Fashion as protest: How clothes can unite us

What you probably already know: Women have been using fashion as a subtle and not-so-subtle form of protest for centuries. The suffragettes wore white and coordinated their clothing to send a message and unite together in both protest and solidarity. Then, 60 years later, women wore mini skirts to claim their right to own their own sexuality and bodily autonomy. Now, the fashion industry seems to be following the trend laid out by those in power — and traditional gender roles are increasingly showing up in modern fashion designs. That has some people asking — can I protest what’s happening in the world with the simple act of dressing in the morning?

Why? Coordinated fashion can unite like-minded people and foster a sense of solidarity, while simultaneously making a visually impactful statement. In the U.S., fashion has played an important role in some of the country’s biggest social movements. Members of the Black Panther Party wore black leather jackets and berets to unify and convey messages of Black pride as they challenged racist standards during the 1960s and ‘70s. Women’s liberation activists challenged society’s concept of “feminine” style in the ‘70s by wearing denim and pantsuits. Guy Fawkes masks were worn as symbols of rebellion during the Occupy Wall Street movement in 2011 and the famous “pussy hats” took off during the protests of the last Trump administration.

What it means: “Trad Wives,” as they’ve come to be called on social media, put this shift in traditional gender roles in stark relief. These women, who claim to believe a woman belongs in the home, gleefully record themselves spending their days making breakfast cereal from scratch, decorating their homes and caring for children. They’ve become something of a flash point in our society. Their fashion choices, of course, are highly feminine. Then there’s the Utah curls — long locks styled in an impossible-to-maintain loose curl — that were popularized by reality TV stars from shows like “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.”

What happens now? Now, it seems, wearing clothing that could be perceived as masculine if you identify as female, or feminine if you identify as male, could be seen as a form of protest, both of the gender norms and of the treatment of trans people. Additionally, purchasing fashion that was created by people who are members of oppressed groups can also make a statement. A recent New York Times article recommends creating “a uniform for yourself that stands out simply because it is different from the uniform of the majority. Wear any garment consistently, and at some point everyone else should get the message.”