Muse: Issue 02

It was a small step forward for
women that allowed for leaps
in the future.
with chokers, black eyeshadow, and
leather jackets. Women were seen as a
force to be reckoned with. The aggressive
nature of the '90s grunge aesthetic
directly challenged previous portrayals
of women as innocent and docile. With
grunge came an unrestrained form of
expression. Women in this decade were
unafraid to speak up for their beliefs and
their style reflected that fearlessness.
It may seem that all each decade left
behind was less and less room for the
imagination; however, there is more to it
than that. The freedom of dress offers
comfort and acceptance of oneself.
Fashion is an extension of self, and yes,
with each decade came more skin, but it
opened the choices that women had by
simply expanding their wardrobe. In
wearing skin-tight clothes or oversized
sweaters or men’s jackets, a woman is
communicating that she is comfortable
in her own skin.
While women have earned the right to
wear more revealing clothing in the 21st
Century, a victim-blaming culture has
been unwittingly thrust upon them.
Great strides have been made toward
female empowerment, but the fight is
not yet over. The recent #MeToo movement
has revealed the staggering number
of women and men who have fallen
victim to sexual abuse. Wearing short
skirts and cleavage-revealing shirts has
become a part of the norm; yet, this
does not stop the masses from accusing
women of “asking for it” when they
choose to dress in a more revealing way.
In a movement where people utilize
women’s clothing choices as a weapon
against them, others have fought back
using their own clothing choices for
retaliation. During the 2018 Golden
Globes, men and women dressed in all
black to protest the inequality between
the genders. Through large numbers
and unified fashion choices, they made
a loud statement against the normalized
culture against women.
Although there have been immense
amounts of progress in female empowerment
and equality, there is still massive
social inequality within the United
States and elsewhere. As the 2020s
begin this year, understand that clothing
has power to start and propel movements
forward. No one ever knows what
kind of new, controversial fashion statements
will arrive until it is in front of
them. The flapper era could never have
been predicted and it was one of the
most influential fashion movements in
recent history. Rebellious fashion
throughout the decades has shaped history
in ways that no one could have
imagined, and it will continue to do so.
ISSUE 02: SUBCULTURES IN FASHION
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