The great Hollywood costume designer
Edith Head once wrote:
"One hundred years ago, every woman wore a hoopskirt, she had no choice; seventy-five years ago, every woman wore a bustle. Today, a woman can look any way she wishes -if she knows how, if there is someone to help her" (The Dress Doctor -1959- page 21).
When I read such a statement I got very surprised and immediately thought, "I'm sure that was the way 50 years ago, now not anymore... no ones needs advise, we all are independent and wear what we please"... Was I right?
Being a magazine whore and trying to collect as many magazines as possible, from any period of time, made me noticed that no matter the year in the cover, all magazines have something in common; they tell women
what to wear.
What-to-wear in regard of the situation we are about to face (a job interview, a blind date) or the person we are about to meet (mom, dad, a boyfriend), what-to-wear when we are happy or sad, at home or at the office...
It seems we
really need help... Really?
For many centuries
women's roles were severely limited by society's concepts of male supremacy and female inferiority. [...]
Fashions of the times [XIX century] didn't help either. Voluminous, billowing skirts hampered movement, and corsets caused dizzy spells and fainting.
A woman's priority in young adulthood was to find a husband, and after doing so, raise a family and run a well-kept household. [...]
The male-dominated social order dictated that women be meek and obedient "domestic creatures," for the most part confined to housewifery and raising of children, deferential to men, and financially dependent on the husband. These very definite ideas about a woman's part in the overall scheme of things were responsible for the restricted part women played in their world. "...[A]n exclusively nineteenth century phenomenon among women... developed as a result of the concept of the 'woman's sphere,' whereby the woman's role in life was strictly limited to home and family. [...] ". (Muhlenfeld) " >> source Although the text was written with reference to women in the XIX century I found those matters timeless...
For centuries women haven't been able to study, to work, to do any sports, to be part of any political or cultural event. They were imprisoned in their own home and with time in their hands, rich ladies decided to use it to embellish themselves and to find new methods to improve their natural beauty; they invented in the solitude of their homes new fashions, new hair-dos, new beauty products and techniques... And to do so they used other women (sisters, mothers, friends) in this ritualistic grooming—that potent, mutual currency of female friendship.
It would be a facile argument to say they did so to impress their husbands, "masters" of their house and world. But we all know very well how much we like to dress for other women, the ones who will understand if what we're wearing is faux or not, if the bag we're carrying is Chanel, Prada or Lanvin.
If we would dress for men only we would be naked or with just a mere brassiere. Instead our fashions are very elaborate and the highest the fashion the more knowledge you need to know what's going on.. and really, how many men have the knowledge?
It would be wrong too to accuse them of being frivolous for acting in such a way. Now we can work, do sports, be part of political and cultural events and we do not have spare time in our hands but still, we use the little we have to embellish ourselves and... write blogs about it.
Although I don't post about my outfits or my beauty secrets and i don't follow what others do, I might be a rareté, what kind of woman am I?, because they get the most comments, they get the most love&hate, they are like blog-celebrities and I have to admit that when I started to post some pictures of myself my stats began to rise up like froth.
We women definitely like to see each other getting dressed and looking nice and neat.
It is then something on our DNA I guess and it will take years or maybe never, to erase that love for sharing fashion and beauty between each other, for telling each other what to wear, and what's best, for accepting so.
Oh, and I can not forget to mention the dressing-up syndrome that we all suffer since we are little girls (Lula magazine wouldn't exist if we wouldn't suffer from it); we love to dress up together, to put make up on our best girl friend... so i wonder if this is the real love we all share. :)
naomi campbell + kate moss / edith head + gloria swanson
When in 2000 Björk wore a dress designed by Spanish duo La Casita de Wendy (Wendy's Little House) for different magazines (The Wire, Les Inrockuptibles) and events she probably wasn't conscious of how important a key she was being to make Inés and Iván, members of the label, to be known internationally. A fact that all of us, fans of the fashion duo, appreciate.
