Feminists have longs sighted the oppressive nature of women’s fashion. Upon analysis of the most recent edition of the Abercrombie & Fitch catalog, an observant viewer is taken aback by the characteristics of the differences between their men’s and women’s fashions. Women’s fashions have a tendency to be fragile and restrictive while men’s fashions have a tendency to be expansive and durable.
Let’s start from the top. The hair. Women’s hair styles are usually much larger and require much more maintenance then men’s. Hair is traditionally much longer which requires far time to wash and dry. Long hair also poses the threat of getting caught in machinery at a place of work and adds a great deal of weight to the person’s head. Men’s hairstyles are traditionally much shorter, and hence much lighter on the head. Hair often dries by itself within ten minutes, and is very safe in a hazardous work space.
Moving down, we have the face. Women’s faces are marked by makeup. Makeup takes a long time to apply and is very volatile. Women are constantly reapplying their lipstick. Makeup has a very uncomfortable feeling because it restricts the breathing of the pores. Men? No makeup. The application of makeup would bring the man’s status as a man into question.
Just below the shoulders the armpits are shaven, and the breasts are bound. The sole purpose of the brassiere is restriction. Often the weight of the breasts pulls so heavily on the straps to cause deep permanent indentations on the women’s shoulders. The fashionable tops are almost always restrictive (otherwise they are not feminine). They are often made of restrictive Lycra and are marked by fragile lace. Formal dress often leaves the area on and above the breasts exposed. If a man where to leave as much area exposed in a formal setting, he would most likely be told to go home to put something on.
The female models in the Abercrombie and Fitch catalogue all have very petite waists and closed hips. With this as an ideal of female beauty, few women reflect that ideal. Most women’s hips are wide giving them large waists. Little attention is paid to men’s hips.
The legs must be shaven. Women’s legs being unshaven in our culture is highly taboo. Shaving is a long, laborious and Sysiphean process that dramatically increases the sensitivity of the skin. Those who shave their legs often get cuts and raiser burn. The legs are then bound by tights or pantyhose that are very uncomfortable and have a crotch that has a tendency to ride low and needs to be pulled up contunuously, or tight pants that effectively restrict the wearer’s ability to walk. When the tights or pantyhose are worn, they legs are usually covered by a dress. Evening gowns constrict the legs also in a manner that keeps mobility to a minimum. Men’s pants? Jeans are almost always baggy and formal pants leave room around the legs for comfort and agility.
The most common women’s dress shoes are high heels. The front of the shoe is shaped to come to a point in the center, squeezing the big toe. The high heels place pressure on the squeezed toes and over time cause painful bunions. The heels themselves are usually about a half cubic centimeter. Such a small area to place one’s balance leads to fractured ankles and tripping on small cracks. Men’s shoes give a lot of room in the front and have a heel that is at least three inches wide and long. The weight is balanced evenly and hence does not cause bunions.
While fashion changes greatly between cultures and eras, a common thread is the oppressive nature of fashion for women. If women are ever to overcome their plight, their problem with the clothing industry must be recognized before their oppression will end.
