#8 AWEAR Topic: Miniskirts Have Been Popular Over 60 years, But Do Women Get to Dress Freely?
A Symbol of Social Dynamic Shifting
Though females wearing short skirts can be dated back to 5400 to 4700 BC, the miniskirts that are popular and recognized today were born out of a political youth movement in the 1960s. Before the 1960s, fashion was defined as not for young people. Owing to the pioneer — Mary Quant — who designed and offered a style of “Young ideas”, miniskirts started to become the defining fashion of the 1960s. Meanwhile, with more women entering the workforce, their images turned from a wife and mother to a woman proud of her sexuality and confidence with her power. Besides being an appealing and playful garment, the miniskirt became a tool for rebellion, youth, freedom, and sexual expression.
As a country highly influenced by imported cultures, Japan is the pioneer in Asia that embraced miniskirts in females’ garments. The miniskirts in Japan are well known as the typical features of Japanese girls’ school uniforms. However, a poster that read: “The short skirt that you think is kawaii leads to sex crimes. And it’s not just you, but your friends and companions too.” has been met with fierce protests on the internet recently. The poster angered many people because it warned about the dangers of short skirts rather than the dangers of groping, suggesting that the length of a girl’s school uniform is to blame for groping incidents. Though male chauvinism is still deeply rooted, this protest represents a further awakening of women’s self-consciousness in Japan.
My Body, My Say
The nature of most controversies around miniskirts is inherently sociocultural, but the conservative rhetoric in some countries will go as far as to force the ban of mini-skirts into their laws. In 2017, a 15-year-old girl was arrested by the police in Saudi Arabia after appearing in a Snapchat video in a miniskirt and crop top. Since Saudi law requires all women to wear long loose robes known as abayas in public, her defiant actions led to a hashtag war on Twitter to call for her arrest. She was detained for several hours, but was eventually released without charge. The powerlessness as well as a lack of agency spoke volumes about Saudi women’s difficulty in claiming their ownership over their bodies.
Even in countries defined by freedom and democracy, a miniskirt is still seen as an invitation for men who relentlessly objectify women. Recently, a 22-year-old French student was beaten up by three men in their twenties for wearing a miniskirt. Those men insulted her with derogatory terms and resorted to punch her after she talked back to them. Was the skirt the cause of those men’s abusive actions, or was it the mentality of the attackers? Instances like these two again show that misogyny, sexism, and just outright prejudice still lurk around us, and women’s fight for freedom must go on.
Op-ed
Viola
- Fashion: I love wearing miniskirts, and they are an absolute must in my wardrobe. They are daring, bold, and provide a fun, youthful look for people of all ages. I usually wear miniskirts for informal occasions, as they make a great entrance and are a perfect indication of the breakdown of strict social codes.
- Insights: It has always been a struggle for women to try to be who they are, because anything we wear, we get judged by what we have on our bodies. Wearing miniskirts should not induce shock, hesitation, or criticism, nor should it be an excuse for a predator’s act during assaults. It is time to debunk this myth and reform this thinking. It is our body, and it is our decision.
Jessie
- Fashion: Growing up in a relatively conservative Asian family, I’m not a huge fan of miniskirts. But I still buy skirts above the knees, since they make people look cute and youthful. Compared to skirts, I have a lot of one-piece dresses. For me, wearing dresses saves me from matching up tops and bottoms. Otherwise, trousers are still my top choice for convenience and a chic look.
- Insights: What’s the signal when a woman is wearing a miniskirt? The answer is largely depending on the social soil of different countries and cultures. In countries that experienced relatively longer and complete civil rights movements, wearing daring garments is just for personal expressions. But in countries influenced by patriarchal culture, wearing clothes that emphasize femininity can only be a way to cater to social expectations. Sadly, what we have observed from the news above is that women are suffering from sluts shaming in either case.
References
Mini Skirt History: 60s Hedonism & Youth Rebellion: https://www.contrado.com/blog/mini-skirt-history/
The Miniskirt Revolution: https://theminiskirtrevolution.wordpress.com/history-2/
‘Short skirts cause sexual assaults,’ according to Japanese school uniform poster: https://japantoday.com/category/national/'short-skirts-cause-sexual-assaults-'-according-to-japanese-school-uniform-poster?comment-order=popular
Miniskirt model released without charge in Saudi Arabia: https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/miniskirt-saudi-arabia-khlood-1.4212011
“Pu …, you wear a miniskirt”. And three of them beat her in the street: https://www.web24.news/u/2020/09/pu-you-wear-a-miniskirt-and-three-of-them-beat-her-in-the-street.html
