REBELLING AGAINST TRADITIONAL ATTRACTIVENESS

I don’t think it has even been a year ago that I had sworn off my earlier purchased shiny white Birkenstocks when they became hot and happening and a new pair was bought. Around the same time I made a vow to never wear or purchase clothes that feel like you’re about to choke or make you feel like you’re walking around naked. I don’t like the slim fitted dresses and the tight shirts. I prefer to wear everything baggy and lose fitted, except for the skinny jeans that don’t feel like they’re taped on your legs. So when the collection for Spring and Summer 2014 were shown and designers started to introduce the oversized items again, me and my fashion morals held a little party to celebrate.

Modern design and our approach to how we dress is becoming less and less about ‚looking good’ to others and more about a personal approach to how we want to look and what we feel comfortable in. The notion of the notorious Birkenstock and baggy trousers is a confirmation to how free people, in particular women, are becoming with regards to getting dressed in the morning. Birkenstocks, low hemlines and culottes are a middle finger to the idea that we have a societal dress code.

This sartorial revolution and rejection of traditional attractiveness is liberating and takes some courage. It creates this world where we decide what we want to wear, what we feel sexy and attractive in rather than following suit to what we are ought to wear to feel like that.

Perhaps we can also say that in creating a world where traditional attractiveness is ignored, the idea of choice becomes a reality. I can make the choice of wearing something that is flattering according to what we conventionally find flattering or I can wear a sartorial equivalent of a tent. Perhaps the most important message to women is; we can no longer be criticized for enjoying fashion and be told that we are objectifying ourselves.

Any way that I decide to dress is underlined in freedom because there are two ends of the spectrum, not just the one side that pertains to convention and tradition. If I want to wear a sweater which hemline ends under my knees combined with wide trousers and Birkenstocks than it’s my choice. Birkenstocks being praised is just one way of showing how fashion nowadays is giving ownership of the term beautiful to people. What better way to celebrate personal style than by giving people the option to define it themselves? So while not everyone will agree with me, certainly men and especially my father, I give my pair of Birks a solid high five.

Photos found on Pinterest.com