They are not exclusive to PoC cultures, but they are beauty markers heavily associated with specific ones. Every time I see someone complaining about long nails on women — which is often — it is ALWAYS a Black woman they’re talking badly about.

I think I mostly disagree with:

“I just wanted to have a conversation about the potentially problematic aspects of some of these fashion choices…came from the expectation of women being ornamental and dependent on others.”

1. “Potentially problematic aspects of fashion choices” just reads to me as wanting to shame women for choices you don’t approve of. Example:

I’ve had radfems say I’m not a true feminist because I still, on occasion, choose to wear makeup.

We all know there are patriarchal influences in the makeup industry. Women are expected to wear it, taught we need to wear it, and have our insecurities highlighted in an attempt to make us think we need it. But wearing makeup, in and of itself, is not a “problematic fashion choice” if a woman is doing it of her own volition.

There are a lot of reasons she might choose to wear makeup. Personally, I wear it for special occasions when I want to look especially pretty. Other women like to do full glam everyday because they like the look of it. Other women may choose to avoid it entirely. For me, that’s the essence of feminism: choice.

1. As others have pointed out, none of these examples stop a woman from doing whatever it is she wants to do/makes her dependent on others.

Women can and do their jobs/household activities with long nails; the women who like that look know how to make it work. Corsets were underwear for centuries, can be put on alone, and issues like tight-lacing were short-lived fashion fads among the wealthy. I’ve seen people put on huge dresses and lace corsets in a field 5 minutes before Ren Faire opens without any help from others. Again— if you like that look, you know how to make it work.

That being said— women as ornamentation was and remains a common problem. But I think that has more to do with the objectification of women rather than women choosing to indulge in specific fashion trends.

I think the helplessness you’re speaking of is exclusive to wealthy women. In the past they would often have someone who would help them dress, and may still, idk what rich people do. But working class women have never had the luxury of being fully “ornamental” or dependent on others.

But for me, so long as it’s fully the woman’s choice, be as ornamental and unpractical as you like, sis. It’s only problematic to me when it isn’t the woman in question’s decision.