Wear what You want

In praise of a woman’s right to dress however she likes… Thank you very much. By Karen Karbo

Portrait of Tammy Strobel

In praise of a woman’s right to dress however she likes… Thank you very much. By Karen Karbo

Diana Vreeland in 1981
Diana Vreeland in 1981

In my upcoming book, In Praise of Difficult Women, I write about the lives of great women who’ve inspired me with their grit, grace and knack for being true originals. It’s no accident these “difficult” women who ignored expectations and broke the rules were also icons of style. They were just as fearless in their wardrobes as they were in their personal lives and careers. How sad that we live in a world where our freedom to dress however we like has been brought into question. As if what women wear were somehow to blame for the current state of affairs, or, worse, they’re “asking for trouble” with their fashion choices. Fashion is communicative, political, artistic. It’s who—not what—we are. Yet in the 1930s, when women started to wear trousers, the better to move fast and free in an increasingly modern society, they could face arrest for attempting to pass as men. And when the miniskirt arrived on the scene in the ’60s, girls (like me) were routinely sent home from school and often expelled. Thankfully we’ve always had “difficult” women dressing with a devil-may-care attitude, and thrusting the women’s movement forward with the help of fashion.

The inimitable Harper’s Bazaar fashion editor Diana Vreeland’s bright red nails, flamboyant ensembles and Kabuki-like blush gleamed with courage, power and glamour. Being called “my ugly little monster” by her mother no doubt did little for Vreeland’s self-esteem, but it does help explain her desire to be outlandish. “Exaggeration is my only reality” was one of her best-known lines. Coco Chanel, the mother of our modern wardrobe, knew that fashion was never just about cardigans, little black dresses and pearls, famously proclaiming that “In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.” Feminist icon Gloria Steinem fought tirelessly for our rights in the ’60s and ’70s dressed in tight turtlenecks, A-line minis, flared jeans, and oversize sunglasses. And today, in her 80s, she continues to be a muse for designers (just look at the trend for politically charged slogan t-shirts). Lena Dunham has become a one-woman crusade dedicated to showing the world that women with regular bodies are free to enjoy fashion in all its glory. The insouciant Elizabeth Taylor was so used to being on the receiving end of fine jewellery, she left a 50.6-carat La Peregrina pearl given to her by Richard Burton sitting around her Las Vegas hotel suite. Upon discovering her dog chewing on the priceless bauble, she cleaned off the slobber and later had it reset in a diamond-and-ruby necklace.

The U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, at 84, does push-ups, bench-presses 32kg, and nails one-legged squats with her personal trainer. Known for her signature jabots on the bench, she wears a lacy gold collar when she agrees with the majority decision and a black studded one when she dissents. And where would we be without RiRi and her sexy, experimental style? After all, an outfit has the power to uplift us. And in a world run amok, a ruffled collar, a scarlet manicure, and a yellow skirt with a racy thigh slit can make all the difference.

Gloria Steinem in 1965
Gloria Steinem in 1965

Karen Karbo is the author of The Gospel According  to Coco Chanel and In Praise of Difficult Women,  out in February


Rihanna in 2017
Rihanna in 2017

Fashion is communicative, political, artistic. It’s who— not what—we are. 

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