Fashion is a statement. It always has been. Throughout our history, the way we have chosen to dress ourselves has not only been a matter of covering our skin, but also an expression of character. It is reflected in our ethnicity, family, social class, and most importantly, our identity. Let’s call it another strange but fascinating outlet of human creativity that still is important today. However, our ways of functioning have changed drastically in less than a century.
In today's modern world, fashion is no longer the only channel through which you can communicate your originality. Yet currently, deeply analyzing the fashion choices of a woman in a position of power seems like the most precise activity. Painstakingly enough, this type of investigation seems to target mostly women, not men. The color or length of her dress may very well make bigger headlines than her actual statement.
Former Prime Minister of the UK, Theresa May, has time and time again been strictly criticized by the media for her “poor fashion choices”. On the front page of The Daily Mail, back in 2017, Theresa May was featured next to Scotland's first minister Nicola Sturgeon along with the headlines, “Never mind Brexit, who won Legs-it!”. Thus, referring to which of the two leaders wore their similar skirts best. Thankfully, this was met with heavy criticism by both the public and other politicians. Most public members called it out for exactly what it was: “sexist, offensive and moronic”. However, that does not pose as an excuse for something that simply mirrored an attitude that is still largely adopted today. Instead of writing about a major issue facing two nations, The Daily Mail chose to focus the headline on the physique and clothing of the leaders at hand, simply because they were women. Although, one was currently the leader of one of the most powerful nations on earth.
Not only is it oftentimes harder for a woman to get a position of political power, when she does achieve that position, what she wears seems to be more important than what she states. Unfortunately, there are some who argue that there is nothing wrong with this.
“Why is it such a big deal?”
Well, it would not be if it affected all genders in equal measure, but alas, it does not. Not once in my life have I heard anything about a certain male politician’s choice to wear blue stripes on his tie instead of yellow. However, I have seen time and time
again how a woman’s choice of clothing was apparently “a secret message” or “not appropriate for the setting”. We simply cannot get over the idea that a woman must first and foremost care deeply about her fashion choices. The thought that she might not have spent hours plotting the perfect outfit, the night before to go to work to “work” with her male colleagues is simply not fathomable. This is a serious problem that we have yet to solve. Simply listening to what she says will not do, because according to societal opinion, a woman does not know how to express her thoughts, unless she “looks appropriate", in the audience’s view.
As previously mentioned, fashion is a statement. It’s a powerful tool that should not be underestimated. Therefore, there is nothing wrong with using your fashion choices to convey your thoughts, regardless of whether you hold a position of political power or not. However, doing this once with clear intentions does not give permission for others to assume that this is a common occasion. And it is certainly not an invitation for others to judge your appearance. For instance, at the 2021 Met Gala, U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was dressed in a white dress with bold, large red words spelling out “Tax the rich”, covering the entire back of her dress. Clearly, this fashion choice was made to be a statement. A this venue it is expected, considering the Met Gala is notorious for its focus on fashion with statements. However, a woman’s everyday work attire is not. Ocasio-Cortez’s “Tax the rich” dress was not an invite for future criticism of her appearance nor her clothes.
There is this idea that seems to be written in the rule book, stating that women simply must always look “presentable “in their appearance. However, “presentable” should not be the opinion of the audience. With this view, it is only natural for society to assume that women in politics have hidden agendas behind their clothes. It is unthinkable that, maybe, she does not care what she has on. Maybe, for her it is just another pair of clothes for another day of work. Maybe, she doesn’t give that much thought to what she wears! This is another example of how the world, despite what it might claim, is still not ready to regard a man and a woman in the same position as equally powerful and important.
Regardless of what a woman wears, it will apparently always be “too feminine” or “too scandalous”. Although, imagine if we did not scrutinize what she wears or how she carries her handbag. Imagine if we simply did not judge her appearance, but listened to her words instead. Not only would this be huge step for women in politics, but it can also tear down a piece of that invisible barrier that keeps women out of politics to begin with.
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