Alright. Still with me? You’re great.
The conception that we should constantly be buying “flattering” clothes is based on a standardized idea of what beauty is—and, therefore, what it is not. The thin white girl with the curves in the right places and a waist you can put a keychain around still takes home the cake (but, of course, she just can’t eat it)—and flattering clothes are media’s conceptions of what can bring you closer to this ideal.
And
I quote. “Oval-shaped women hold most of their excess weight around the middle [thanks for that discovery, Sherlock]…chances are you have a good-sized bust so there are plenty of ways to draw the eye away from the waistline”
Yeah, um, how about not.
It seems we’ve (a “we” that is rooted in the patriarchy, btw…as is the oppression of women globally but just blamed on Islam…) become all too comfortable on giving women orders on how to dress and what to look like. In focusing all of our attention on outward appearances, of course it’s what is most important (aka character & intellect) that is often forgotten to cultivate. (All part of the patriarchy’s master plan, ladies).
Using “flattering” as a rubric for dress, us women are pushed to squeeze our waists and pump our rear ends (or whatever the kids are doing these days) in order to perpetuate society’s conception of ideal beauty–a conception that women must consistently strive for but will never reach. Certain jeans are off-limits to tomatoes or styles of dresses for carrots–all because it won’t help you mold and hide parts of your body that are hindering you from reaching that golden bar of beauty.
But reaching (and breaking) the glass ceiling is far more important, I think.
Of course, definitely not insinuating here that we should all go out and run around in paper bags, or even to stop wearing things that “fit,” but rather to reinterpret and redefine your style based on what makes you personally feel wonderful and confident so you can take on the world. (Like these wardrobe essentials). It’s not what makes your waist 2 sizes smaller that is important than what lets you move past a society that encourages women to be obsessed with fitting rubrics.
On JooJoo Azad we’re also moving forward together on a minimal wardrobe project in order to lessen our attachment to, and dependence on, material goods (clothing) in general as a preoccupation of our lives.
TL;DR: Screw society’s standards of beauty. Wear whatever makes you personally happy and confident. Wear what defines you as a person, not hides you as an object.
P.S. This post was inspired by me trying to be productive in a 12hr layover in Dusseldorf (…for a flight to Hamburg…even though I probably could have walked there in 12 hours…) and thinking about my upcoming research in Iran. If you’re also interested in women’s bodies as the center of politics (via fashion, of course), stick around because I’ll be sharing some findings on this space!
P.P.S Not into words? Then follow along on Instagram or Snapchat (@hodakay)!
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