Several weeks ago, a friend of mine vented to Facebook about an uncomfortable experience they had while dressed in vintage attire. Apparently a couple of uncouth cads approached my friend and proceeded to berate her for "celebrating a terrible time in history." After all, it was during the past that we had mass oppression, bigotry, racism, sexism, Nazism, and a whole slew of other offensive -isms. These boorish boobs actually tried to shame her for her clothes. I suspect the irony was totally lost on them.
Now, I have been dressing in vintage and vintage-styled clothing for many years. Not once have I been chastised for it. (Perhaps being a big girl helps here.) It seems that most people recognize that an appreciation of the fashions, hairstyles, shoes, and art (music, films) of an era does not equate to accepting the entire culture without reservation.
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| For all we know, Margie here could be pointing out key points of her Feminist Manifesto |
Lest anyone doubt, let me take this time to put any questions to rest: I am a feminist. I am an open-minded thinker. I am a supporter of equal rights. I am an environmentalist. And, yes, I dress like a woman of the past; a woman who may have struggled had she shared my views during her time.
While I may daydream about how wonderful it would be if folks returned to a few habits from the past, oppression is certainly not one of them! (But while we’re on the subject, might I just suggest that we do make an effort to not look like we’re ready for Zumba class when we are going out to dinner?) I wear what I do for the same reason that you do: I like how I look it them/they're comfortable/they're clean.
My clothes are not a political statement. My hair isn’t meant to suggest that I want to return to an era of segregation, sexism, and oppression. My home decor does not imply anything other than my taste in furniture is decidedly different from the average Ikea shopper. If you want to know what I think about a particular subject, you'll get a much clearer answer by actually asking me versus just assuming based on the sort of frock I put on. ;)
