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Personal Reflection

Liv Gardner 

Women’s Writing Worldwide

Prof. Richard

30 July 2021

Personal Reflection

Growing up as a young woman in a conservative town where feminism is seen as an outlier, devil-made, radical set of ideals, my understanding of the term has always been mixed. From birth to age 14, the concept was somewhat foreign. What little I knew about it did not bear a positive connotation and it seemed to always loom in the background, an uncomfortable topic, like race or sex, that no one seemed to want to discuss. As I moved into a different high school, one away from my hometown, one advanced and labeled as a college preparatory school, things changed. I was exposed to new teachings, new ideas, new people, and the connotation and anonymity of the word in my life changed. As we fast-forward to today, I look at things like this course, one that my pre-teen self could have never imagined would exist or let alone would be one that I was taking, and I admire the impact it has made on my overall body of knowledge. While the world around me has not changed, the community still bearing the same traditional and sexist sentiments as always, it seems as if I have, undoubtedly for the better. 

As I searched for inspiration for such a project, I tried to look back through the TedTalks we often annotated this summer. Many struck me again with the veracity of their messages, but there was one in particular that moved me just as it had the first time: a young woman who was speaking about her Indian heritage and culture. I listened as she talked about the traditions that involved the garments and accessories of the women. She explained how Indian women took pride in their beautiful bangles and colorful saris, but how this would so quickly change once their husbands passed. Their saris would only be allowed to be white and their bangles would be broken. Their lives were seen as irreparable once without a man. This struck me then, just as it did again recently. The clothing, shoes, and accessories that women wear can often say a lot about their culture, how their culture views them, and what they value. At the same time, there can also be heavy misconceptions about these garments that can mark a group of women indefinitely. In my commonplace project, I wanted to explore all of these things. There are countless cultures across the world that are often overlooked, or, conversely, noticed, quickly misunderstood, and then passed by. Coming from a household where my mother owned her own boutique, I knew this was a topic I wanted to explore. Through my blog, I worked to highlight specific garments of different groups of women and look at what each said explicitly about their circle. In my choices of cultures and clothing, I also sought to find pieces that represented various topics and concepts that we had learned and explored throughout the last eight weeks. 

There were various objectives I wanted to meet with my writing for this project. The first one was to highlight misconceptions that we commonly have about certain cultural garments. One example that I used for this was the hijab. Through our unit on Islam and our extensive readings on the wearing of the hijab, I was drawn to highlight its ability to be a fashion statement just as much as it is a religious one. Society, because of media misrepresentation and single stories of the culture, has often linked the hijab to the idea of subjugation. Many see it as the antithesis of feminism. In reality, it is quite the opposite. Musliim women who choose to wear a head covering do so by their own free will. While some states do still exist that make it a mandate to cover, most are progressing away from this traditional and sexist way of operating. For the majority of Muslim women, covering is seen as a privilege and a religious duty that exhibits their dedication to their faith. This dedication, as mentioned before, does not mean it has to be unfashionable. I wanted to highlight through my blog the many prints and styles of hijab that exist for Islamic women to dress and have fun with. Another misconception surrounds the kimono of Japan. For many, the depiction of the kimono often stems from some form of fighting movie that was Americanized and popular in the states. It also typically pictures only a male wearing such garments. Through this blog I wanted to show that traditional garments do exist for women and in actuality are much more complicated than the males. While this might simply be a stylistic detail, it seems to be the culture’s own reflection of how they view women as a whole, touching on another objective I sought to meet within my project. 

Throughout this project, I also wanted to achieve a series of connections between the garments and some of the specific topics we learned throughout the summer. One of these was colonialism and post-colonialism. We can look specifically at the dress of the Herero women to see this illustrated. Mimicking much of the 19th century Victorian women’s dresses, the Herero women are known for their clothing called the Herero dress. The garment that identifies the women are not of their own creation, but yet a piece of German socialization that was left behind following their early 20th century invasion. The Herero dress still exists today, but not for the reasons one would assume. In their pursuit to convert and conquer the Herero tribe, the Germans were the perpetrators behind a mass genoicde that wiped out a majority of the tribe. Not only did they leave behind trauma and pain, but also their style. The Herero women of today wear the dress not to show that they were products of cultural diffusion, but rather as a symbol of rebellion. By wearing the piece on their own terms and in their own styles, they believe they have taken back a bit of their history and made it their own. Another piece of clothing that we can see through the eyes of post-colonialism is the maasai shuka. The Maasai are a group of semi-nomadic people residing around the area of Kenya in Africa. Brough to the area by both Scottish missionaries and colonizers, the shuka resembles a blanket and can be draped in various ways to cover and protect the body. It is known for its bright colors and prints that can vary based on location in the region and the group of people within the Maasai that wear it. 

Aside from connections to our learning topics and exhibiting the misconceptions of some cultural pieces of clothing, I also wanted to highlight basic garments that were traditional in some popular nations, but are often overlooked within the eyes of Americans. These are pieces like the Ao Dai in Vietnam and the tichel in Judaism. While the garments can be interwoven into the themes and objectives mentioned prior, the emphasis on their existence is what I really sought to highlight within the blog. 

Growing up in a household dedicated to profiting off of and maintaining what you look like, I have always understood the power, both positive and negative, that clothing holds. Fashion gives us confidence. This can be confidence in ourselves, confidence in our faith and religious ties, or confidence in our culture and nationality. Regardless of its form, it gives us a boost, a push that allows us to feel empowered in all that we choose to do. Yet, there is another side to its power. Fashion also creates divides. It can separate one class from another, one nationality from its neighboring state, and even one age group from those above and below it. Regardless of its purpose or the role it plays for the women and other individuals who wear the pieces, all fashion can be united under one word: beauty. Each piece featured within this project shows dedication to a variety of things. There is dedication to the garment itself, dedication to a nation of origin, and even dedication to a specific religion. Each of the pieces show intricate designs and bright colors, all of which represent those who wear it and the regions from which they originate. They also embody the strength of the women who wear them. For the Herero women, we see the capability to overcome cultural subjugation and persecution. For the Muslim women, we see the power to separate themselves from society and profess their faith and beliefs through the covering of their hair. For Jewish women, we see the fortitude to break a tradition long dominated by men, and the slow and progressive adoption of the tzitzit into daily wear. Each has their own story, their own origin, their own connection to those who wear them, yet all embody beauty and promote the strength of the females who are fighting for a place within their own cultures and within society as a greater whole.

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The Ao Dai is a traditional Vietnamese garment that can be worn by both men and women. Meant to symbolize elegance and beauty, the piece has evolved to primarily being worn by females, but still with limitations. If following tradition, certain ages are recommended to only wear certain colors. Young girls are to only wear white. Older females, if not married, are allowed to wear pastels. Older females, who are married, normally wear vibrant colors. Red is typically worn at weddings. The colors and patterns not only vary based on age, but also on status. The intricacies of the traditional pieces often act as a reflection of socioeconomic wealth, with the more detailed Ao Dais being the more expensive. In this, we can see a bit of intersectionality. While all women may wear the Ao Dai, not all can afford the nicest prints or colors due to their economic class, showing not all women are awarded the same opportunities because they come from the same place. 

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While garments can be worn for style or religious purposes, they can also be worn as a symbol of power and remembrance. The women of the Herero tribe from Namibia, Africa, illustrate just this with their cultural dress. The Herero dress is not one that has lasted through time because it was created by the tribe. Rather, it has remained a steadfast piece of the culture by acting as a reminder to the people of their tribe’s history. The dress was introduced by the Germans in the early 20th century when they came to Africa as both missionaries and colonists. In their pursuits, the Germans’ completed a genocide of the Herero tribe that almost wiped out the people completely. Other than deep and permanent emotional and cultural scars, the Germans also happened to leave behind what is known today as the Herero dress. The style, mimicking much of the 19th-century Victorian look, has turned into a symbol of defiance by the women and is being preserved throughout the tribe in both traditional and modern manners. 

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Let’s play a bit of word association. When I say head scarf, you say.....? If the first thing you thought of was a hijab, or Muslims, or Islam, then this post is for you. Because of the media and the American government’s own personal fight against terrorism, the United States has very much received a single story of head coverings. Many individuals are unaware that people of other faiths do similar practices because of the deep roots that it has to Islamic faith. On the contrary, there are many other religions where women do in fact practice covering. Judaism is in fact one of those. While western culture has reduced the practice for Jewish women on the Western hemisphere, in places like Israel, this is still a very prominent act and style. Typically, the garment, otherwise known as the tichel, is only worn by married women and is done so as a faithful act of modesty. Many would stop there and see this as a sign of oppression or inequality, but it reality, this is a personal choice and many women find it freeing and empowering for themselves in their faith. The tichels can come in all types of patterns, colors, decorations, making this garment not only a religious one, but a fashion statement as well. 

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One common misunderstanding that we have in the world of fashion is that certain pieces of clothing can only be worn by specific genders or individuals. Unless we are taking into account price tags or olympic jerseys, this is simply not true. There are no extreme laws saying one gender cannot wear one shirt over another. Yet, in some cultures there are different understandings of this. The tzitzit in Judaism is a prime example. The tzitzit are fringed pieces of yarn that are instructed in the Torah to be attached to any four cornered piece of garment. This is to remind the wearer that they are to abide by the commandments. They have been traditionally worn by men, just as the commandments have been traditionally only accessed by males, yet there is nothing stopping women from taking up the practice on their own.....other than tradition....Many women today have begun to implement this piece of clothing into their daily lives, taking steps of their own to make way towards equality in their own religion. 

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As we experienced the thoughts and ideas of Elif Shafak in Three Daughters of Eve, we were exposed to the popular theme of nationalism. Nationalism is known as a strong and passionate devotion to one’s origin country or where they call home. While many garments and pieces of clothing over the course of history have been labeled as traditional and tied to certain countries, many were still spread amongst several cultures and regions. While the Kebaya somewhat follows this pattern, it is still a bit different. Although it was adopted in part by other cultures and areas for a period of time, specifically Europe, it was eventually fizzled out and returned because it had become a symbol of national identity for Indonesian women. As the world wars hit in the mid 1900s, western ideals were spread and somewhat forced on those in the East. Wearing the Kebaya would become a symbol of rebellion and nationalism, as women felt a sense of pride and tying of themselves to their nation through their dress. This spread and many began to closely relate the dress with Indonesia more than ever before. 

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While colonialism can be shown through the integration of ideas, beliefs, and languages, it can also be shown through fashion. The maasai shuka is a prime example of such. The Maasai are a group of 1.5 million semi-nomadic people around the region of Kenya. They are often known for their traditional garment the shuka. While the piece resembles a blanket and is draped in intricate ways in order to cover and protect the body, it is not exactly a piece of fashion that was created by the Maasai. In reality, Scottish missionaries integrated the fabric and dress when they traveled to Africa in the early 1900′s. The maasai is a beautiful example of the evolution of the effects of colonialism and its steadfast and lasting influence. 

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The Lamba is fashion that has evolved in functionality. Taking root in Madagascar, this traditional garment is worn by both men and women and is characterized by its extremely intricate colorings and patterns. Many villages in and surrounding Madgascar can be identified by the patterns used to customize their Lambas. The garment’s easy ability to drape and wrap also gives it other purposes. Many mothers use the Lamba in order to carry their babies or as a piece of support on their heads when transporting goods from one place to another. This shows that not only can it serve as a fashion statement, status symbol, or piece of attraction, but also as a means of protection for both the woman and her children. 

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While the clothing that we wear has the power to convey to others how we are connected to our culture, it also has the capability to show the ways in which our culture thinks of us. A prime example of this is the sari. Worn primarily by women in places like India and Pakistan, it stands for beauty, elegance, and also less than feminist ideals. Typically, saris are bright, decorated, and lavish. They are delicate garments that are draped and worn in all types of settings. Yet, when a married woman becomes a widow, losing her husband, she is no longer to wear saris of color. Instead, she is only supposed to wear a white sari. According to tradition, this is because without her husband, without a man, he life is colorless. That tenet, that idea, says a lot about what that culture thinks of women. In short, they are simply counterparts to the male species, a compliment to their existence. It is as if the color of their saris are only a reflection of the men they have in their life. They have no color of their own. Many look and see just a white garment, but it is clear that the white sari is much more than that. 

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When you hear the word kimono, what do you think? Most picture a traditional Japanese garment from some American fighting movie and assume that it is only really worn by males and are very basic pieces. In reality, it is quite the opposite. Kimonos are pieces of traditional Japanese attire that are worn by both men and women. While the premise is the same, the actual garment varies drastically based on the gender of the person wearing it. For men, as loosely depicted in the diagram above, there are normally about five components to the entire outfit. The color patterns are limited and done so to promote the idea of status and classiness. Women, on the other hand, have a much more complex piece to deal with. Typically, kimonos for women can have up to 12 pieces and come in many flashy patterns and colors. While it may not seem like it, the goal is in fact to draw attention to the young woman. Like in most societies, women are considered by many as objects used to attract men. Fashion and clothing are merely factors in this equation. This idea is even more evident as we see that married and older women in Japan have the ability to wear styles more similar to males in order to draw attention away from themselves once they have been tied down. 

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The hijab is one of the most commonly misconceived garments to exist in the world. Because of overused single stories and media misrepresentation, Islamic women are often portrayed and viewed in an altered light because of their choice to wear a head covering. The key words in that last sentence are “their choice.” What many countries around the world fail to understand is that the hijab is not a symbol of oppression. While in some countries versions of the garment are required, most do not make it a state mandate. If a woman is seen in covering, it is her religious choice to do so. Another HUGE misconception is that they are all basic, neutral colors. This is far from reality. In recent years, head scarves have become a fashion statement as well as a proclamation of faith. Bright colors and lavish prints can be worn in order to maintain beliefs while still feeling fashionable and unique.