Fun & Famous
women on top and the endless discussions about their clothing choices
Brexit, so David Cameron is exit. On the day that he left the official residence of the British prime minister on 10 Downing Street through the back door, Theresa May, the new prime minister, made her way into her new humble abode through the front. Up until then, May had always worked as the minister of Foreign Affairs for both the Cameron I and Cameron II cabinets and now it’s her turn to work as the prime minister and lead her country through the European demise.
Not an easy task. And although people are busy speculating about her performances and the task ahead, a lot of the newspaper headlines were about – I kid you not – her clothing. Because apparently it’s important to have a shoe collection that’s similar to Imelda Marcos’? And what do those queenie heels with natural and red leopard print plus flamboyant crystal decoration say about prime minister May? And her black over the knee leather boots that she once wore when she met the queen, paired with a beige jacket and orange polkadots? Or black shiny leather lace up shoes with crystal studs on the heels? Are these all barometers of all the knowledge and expertise this woman has?
Uh no, of course not. As outspoken as May’s collection of shoes might be, it doesn’t indicate how she’s going to perform in her new job – and that’s all that really matters. Why is it that it’s never possible to not cover the wardrobe of women in high functions – but it’s easy to ignore it when it concerns men? How many times have the German Angela Merkel’s dull, sexless suits been covered by the media? The untamed curls of a former Dutch politician Femke Halsema? The neat pant suits and all but adventurous blouse and trousers combo’s Hillary Clinton wears? Or first lady Michelle Obama’s funky and fashion forward closet?
”Perhaps we all really do believe that clothes makes the women”
Too often if you ask me. Clothes don’t indicate what you’re going to be like as an employer – or whatever job it is that you have. Why is it that the outfits that women wear are so highly covered and judged and men can easily get by in a nondescript suit from Zara? Perhaps we all really do believe that clothes makes the women. Do we perceive certain qualities of a woman depending on what she decides to wear? Do we really think that females who take the time to dress up are vain or insecure? And that those who don’t are boring and uninterested? We judge women based on what they look like rather than their achievements. It’s all very unfair because clothing is all based on taste and is definitely not a way of measuring their achievements.
Look. What would happen if we would try to pull this off with men? I definitely know a few. Men with wigs speaking populist language acting like clowns – we’re talking about you, Boris Johnson, Geert Wilders and Donald Trump. Nope, judging by the clothing habits of the male helmsmen, all is fine – although you do wonder whether their performances can prove the opposite.
Written by Kalinka Hählen
