The words “femininity” and “feminism” are close together in terms of spelling, yet their opposing stereotypes tend to draw fear. It’s 2015 and demands for equality grow louder by the day, but feminists are still seen as hairy, unattractive and bitter women. On the other side of the spectrum, feminine women are thought to be full of frills, with every hair in place and as many “As if” airhead moments as Cher had in Clueless. Fashionistas—sorry Fashionistos, I’m having a moment—femininity is inherent. It is not defined by the number of flowers on your dress or the amount of pink that you wear whether it be Wednesday or not, and those details do not discount your worth. Embracing femininity and obvious traits thereof in no way demean your feminist agenda or make you the weakest link. As Zooey Deschanel said, “If you feel like dressing ‘like a girl,’ there’s nothing wrong with that. I don’t know why femininity should be associated with weakness…we can’t be feminists and be feminine and successful? I want to be a [freaking] feminist and wear a [freaking] Peter Pan collar. So [freaking] what?” It’s kind of like when someone tells a girl that they run like a girl. There shouldn’t be a problem with that. There should be no shame in embracing femininity, and if it doesn’t feel natural, that doesn’t make you less of a female than any other girl out there.
This Fashionista went for a laid back feminine approach. It’s perfect for any number of situations like going to class, hanging out on the beach, going on a date or even a jam-packed schedule that includes all of the aforementioned! Classic, feminine looks often include the color pink, lace or cute earrings, and her key to combining all three comes down to the subtlety: light pink colors, delicate lace detail—rather than an ensemble completely made of lace—and small pearl accessories. Her slouchy cardigan and charm necklace make her outfit more personal than similar feminine attire.
Trying out this look won’t take long. Make sure the colors you wear can be found in a nude palette—natural colors aren’t overpowering which makes them easier to blend or layer together! The Caroline cardigan from Brandy Melville is comfortably loose and too light to pack on heat. To balance out the bagginess from the cardigan, stay away from flowy dresses—a casual tank dress or form-fitting one will work just fine. The last addition is the accessory. If you don’t fancy pearls, a tiny pendant necklace and a matching ring set achieve the same effect. The best time to try this is on a natural or minimal-to-no makeup kind of day because the nude colors will make often-overlooked birthrights like natural blush stand out more.
What is your STYLE ADVICE OF THE WEEK? “I’m a girl. It’s impossible for anything—especially my clothes—to make me ‘too girly.’ Anyone that finds femininity a threat to their ability in being a strong character needs to take another look at Legally Blonde.”
