I am somewhat interested in fashion, but certain clear-cut exceptions aside (fascist symbols, misappropriated regalia, etc) I don’t believe individual style choices significantly help or harm your political goals. I think visual culture of all kinds is of central importance to being human but too slippery, too polyvalent, too fluid, too cooptable to be of significant tactical value in a plan for political action. my political values are a deeply felt part of me and therefore influence everything I do including how I dress, but it’s all very individual and not readily decodable. wearing a particular shade of eyeshadow because it makes my eyes look more green and that makes me feel like a witch is obviously influenced by my feminist politics, but it’s not the same thing as wearing a pro-choice t-shirt or whatever, and most fashion isn’t.
so when I talk politics and fashion, or any other intersection of politics and visual culture, I’m still usually, primarily talking aesthetics. I’m saying “this is how this makes me feel and what it makes me think of”, not “this is what should be condemned and what should be done instead”. if I’ve said a particular fashion is politically regressive (and I know I’m given to hyperbole but it’s not that often that I’ve actually said that) the negative consequences of wearing that would be about 2% betraying the movement and about 98% potentially looking dorky. likewise, wearing something politically interesting is probably not going to do anything other than make you look cool.
basically I just want to talk about stuff in a way that doesn’t make an artificial divide between the political and non-political but that keeps out “literally everything I do is revolutionary because I chose it, fuck you” feminism.
bolded mine & just things to think about.
(i don’t necessarily agree with this but definitely) thought-provoking.
