Thursday Thoughts #1 Style Freedom

I've decided to do a weekly blog post that is just a little bit random but something that relates to fashion in the broader sense, and just everyone. As I'm a person that is quite unapologetically opinionated I feel like it's just a nice thing to share some of my views and also communicate things with my follwers on that I'd love to hear from you about on, too.

This week's post is literally a ramble on personal style & beauty with a feminist slant.

Pretty much everyone will talk about beauty standards that are imposed on women, ideals that people are pressured to fit into.That's nothing new at all. Yet, with an increasing awareness in the media currently about women's rights, the notion that women wear make-up and dress for themselves is also (thankfully) becoming more prominent. 

I can't help wondering, even though I am a person that loves to dress up and loves clothes and loves eyeliner (why would I bother posting about x, y, z's designs on my blog then?) how much of this is actually a choice rather than the illusion of choice.

Unfortunately, though I strongly believe in the right that anyone should be able to, it's seen as outside the norm for a man to wear makeup or act effeminately. A man that does so is 'not a real man' or must in many people's view, be gay. As a female I can choose to wear makeup - without repercussions, but how much of this is down to the ability to choose because makeup gives us an advantage? It makes us more typically, conventionally attractive to some and conforms to what a lot of the fashion and beauty industry want to capitalise on: other people's fear that they will not be seen as attractive. The idea of perfection is absolutely everywhere in beauty advertisements. Flawless, photo-perfect, like new skin.. countless adjectives that imply that women's makeup is something to be used as a means to look well, bloody superhuman or something. The idea that if you have flaws, well cover them up now, buy away your problems. As well as that, there's a double-edged sword. You care about your appearance: you must be shallow. You don't care about your appearance: you're unacceptable. It definitely shouldn't be this way. 

I am not arguing that women should not care about their appearance. Rather that both genders should have the option to not give a damn or to care and should not be motivated by the need to be accepted by others. Appearance is a wonderful medium to express the personality - people that don't conform to trends, or couldn't care about fashion (it's ok not to!) are also making their own statement through their lack of fancy appearance. I can admire both - Kristen Stewart's no-makeup, converse, jeans and old t-shirt airport ensemble to Dita Von Teese's meticulously crafted signature look.

Through style one can create onself to present to the world. Unfortunately, I just feel that our modern life has just latched on to how appearance can be used to express to dictate women's self esteem. In a lot of society it's maintained that appearance is everything but there is also a double standard that to care about appearance is frivolous. The pages of Glamour and other publications feature 'Do's' and 'Don't's pages with fashion mistakes - oh my goddd she wore this print with this other clashing print, the world is going to end. I've never cared to read in a magazine about how to wear something just right or how not to wear something.. the whole point is you learn yourself through trial and error, and whilst of course magazines can offer inspiration, I really would like to rip up every Do and Don't page ever put into print.

Fashion rules are oppressive, and they ruin the whole point. In the end, I think a lot of fashion is arguing over subjective opinions of what makes something good. It's simply taken too seriously, come on, it's something to enjoy, but there are much more serious things to care about. 

My final thoughts? Are that views of how a person presents themselves has got to change.  Women shouldn't fear stepping out the front door with no makeup on, just as they shouldn't fear overdressing because it's something you enjoy doing. No one should be defined by how they look because as the true, but cliche saying goes, it's what's inside that counts. There should be a celebration of how creatively people can choose to dress, rather than style being an elitist game. I like Dita Von Teese because she breaks the rules; her beauty philosophy is that beauty is not about looking pretty but rather creating glamour. It is manufactured - she used to be blonde, dressing conventionally etc. Through style and beauty you're able to show yourself asides from genetics and natural beauty, which I think is something important. Something that can be used or not - either fall victim to the countless influences that tell you what to be, or choose what you want for yourself.

                                                         "One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman."