If, throughout history, feminism has taught us anything, it’s that opposition can take the shape of whatever we want it to be. Some feminists protested through literature or poetry. Others fought for female rights through political lobbying. Yet, a common denominator among most (if not all) feminists is using their clothing as a way to protest against the patriarchy and other oppressive institutions.
Like all history, feminist fashion has also undergone constant evolution. For instance, women who used pants in the early 20th century defied societal gender norms; today, feminist graphic T-shirts make statements in a casual-yet-impactful way.
Each of these fashion statements were created within specific historical contexts. Let’s explore a timeline to see how these fashion statements arose, and what made them so important to the feminist movement.
- 1850-1900: the Bloomer Dress
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Also known as the Turkish Dress, the Reform Dress or the “Freedom Dress,” this garment was one of the first outfits to gain popularity during the First Wave of feminism. Women who participated in the suffragette movement, a campaign dedicated to advocate for women’s voting rights, made this dress a famous staple.
The common bloomer dress consisted of a long-sleeved, tight-fit bodice with a turtle neckline, complete with an ankle-length A-line skirt (sometimes ruffled) and bloomer pants underneath it.
The look was often complimented with elaborate picture hats, brightly colored bows, and satin sashes displaying pro-suffrage messages. The American social reformer Susan B. Anthony and famous suffragist Lucy Stone sported the dress often, increasing its popularity.
- 1900-1950: Trouser Pants
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Originally, in Western culture, pants were strictly reserved for men. As a matter of fact, women could get in serious legal trouble if they dared break this rule. Such was the case with Los Angeles kindergarten teacher Helen Hulick, who wore slacks to a court hearing to testify as a witness against a burglary. The case judge ordered her arrest because she refused to wear a dress or a skirt instead of the slacks on numerous occasions.
Luisa Capetillo also broke the skirt rule. The Puerto Rican writer and syndicalist wore trousers in public, a practice that both stirred some deep discontent and led to her very own trial in court. The widespread knowledge of these cases inspired women all over the continent to prioritize their right to wear what they pleased, just as men were allowed to do.
However, it wasn’t until World War II that women began to wear trousers in public en masse. When thousands of men were drafted off to war, wives would wear their husbands’ clothes in order to save money (remember that, in this period, the men were the bread-winners of the family). This new trouser-trend soon reached Hollywood. The likes of Marlene Dietrich and Katharine Hepburn inspired many more women to try this new fashion.
- 1960: No Bras
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Mid-20th century, bras were often uncomfortable and unflattering (not to mention oppressive)! Women who identified as feminists soon considered that wearing bras was yet another standard imposed by the patriarchy, considering the societal expectation that these should be worn at all times.
Radical feminist Germaine Greer publicly declared that wearing a bra should be a choice, not an obligation. This statement was so influential that women began to burn their bras, throw them away, or simply refuse to wear them as a sign of protest.
- 1965: the Bikini, the Jeans, and the Miniskirt
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Welcome to the Second Wave of feminism: a time where women began widely entering the workplace, advocating for reproductive rights, and challenging gender roles. The greatest expressions of this era’s feminist fashion were the appearance of the bikini-style swimsuit, jeans, and the miniskirt.
Although the bikini was originally developed in the 1940s by French couture designer Jacques Heim, it wasn’t until the 1960s that this style had its breakthrough in the American market. Many public pools and beaches prohibited its use because it was deemed to be too “risky” and revealing.
Nevertheless, with the rise of Second Wave feminism, women began to associate the bikini with freedom. Eventually, these restrictions were lifted, thanks to the garment’s popularity, and feminist protests in favor of women’s right to dress freely.
The world’s most popular denim pants, AKA jeans, were originally designed for middle-working class men. However, second wave feminists began to use them in solidarity with sexually assaulted women in their workplaces, and other minorities that suffered laboral oppression.
Then came the miniskirt. The first iteration of this garment was brought forth by British designer Mary Quant. It is no surprise that this garment was also highly controversial due to its extremely short length. The miniskirt was so groundbreaking that both young and middle-aged feminists soon became avid miniskirt fans. Besides being worn as another display of freedom, miniskirts were also used to exude flirty, sensual, and juvenile vibes.
- 1970-1990: the Pantsuit
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Although the pantsuit was first introduced by French designer Yves Saint Laurent in the late 1960s, it wasn’t until a decade later that the pantsuit began to be used in professional workspaces. A curious antithesis can be witnessed in the way in which the pantsuit is actually used. While some people considered pantsuits to be feminist because they implied no more skirts and dresses and challenged the the feminine stereotypes of what women were “supposed” to wear, others deemed the garment as anti-feminist due to the fact that it emulated masculine fashion.
However, the pantsuit’s popularity skyrocketed during the early 1990s, when the US government made it officially legal for women to wear pantsuits in the Senate, Congress, and other governmental work spaces. The pantsuit’s popularity increased even more when politician Hillary Clinton began to regularly wear them in public appearances, becoming a champion for the feminist fashion culture.
- 2017: the Pussy Hat
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Fast forward to the 2017 Women’s March, a year into Donald Trump’s presidential election. Before getting into the story behind this iconic hat, it’s worth noting that this year was key for the national feminist movement, amidst the Third Wave of feminism. Prior to his inauguration in 2017, the media exposed a 2005 recording of Trump having a behind-the-scenes conversation with radio celebrity and television host Billy Bush, in which he says (about the “perks” of being rich and famous) that “you can grab ‘em [women] by the pussy,” along with more sexist slander.
This quote inspired artists Jayna Zweiman and Krista Suh to create the Pussyhat Project, a global initiative to unify people of all genders, races, ethnicities, sexualities, religions, and socioeconomic classes in one single fight for women’s rights. As part of this project, Jayna and Krista’s team worked hard to knit millions of pink “pussy” hats to distribute among protesters. Ever since this historic day, the pussy hat has become an emblem for feminists all around the world.
Feminist fashion has undoubtedly impacted the way we dress today. In fact, many garments that were once exclusively considered to convey a feminist connotation are used nowadays as regular fashion staples. Now, it’s time for you to put on your miniskirts and bikinis (or whichever fashion items empower you the most); and stand proud, knowing that your foremothers fought for their right to wear the clothes you love!