I have had many jobs in my 23 years of life and I have had to wear many uniforms with them. I have been a ‘punk’, a grunge goth, a Victorian goth, and now a rockabilly wannabe pinup star. I have worn many different styles and many different makeup-ed faces to (or lack there of). Some I fell into, some I was pressured into and some I wanted to be. I have battled with my body image and been pressured into looking a
certain way. Now I am coming to terms with my image and have a wonderful boyfriend to help me. My dream job is nearer now than ever and my wardrobe is, well I think. truly fantastic.
This week I walked the half hour walk along Union Street in Aberdeen to the office wearing a red pencil skirt with a white sheer blouse with black polka dots. I wore my signature ankle boots from Irregular Choice and had my signature swirl and leopard print bow in my hair. The weather was cold so on top I wore a black raincoat – also a new purchase – so passers by had to imagine my rockabilly outfit. I was walking with all the other office workers, they were wearing all black and boring outfits, the stereotype office wear. I was the most colourful out of the lot ad this gave me a little smile. Everyone was staring as I passed by – there are not very many of us rockabilly types in the small city – and this got me thinking, I am the only one out of this commuting crowd that looks feminine.
I should say before I continue that when I say feminine I conjure up an image of Joan Holloway and Marilyn Monroe in my mind. And that is the problem. We all judge on each others appearance – they’re too fat, too skinny, to butch, to slutty, etc. But no one will stop and ask if they are happy that way. I must admit to judging others and i’m particularly bad at judging women who don’t appear to look like my version of feminine. But what is feminine? It’s nothing to feminism, is it? Or is it everything to with it? This debate has been going on for a while now and the media are only recently catching on to this generations version of the debate. In the 60’s/70s it was burning bras and liberating women, in the 80s it was equality for women in the workplace (a fight that’s still going on today), the 90s saw women take to the stage and TV to express their new found sexuality and now it’s the whole lot rolled into one.
Is it to be feminine and sashay across the floor in a pencil skirt and heels that emphasise your womanly curves? Is it to ignore that stereotype and stigma of the overtly sexual woman and become butch and boy like? There are many different opinions and all of them cause debate and sparks fly. I think that if you are true to yourself and are comfortable with yourself, only making changes for yourself then you are feminine. If you feel comfortable working on a construction sight and going to a club at night in heels and make up with a glamour hair do then power to you. If you want to walk to the office in the typical black trousers and white shirt and leave your hair down and only wear mascara then carry on. If you feel pressured into being a woman you are not then leave whoever or what ever position you are in and find who you want to be and get there.
Women are fighting for acceptance in male dominated roles and stopping the stigma of certain roles, only women can be nurses and men are doctors, only women can be dancers unless the man is gay, etc. We are trying to break boundaries and get rid of the tape. Women are fighting to be accepted as intelligent and independent and sexual beings and celebrities like Emma Watson and Beyonce have gotten in on this. Elle magazine have dedicated this months issue to the very issue of feminists but we still do not know what it is. I truly don’t know who decided the fate of women kind and I don’t know why we women chose to let it be the way of the world but we do need to stand up and say enough is enough. All over the world women are being shot for going to school or stoned for not covering their hair or for driving a car. We need to stop judging each other and stop hating because of another woman’s success. We should unite and be fabulous together. Weather you are goth, rockabilly, hipster, plain Jane or just yourself, we should greet each other and celebrate who we are and what we are capable of. Burn your bra if you want or stand on top of a building screaming your lungs out for equal pay, or simply curl your hair and walk with your head up high to your office, as long as you are happy and true to your self no one should bring you down.
xoxo
MB