just really dumb. The irony is that before we even got to school I had stopped at my friends house so her mom could take a bunch of pics of us looking super cute in our shirts for our first day of Senior year. I think the majority of adults knew the reference and thought it was funny, not offensive.
As a side note, I still have the shirt. Take that high school!!! They can't stop me from wearing it now!!!
http://www.buzzfeed.com/rossalynwarren/items-of-clothing-women-have-been-told-they-shouldnt-wear#.siVLgD0Xm
