I ♥ my dress

"Feel like a woman. Wear a dress." said Diane Von Furstenberg in 1972.

Nowadays we can dress in a feminine manner without having to deal with some of the negative stereotypes that have been associated with the female gender in the past. Yet, a substantial number of protests for the feminist movement were held and numerous feminist manifestos written until women could start feeling secure about their position in society in order to express their femininity freely. “The struggle to gain control of all aspects of our lives—our bodies, our jobs, our social roles, and our creativity—is the struggle of every woman” (source) is what women's rights activists would assert.

The Women's Liberation Movement might be associated with the 60s, still the term "women's liberation" was first used in 1953 in the book "The Second Sex" (source) by French feminist writer Simone De Beauvoir. With so many years in the making and such an important mission at hand how could this not have been utterly influential on fashion's history.

The first human birth control pill was created in 1950 by Margaret Sanger, a "lifelong advocate of women's rights and the use of birth control" (source) only to be made publicly available in the early 1960s. The miniskirt (or at least a shorter version of Courrèges 1964 designs) is said to have been created in 1965 by Mary Quant, who "was a self-made businesswoman." (source) She "found London girls seeking newness only too willing to try her new daring short mini skirt" (source) which would end up becoming a 60s fashion staple.

Actually, it is interesting to notice that the major feminist movements are directly linked to none other than the lenght of hemlines. The suffragette movement, or the first wave of feminism, coresponds with the first major rise in hemlines in the 20s when "the so-called flapper girls scandalised first America and then Europe with their energetic dances, androgynous look and skirts raised to almost the knee." (source)


Some might argue that the miniskirt, along with other items that reveal and accentuate the female form, is actually more oppressing rather than liberating as it can create an image of women as "sex objects, toys for men." However, I do believe that women should be proud of their bodies, whatever shape, form, or color they might have, and be able to display it in whatever fashion they choose.


You're a woman. Celebrate it!

Clothes & styling: Lachatterie

Photos by Catalin Margescu

Location: British Gallery

Aaand . .

As I had an entire team who contributed in making these photos possible I taught that it's only fair to show you some 'behind the scenes' shots. I'll be back with more soon!

Lots of kisses!