'I think part of the problem is that 'frippery' on men is a way of designating strength'
Ohhhhh, excellent point! This whole paragraph was so insightful. And when you think that women are encouraged to adopt male fashions of the past too (the army greatcoat look, the Etonian blazer craze that went round a few years ago) it becomes really clear that past male fashion is still respected. The flapper fashion was back for a while, but as that's supposed to be kind of androgynous not sure that proves anything different.
'But imagine the opposite, imagine if either of the two 'hunks' Katniss was in love with wanted to, say, wear skirts, or even imagine if they were physically weak and enjoyed traditionally female activities like sewing and child-care. I'm not sure that the residents of Districct 13 would accept that.'
I agree skirts would probably be out for the boys, but what about Peeta's skill with theatrical makeup? That's shown as a necessary part of his survival tools and no one (in the film at least) calls his manliness into question. So maybe you're right, acceptable gender variance is tied to survival in this film but maybe there are examples of both boys and girls changing up gender expectations? Of course, we're taking for granted that District 12 works like our own past society, where dressing in trousers does mean gender variance. We don't see any other women in trousers in the district, but then, we don't spend a lot of time with other women in the district outside of the lottery scenes. What if Panem solely enforces the 'skirts for girls' rule and there are more women like Katniss going around in trousers, initially for survival but maybe later because it's become accepted that women can wear trousers?
'In a sense, I think we think of the poor sometimes much like the Capitol does - as a herd of animals that is incapable of conscious choice.'
Yeah this is a really important point. I read 'Reading Lolita in Tehran' recently and there's a great quote in there from a women talking to her middle class teacher. She asks why people with money always assume that people without don't want Austen, Henry James and art. I'd guess it's because it makes people feel easier when they're denied these things (by price, or government cut backs) and it makes people feel superior.
Also I watched a great tv show recently about a young lad who wanted to be a drag queen and his background was very working class, but the women around him were incredibly supportive, as was his whole school class (his dad struggled more). It reminded me that if you look at say Brit cinema from the 1980s/90s there are quite a few examples of people making films about working class communities or families that eventually embrace GLBT characters despite the prejudice of others. I think society likes to push the idea that prejudice comes exclusively from the working class, which probably doesn't present an accurate picture (saying any kind of prejudice onle comes from one area of society is usually off base).
'Fashion is so interesting, how it is this interplay between masking one's self, fulfilling expectations, presenting information, and rebellion, all at once, and in very odd combinations. Film OUGHT to be a good medium to examine that MORE closely - the way that someone's clothing is a conversation, in itself, the way people can cry for help with a blouse, or hide behind a necklace.'
no subject
Ohhhhh, excellent point! This whole paragraph was so insightful. And when you think that women are encouraged to adopt male fashions of the past too (the army greatcoat look, the Etonian blazer craze that went round a few years ago) it becomes really clear that past male fashion is still respected. The flapper fashion was back for a while, but as that's supposed to be kind of androgynous not sure that proves anything different.
'But imagine the opposite, imagine if either of the two 'hunks' Katniss was in love with wanted to, say, wear skirts, or even imagine if they were physically weak and enjoyed traditionally female activities like sewing and child-care. I'm not sure that the residents of Districct 13 would accept that.'
I agree skirts would probably be out for the boys, but what about Peeta's skill with theatrical makeup? That's shown as a necessary part of his survival tools and no one (in the film at least) calls his manliness into question. So maybe you're right, acceptable gender variance is tied to survival in this film but maybe there are examples of both boys and girls changing up gender expectations? Of course, we're taking for granted that District 12 works like our own past society, where dressing in trousers does mean gender variance. We don't see any other women in trousers in the district, but then, we don't spend a lot of time with other women in the district outside of the lottery scenes. What if Panem solely enforces the 'skirts for girls' rule and there are more women like Katniss going around in trousers, initially for survival but maybe later because it's become accepted that women can wear trousers?
'In a sense, I think we think of the poor sometimes much like the Capitol does - as a herd of animals that is incapable of conscious choice.'
Yeah this is a really important point. I read 'Reading Lolita in Tehran' recently and there's a great quote in there from a women talking to her middle class teacher. She asks why people with money always assume that people without don't want Austen, Henry James and art. I'd guess it's because it makes people feel easier when they're denied these things (by price, or government cut backs) and it makes people feel superior.
Also I watched a great tv show recently about a young lad who wanted to be a drag queen and his background was very working class, but the women around him were incredibly supportive, as was his whole school class (his dad struggled more). It reminded me that if you look at say Brit cinema from the 1980s/90s there are quite a few examples of people making films about working class communities or families that eventually embrace GLBT characters despite the prejudice of others. I think society likes to push the idea that prejudice comes exclusively from the working class, which probably doesn't present an accurate picture (saying any kind of prejudice onle comes from one area of society is usually off base).
'Fashion is so interesting, how it is this interplay between masking one's self, fulfilling expectations, presenting information, and rebellion, all at once, and in very odd combinations. Film OUGHT to be a good medium to examine that MORE closely - the way that someone's clothing is a conversation, in itself, the way people can cry for help with a blouse, or hide behind a necklace.'
Please start making films like this :)