Feminism and Makeup/Fashion

[dgirl1986]

What are your thoughts on feminists who like to wear makeup and like fashion (not necessarily mainstream)

This topic came up on a podcast I listen to which has a strong feminist flavour to it called Stuff your mom never told you. They were talking about the relationship through history with feminism and these industries and how people react to it today.

If you do wear makeup and have a certain style, do you feel you are looked down on by other feminists? What if you are anti makeup and fashion? Do you tell people they shouldnt buy into it?

I am really curious to see the responses here.

For the record - I wear makeup and I guess I am into fashion in a certain sense. I have my own style but I can be inspired by other peoples trends and "beauty habits". I wear stuff because I like it or because I think it looks cool. The only time I ever dress to impress is when I go on a date with my girlfriend. I am also very ecclectic in my tastes.

 

[Skwim]

I suggest that a true feminist would recognize the "right" of a woman to do whatever she wanted. I think your "I wear stuff because I like it or because I think it looks cool" is reason enough. Ignore anyone who says anything to the contrary.

 

[Marisa]

I don't wear makeup but it's not because I'm against it. I just really hate what prolonged use of it does to my skin. LOL

I suppose I can see both sides of this issue and to be perfectly honest I've never really given it much thought. As a general rule, I'm not the "typical" anything. I feel like I embody my own brand of femininity, which means being confident and freely offering my thoughts, and expecting to be treated equally.

 

[dust1n]

Hmm... difficult topic to really address, because it's difficult to explain many of the weird obsessive vapid things people do. I mean, fashion? Everyone in the world enjoys the feeling of having found the perfect, quality pair of pants. In general, I don't find one's make-up habits indicative of anything, unless the interest and ritual is so strong as to encompass one's life and passions, but I could say the same for comic books, or whatever.

Personally, on a level of attraction and all, I find make-up pretty unappealing. But I don't think it makes anyone anything in particular.

 

[dawny0826]

I suggest that a true feminist would recognize the "right" of a woman to do whatever she wanted. I think your "I wear stuff because I like it or because I think it looks cool" is reason enough. Ignore anyone who says anything to the contrary.

I agree with this.

 

[Deidre]

I don't care if I'm 'looked down upon' by other feminists. I do my own thang.
I wear make up...not a lot, but some. I don't think wearing make up or dressing sexy for whoever, is necessarily anti-feminism. Interesting topic, this is.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I don't hold any grudges against make-up and fashion. I like to wear make-up and without fashion I couldn't look the way I want to look.
My beef is with the fashion industry, which preys upon men and women, advertising insecurity, broadcasting low self-esteem, selling eating and mood disorders. Many of the ideologies I follow tend to have very strong and very negative things to say about such industries. Making up, fashion, and "being" feminine are things in which their is nothing wrong with. But things like Disney Princesses should be put on trial for causing damage the images little girls have of themselves and the world.

 

[MysticSang'ha]

I honestly have not come upon a number of feminists who have "looked down" on anyone - male or female - who wore make up or found an interest in fashion. I mean, there was a trend not too long ago for women who preferred not shaving to dye the hair under their arms various colors. So, not even all the hairy feminists are all that crunchy granola.

I will wear make up and dresses to feminist meetings from time to time. Put my hair up in a nice 'do. Not once has anyone asked for me to hand in my feminist card.

I just don't have to do any of that. Nobody has to.

 

[Thana]

What are your thoughts on feminists who like to wear makeup and like fashion (not necessarily mainstream)

This topic came up on a podcast I listen to which has a strong feminist flavour to it called Stuff your mom never told you. They were talking about the relationship through history with feminism and these industries and how people react to it today.

If you do wear makeup and have a certain style, do you feel you are looked down on by other feminists? What if you are anti makeup and fashion? Do you tell people they shouldnt buy into it?

I am really curious to see the responses here.

For the record - I wear makeup and I guess I am into fashion in a certain sense. I have my own style but I can be inspired by other peoples trends and "beauty habits". I wear stuff because I like it or because I think it looks cool. The only time I ever dress to impress is when I go on a date with my girlfriend. I am also very ecclectic in my tastes.

Make-up is a chore, It's really not all that fun. Putting it on takes a while, can hurt if you're careless, and is in a lot of cases pretty bad for your skin/eyes/general health. Wearing it is even worse, It's like having yoghurt on your face all day. And if, heaven forbid, it's a really hot day.... then it becomes an even more miserable experience. You have to be careful what you eat and drink and how you eat and drink it, You can't cry or sweat, You can't kiss properly or hug someone taller than you (Or it gets all over their clothes) And wearing your hair down is a pain because it always gets stuck on the make-up on your face, Or it smudges it. And that's another thing, constantly having to touch it up, another time waster.

The only reason for make-up is 'self esteem' but then you really have to ask yourself where this 'self-esteem' is coming from. Is it you enjoying the way it makes you feel, And are you feeling that way because of yourself or because of how you think people see you differently?

I'm pro-choice, of course, but I do sometimes wonder if the motives behind wearing make-up are truly feminist, Or if they're simply another way to please others and therefore train women to want to please others.

 

[dgirl1986]

I don't hold any grudges against make-up and fashion. I like to wear make-up and without fashion I couldn't look the way I want to look.
My beef is with the fashion industry, which preys upon men and women, advertising insecurity, broadcasting low self-esteem, selling eating and mood disorders. Many of the ideologies I follow tend to have very strong and very negative things to say about such industries. Making up, fashion, and "being" feminine are things in which their is nothing wrong with. But things like Disney Princesses should be put on trial for causing damage the images little girls have of themselves and the world.

I personally hate advertising of "beauty" products and fashion for the reasons you list and then some. They give people unrealistic goals and the other thing I cant stand about the cosmetic industry, besides testing on animals, is the false advertising.

 

[dgirl1986]

Make-up is a chore, It's really not all that fun. Putting it on takes a while, can hurt if you're careless, and is in a lot of cases pretty bad for your skin/eyes/general health. Wearing it is even worse, It's like having yoghurt on your face all day. And if, heaven forbid, it's a really hot day.... then it becomes an even more miserable experience. You have to be careful what you eat and drink and how you eat and drink it, You can't cry or sweat, You can't kiss properly or hug someone taller than you (Or it gets all over their clothes) And wearing your hair down is a pain because it always gets stuck on the make-up on your face, Or it smudges it. And that's another thing, constantly having to touch it up, another time waster.

The only reason for make-up is 'self esteem' but then you really have to ask yourself where this 'self-esteem' is coming from. Is it you enjoying the way it makes you feel, And are you feeling that way because of yourself or because of how you think people see you differently?

I'm pro-choice, of course, but I do sometimes wonder if the motives behind wearing make-up are truly feminist, Or if they're simply another way to please others and therefore train women to want to please others.

For me personally on my day to day basis I wear very basic makeup. It is literally just eyeliner, mascara and brow pencil. Simply because I like how it looks on me, the same reason I wear this blue tshirt with sparkles on it. I hate foundation because it makes me feel yucky and I only do my eyes up further for special occassions when I want to play with colours. I think for some people, makeup and clothing can be a way of expressing themselves and they can get really creative with it.

 

[dust1n]

I don't know... when you say with some confidence that you've spent more masturbating than you most other things that are great in life, you really lose your position when complaining about how people occupy their time.

 

[Riverwolf]

I suggest that a true feminist would recognize the "right" of a woman to do whatever she wanted. I think your "I wear stuff because I like it or because I think it looks cool" is reason enough. Ignore anyone who says anything to the contrary.

Yeah, pretty much that.

In addition, "true" feminists would recognize that men wearing makeup if they want is equally cool.

Now, you could make arguments against the makeup industry as it is right now (and no, I'm not one who can engage in such a debate, because it's not a topic I'm familiar with), but the validity of a concept/idea ought to be considered separately from the validity of its current general manifestation.

 

[Kuzcotopia]

What is the history of makeup? Have women always worn it throughout all social classes, or is it a recent thing? I wonder what percentages of women on the planet currently wear makeup, what their demographics are, and how it affects their social position?

If we knew the answers to these questions, we might know if make-up is actually a choice or not.

 

[Marisa]

I don't hold any grudges against make-up and fashion. I like to wear make-up and without fashion I couldn't look the way I want to look.
My beef is with the fashion industry, which preys upon men and women, advertising insecurity, broadcasting low self-esteem, selling eating and mood disorders. Many of the ideologies I follow tend to have very strong and very negative things to say about such industries. Making up, fashion, and "being" feminine are things in which their is nothing wrong with. But things like Disney Princesses should be put on trial for causing damage the images little girls have of themselves and the world.

I agree with much of this. We are definitely sold a particular version of what the ideal woman and man are. I suppose if you buy into those ideals, like so many women do, that one probably isn't comfortable in one's own skin. One of the advantages of being dangerously close to 50 is that I've had plenty of time to get comfortable with myself. I never really cared much for Disney Princesses. I always saw them as unable or incapable of solving their own problems, and that's never really been me; I expect as many men would like to have Disney censored for screwing with little girls' ideas of what men are supposed to be, too. One of the things I find utterly dismaying is how much the US has changed since I launched into it. When I became an adult, the issue of choice was pretty much settled, there were still those who disliked it but by and large, only whackos were protesting against it and it seemed like whichever side of that issue you fell on, you knew that only whackos protested, and no one would have dared make comments what medications you were taking and for what purpose. That's not the kind of world I will launch my daughter into.

 

[Marisa]

I honestly have not come upon a number of feminists who have "looked down" on anyone - male or female - who wore make up or found an interest in fashion. I mean, there was a trend not too long ago for women who preferred not shaving to dye the hair under their arms various colors. So, not even all the hairy feminists are all that crunchy granola.

I will wear make up and dresses to feminist meetings from time to time. Put my hair up in a nice 'do. Not once has anyone asked for me to hand in my feminist card.

I just don't have to do any of that. Nobody has to.

I missed out on they "dye your pit hairs" trend. I think I'm glad.

 

[Marisa]

What is the history of makeup? Have women always worn it throughout all social classes, or is it a recent thing? I wonder what percentages of women on the planet currently wear makeup, what their demographics are, and how it affects their social position?

If we knew the answers to these questions, we might know if make-up is actually a choice or not.

A History of Cosmetics from Ancient Times | Cosmetics Info

What percentage of women in the world use cosmetics/makeup products? - Quora

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/13/fashion/makeup-makes-women-appear-more-competent-study.html?_r=0

http://scholars.unh.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1085&context=honors

 

[Mycroft]

What are your thoughts on feminists who like to wear makeup and like fashion (not necessarily mainstream)

I take my hat off to them. They don't like that.


That aside, I think they can where whatever they like.

 

[TurkeyOnRye]

It should be the duty of feminism to strike down the obligation of wearing make-up or adhering to fashion rules. If a feminist group says we shouldn't wear makeup or dress a certain way, they're just as bad as the media that tells us we should.

 

[dgirl1986]

It should be the duty of feminism to strike down the obligation of wearing make-up or adhering to fashion rules. If a feminist group says we shouldn't wear makeup or dress a certain way, they're just as bad as the media that tells us we should.

Oh for sure. No one should be expected to wear makeup or even subscribe to fashion trends. I was anti anything considered remotely girly for a while and I go through stages where I don't wear makeup because I don't feel like it. I like having a naked face sometimes.