How Fashion Has Helped Activism

Fashion and activism have a closer relationship than you might think. At first glance, it might seem as though these two subjects are very different. However, in this article, we want to give you a very short but detailed low-down on how fashion has in fact helped with some of the biggest activism movements.  

Fashion has helped spread the word for so many movements over the decades. Activists have, either knowingly or subconsciously, used their fashion and looks to spread important messages and empower people. Let’s look at some examples from both the past and present to see how this is the case. 

The civil rights movement...

In the 60’s, fashion was the main tool for so many activists because this time period reflected social change for so many, and clothing was a way for people to present their beliefs and views. The civil rights movement is an excellent example of the way in which fashion could help uplift and amplify marginalized people and movements. Through African-inflected clothing and black models, the strength, pride, and courage of this movement was reflected when protesting, marching, and generally spreading the message of equality. Additionally, some other styles worn also helped promote the seriousness of the message. Suits and formal wear helped to create a sense of respectability and importance.  

'Black Lives Matter' movement

This can be linked to the more recent ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement which helped spread its message through graphic t-shirts and slogan t-shirts too. The messages on them were succinct and sharp, indicative of the severity of the ongoing issue of racism.  

Feminism and fashion - the suffragettes

Another activist movement which fashion has helped is the feminist movement. Going all the way back to the time of the suffragettes in the 1900s, we can see that these women actually conformed to the social and societal norms of the period – sticking to the femininity imposed upon women during this time, wearing gowns and hats etc. You might think this didn’t help with their cause but it actually did. They knew that, unfortunately, people wouldn’t take them seriously if they chose to wear other, more masculine, styles of clothing, and thus they used their femininity to their advantage.

Furthermore, after time, more women actually wanted to join their movement due to their class and elegance. And of course, we all remember the iconic purple, white, and green sashes that were worn in order to symbolize loyalty and dignity, purity, and hope. Ribbons in these colors were then sold by Liberty and Selfridges for hats, rosettes, and belts to name a few. Thus, we can truly see the strong and stable dynamic between activism and fashion here. 

The LGBTQIA+ community and queer culture 

Last but certainly not least, let’s briefly discuss how fashion has been a really powerful tool for supporting the LGBTQIA+ activist movement. Many say that fashion and queer culture coincide and go hand in hand. We see this through people of all gender identities using fashion to help them discover their own sense of self and style. It doesn’t matter who you are or what you identify as, you can use fashion to explore what feels right for you. And of course, color is and has always been a big thing for this community – especially for the sake of the different flags used.