Pantsuit Power
Like many elements of modern society, typical clothing structures embody gender norms. One can easily close their eyes and imagine the archetypal female clothing silhouette versus the male one. However, structures were made to be disrupted. A suit connotes power — in society, in business, in politics — and historically, that power has been intrinsically tied with men. But, times are changing.
According to the Pew Research Center, the share of Fortune 500 company board members who are women has more than doubled since 1995. The share of women serving in the Senate is at an all time high of 23 percent, and the percentage of women in the House of Representatives has risen about 9 percent since 1995.
With this change comes a reclamation of clothing structures that have been tied to men since at least the mid-17th century, according to The Atlantic. Hillary Clinton’s pantsuits were something of a cultural obsession during her run for president in 2016. Not only were they fabulous, but they also served as a visual representation of women claiming what has traditionally been reserved for men. She was the first female presidential candidate to be nominated for a major party, and her pantsuits were symbols of her breakthrough into a male-dominated space.
Recently, Blake Lively made waves when she wore a series of (truly iconic) three-piece suits. They were part of a promotion for her movie “A Simple Favor,” but they were also an example of how women can reclaim even the most traditionally masculine suit style — the three-piece suit. And to those who criticized her she responded, “Would you note a man wearing lots of suits during a promo tour? So why can’t a woman? Just sayinnnn.” Well said, Blake.
The structure of women’s clothing can be symbolic even when it is not a traditionally male style. During her time as the creative director of Celine, Phoebe Philo created styles of clothing that served as inspiration for working women. In a New Yorker article about Hedi Slimane’s recent takeover of the brand, Rachel Syme writes, “I’ll miss Philo’s structured oxfords and dishevelled chignons—the aspirational look, however unaffordable for the layperson, of a woman who has shown up to do the work.” With Slimane’s vision for Celine, women are losing clothing structure that inspired and empowered them. Rather than chic, structured looks that were feminine, beautiful and professional, Slimane’s most recent runway show was filled with mostly young, waifish women in short black ensembles. One could debate about whether or not the clothes were fashionable, but one thing is clear — they are certainly not aspirational for the wave of women breaking into male spaces.
Clothing can be seen as a sort of armor. In the battle for equality, women are increasingly choosing to co-opt male styles and refresh their own styles, sending a message to the world: we’re here, and we’re not going anywhere.