tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-923774524706742142024-02-20T03:58:29.372-08:00One Conversation LevenshulmeHelen Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05194376802276525611noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92377452470674214.post-88539621127422068012019-02-06T07:35:00.002-08:002019-02-06T07:35:46.302-08:00Clothes maketh the WomanThis morning Tas and I have been talking about clothes and the way we use them to communicate information about who we feel we are.<br />
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Walking home, in my vintage and slightly battered fake fur coat I remembered the time the meter man called. He took one look at the collection of second hand and home-made coats hanging on my hooks near the door and said "I know you, you're that lady that dresses weird. Weird but nice." So that's me. Weird but nice.<br />
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As I've got older it's become easier to dress as I chose and be unselfconscious about it, but I remember a time when a wrongly chosen accessory could mean social death. We may use clothing to create an identity but there are all sorts of pressures that alter that expression.<br />
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Tas told me about being on the bus recently with two other women of colour. One of the women was wearing a niqab. Two men on the bus were openly sniggering. That woman, she said, must have wanted to put at least another layer on top!<br />
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For women of any colour and in any dress, sniggering from men is the least of our problems. How hard we work to be attractive - but not too attractive, to stand out - but not too much, to show allegiance to our group - but not so much that we make ourselves a target. I want to acknowledge how much harder that work is for black women and in particular, at the moment, for muslim women.<br />
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Cultural wars are fought over the bodies of women. Our clothes are our flags and our armour, our artistry and our song.Helen Clarehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05194376802276525611noreply@blogger.com1