Fashion as an Accessory to Activism

In wake of the numerous marches across the nation, many of us rallied together during times of injustice and filled city streets with our unified voices. We take inspiration from historical organizations and movements of the past such as the suffragettes, the Civil Rights movement, the Black Panthers and many others. Not only does a collection of voices communicate a cause, but so can the fashion trends worn during that movement. By looking back at the history of various organizations, it is evident that the styles activists wore deeply aligned with the messages they sought to send.

One past example of leadership and activism arose with the British Suffragette movement, which influenced the creation of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. These women fought for voting rights against misogyny within society. Led by Susan B. Anthony, these women marched and modernized what was thought of as acceptable women’s attire. To align with their cause, they got rid of their bondages, petticoats and corsets, and they even burned their bras to free women both physically and metaphorically.

This leadership influenced great political advancements for women over the years. The legacy of women’s rights activism influences many of today’s movements like the #MeToo movement and the Women’s March. The #MeToo movement that surfaced loudly on social media and became an online sensation was highly perpetuated by celebrity women. With this sort of advocacy and defined leadership, many people followed suit and wore black in solidarity with victims of sexual abuse at award ceremonies and even at the 2018 State of the Union Address.