I was never a girly girl growing up – I think there was a time where I had only one dress in my entire wardrobe, which I would vehemently refuse to wear in favor of board shorts and a T-shirt. I don’t know where it came from, that resolute aversion to being seen as a girly girl, but a lot has changed, and somewhere along the way I found an appreciation for lace, pink and ultra-feminine cuts and shades. Some would say maybe I gave in to gender stereotypes, but I love it.
There are many ideas out there about what it means to be a feminine woman, and what it means to take back your power as a woman. Where there is a movement, there are always opposing ideologies on what it should encompass, and how it should be defined – and within it, always a difference between the brave warriors who fight for progress in a cause they truly believe in, and those simply using an ideal as a front for their own personal agendas.
It is a thrilling ride living in a world where women are no longer so governed by the ideals of what a “good girl” should look like. Sexual liberation, career opportunity, the right to speak her mind in any public forum. That said, I think it is worth noting that there is an incredible quiet power in the woman who leads with her softer traits, which we have traditionally associated with what it means to be a feminine woman, without taking on more masculine traits, in a world where the brash are often rewarded purely for their audaciousness e.g. some boardroom settings.
We have gained so much from this new-found freedom, and it is undoubtedly one of the best times to be alive as a woman who values both career and family, yet we have lost some of the male chivalry and some aspects of traditional gender roles that we need (not all aspects of the traditional were bad – we don’t have to take offense to a door being opened for us, oftentimes he is just trying to do something nice, not making a explicit statement about feminism). We are obviously all different as individuals, but just as the masculine enjoys to feel needed, and in leadership…
…it is okay to be the feminine woman who thrives while putting on a pastel pink dress that leaves something to the imagination, taking a bubble bath before going to a dinner where he pays, and for a night, play the role of the lady in a gender dynamic that is often neglected as we forget where the spark between the masculine and feminine lives in the first place.
About the dress haha…the detailing on the sleeves are what make this little number so unique. You can wear with a belt if you are super slim and you feel that the way it drapes swamps your figure. I am super used to very form-fitting clothing, so this is something a bit different for me. About the door – this is a somewhat famous door, and you can find out more about it in my Palm Springs Travel Diary post! ❤
