![corset-vintage[1]](http://www.fat-quarter.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/corset-vintage1-199x300.jpg "corset-vintage[1]")
I splashed out on a pair of shoes over the weekend. Nothing surprising in that, except that I hate buying shoes (hence the shredded Converse I continue to wear despite the puddles leaking into my socks). But as I hobbled down the street in my lovely, shiny yet painful brogues I thought about the sheer effort that goes into dressing “vintage”, and whether it is, or isn’t, feminist.
After all, the whole point of feminism is wearing what you want; and dressing in an old-fashioned style, arguably, is for yourself and your friends. The mainstream 21st-century male is unlikely to find swathes of ankle-length taffeta or a flowery snood alluring.
But doesn’t the current vogue for 40s and 50s dressing in particular revive the strapping of girls into corsets or restrictive underwear, the faff of stockings, the hampering of heels, not to mention hours spent applying authentic make-up and styling hair. These were styles embraced by ladies who had spent years in rationing and uniforms and were learning to look like ladies again- as they were forced away from the factories and offices and back into the home. Just look at Bett’y’s outfits in “Mad Men”.
However ‘ironic’ the cupcake and housewifery revival, however ‘tongue-in-cheek’ the return of burlesque, which seems obligatory at every stylish event now, aren’t we willingly relacing ourselves into a fashion- and time- that wasn’t so good for girls?