By Heather Coe Clark
“Do the things you think you cannot do. Do what you feel in your heart to be right for you’ll be criticized anyway. Remember no one can make you feel inferior without your consent”
-Eleanor Roosevelt
Embracing Female Empowerment: Defying Limits and Critics
In a world where societal expectations and norms often dictate our actions, the timeless words of a woman so fierce burn in your ears, light up your heart and strengthen your conviction. Confidence and the wisdom to wear it is what opens doors. For a strong woman, who walks into a room with elegance and grace is a woman not soon forgotten. Fashion has served as our own armor in the long battle to have a seat at the table. A trojan horse to get us into places we could not have gone before, and helped move forward the plausibility that women could possess a mind for business and influence the masses simply through the clothing they designed and wore.
Resilience Against Criticism
Criticism often accompanies the pursuit of bold goals and the rejection of societal norms. It should not deter us but serve as validation that we are challenging the norm and making waves of change. The key lies in not letting criticism diminish our self-worth or confidence, but using it to gain insight and strengthen our resolve to push forward. Women were blessed with resilience to navigate the many challenges that arose, learn from setbacks, grow stronger from adversity, and maintain a steadfast belief in their potential. Understanding that they are not responsible for other’s reactions, but only responsible to themselves. True freedom lies within the ability to not let outside perception decide if you are beautiful.
Breaking Free from Limitation
For centuries women’s identity revolved around what they wore. Anything out of societal expectation took away their power to be accepted or taken seriously. Women lost their autonomy when they were limited by these confines and forced to wear strict and often uncomfortable fashion trends.
Empowerment begins with recognizing and questioning these limitations. It’s about acknowledging the potential within oneself and daring to explore uncharted territories, regardless of the doubts or criticisms that may arise. By embracing this mindset, women can redefine their boundaries and create paths that align with their true aspirations and values. Fashion that was once imposed soon became our independence. The newfound freedom we found let us express ourselves and arm us with confidence that would soon loosen the corsets that bound us.
Courage in Action
They say courage is not the absence of fear but the courage to triumph over it. While fashion has served as both our chain and our liberator, we have used it to our advantage to gain a foothold in a world where women were seen but did not speak. Where a long campaign of changing the hearts and minds of the masses started by declaring what the next fashion trend was. We have liberated ourselves not just from the clothes that we wore, but from the wallflower silhouettes that were dying to just get a word in. When you express your freedom and pursue your dreams without apology, it encourages other women to embrace their authenticity, defy limitations, and persevere in the face of their own adversity. As we look forward let us celebrate the spirit of those who came before us and continue to pave the way for future generations. Together, we can create a world where every woman feels empowered to do the things she once thought impossible, guided by the belief that no one can make her feel inferior without her consent.
“Clothes aren’t going to change the world, the women who wear them will.”
-Anne Klein
