Beware: The 'Condemned' Damsel

It is not in the mere curve of her waist or the fullness of her breasts that femininity resides, it is in her presence and manner and the effortless grace exuded in her movement. She has been stepped on and is accustomed to working as an integral figure but is always unnoticed, she is the intricate machinery in a watch, she is historically unseen.

These thoughts have crossed each of our minds at some point, this battle between the male presence and the objectified woman, but more so in the mindset of feminism and more recently, eco-feminism. Excuse me while i digress from my poetic path; for this is a fashion blog, not a soapbox.

On a comparatively lighter note, which ‘modern’ woman can deny the assertive qualities of fashion? Some men (and women) choose to assure their masculinity (or femininity) through the degradation of the opposite sex:

Chris Brown beats Rihanna and Rihanna writes about bondage, a curious example indeed.

But let’s cut to the chase, Rihanna also adopted one bad-ass wardrobe. Which ties up with my last point: women’s fashion for many, promotes empowerment and independence, all the while appreciating the feminine form.

It’s that unexplained pout when your lips are freshly ‘rouged’. It’s that previously non-existent posture that emerged when you wore that dress.

And here’s the best example (a personal revelation I’ll admit):
It’s that strut you never knew you had before you bought those heels. That dear reader, is the power of fashion to a woman.

But ladies, let’s not get our French lace knickers in a knot over this, fashion is but a mere symptom of the empowered woman and I know many other ‘alternatively’- for the lack of a better word- empowered women who disagree with my stance, immensely.

They argue- and to a certain point, I have to agree- that a woman is not defined by her curves or her beauty and that the fashion which we gravitate to is perpetuated by men so that we become objects which they expressed a desire for in the first place.

Regardless of the side you choose, and whether it’s a golf shirt that puts a sparkle in your smile or a pencil skirt, being a women, and being proud of what makes us women is the essence of ‘gender equality’ for me. Women are not equal to men, because women are not men, but the same applies to the little boys.

Red lips vs. nude lips; body-con vs. drapery, here’s to the little things that we assert ourselves with. We may fight like girls, but when we’re dressed to kill, hell, we pack quite a punch.