It’s no secret that society has certain expectations about the way women are supposed to dress. Heels, makeup, tight dresses, low cut tops— these items are seemingly created to please men.
Well… not necessarily. Women have begun to reclaim certain trends. The clothing and styles they decide to wear have nothing to do with men, or anyone else for that matter. They wear them because they want to, because it makes them feel sexy, comfortable, beautiful, happy or whatever the reason may be.
I love to wear red lipstick. For a while the trend intimidated me; I didn’t think I was the kind of person who could pull it off. But then I tried it. Now, I love the way I look in red lipstick. I feel confident and powerful. My boyfriend hates lipstick, and that makes it even better. This is something I wear just for me; no one else.
So I’ve asked some of my fellow bloggers what they wear that’s just for them. Check it out:
“Heels! Ugh the number of times people have told me they aren’t “practical” or “no man pays attention to shoes” is so frustrating. I love heels. They make me feel taller, more in control. I feel like such a strong and winning woman in them.
Also wearing dresses. Society has begun to tell women they can dress in jeans and shirts and be femininem and while I agree they can– I feel like a queen when I’m in skirts or dresses. I want to own that look!”
-Lauren Jane Bellows of Bellows In The Berkshires
“I am that mom who wears make up each day and will often have an ‘outfit’ on. I don’t get dolled up, but I do spend an extra 15 minutes on myself each morning before I feel swept up in taking care of everyone else. I wasn’t always like this though. It took a lot of ‘practice’ and reminding myself that I am allowed to invest in my appearance without it being vain, or showy, or expensive.”
-Shawna Scafe of Simple On Purpose
“I absolutely love skirts and dresses. I like to wear nice clothes and dress feminine because it makes me feel good. I wear them to work almost every day even though it’s not required, and I always dress up for church even though everyone else wears jeans. In the past I felt out of place, but now I own and don’t worry about whether I look like everyone else or not.”
-Brittany Putman of Grace Love Life
“I love wearing tea length skirts and dresses because I think they’re pretty. Some people may judge my girly style, but I can still kick some ass in my pretty dresses. I don’t wear them for anyone else. I wear them for myself. One of my favorite quotes is from Zooey Deschanel: ‘I want to be a fucking feminist and wear a fucking Peter Pan collar. So fucking what?’“
-Cassie Lopez of Cassie Wears What
“I absolutely love heels. Maybe it’s because I’ve worn them since high school, maybe it’s just because I love the click-clack sound. They also give me a few extra inches I so desperately need. After breaking both my legs last year, I had to take a break from wearing them which made me sad…like I miss my shoes. Heels are something for me…doesn’t matter what other people think (except maybe the doctor…sometimes).
I also love wearing skirts/dresses. A lot of the time it’s just way more practical for me. They’re cooler, perfect for play, work, or class, and easy to move around and get from building to building (I live in a city so a lot of working). In my mind, I think saying whether or not a woman should or shouldn’t wear something because of feminism defeats the purpose of feminism itself. However (within moral guidelines) a woman feels she needs to express herself, or dress, or act is up to her, not the consensus of people deciding what she should wear or do.”
-Brianna Wronko of Living Life As A Young Adult
“I think saying whether or not a woman should or shouldn’t wear something because of feminism defeats the purpose of feminism itself.” I like this Brianna Wronko. True, so true. The great thing about our society today is that getting dressed is a form of self-expression in so many ways. Some days I feel like a baseball hat, some days I feel like primping. Some days I feel creative in how I dress, other days I want sheer comfort and simplicity. Mostly I feel good when I make an effort with and for myself, and for each of us, that translates into something different. Feminist movement- check.”
-Carolyn McAfee of CC Mcafee Perspective
“Sometimes I wear my hair up, sometimes down, sometimes straight, sometimes curly and other times in braids. I am not my hair, my hair is simply a form of self expression. It is not a form of expression of societal standards. I will not limit myself to what others deem as beautiful because “that’s how women should look”. I do my hair, dress myself and put make up on for myself and not for the pleasure of men who objectify women.“
-Cherice ‘Reesy’ Landers of Glam Hipster Diaries