Celine S/S10
Written by Becky Harris, ESVIE Contributor
Times have changed. You can just see it in the fashion. Autumn/winter 2010 is an all-round celebration of the woman. If you need any ideas, just look at the Celine collection. This season focuses on the actual woman, rather than the clothes themselves. The cuts are simple yet elegant, and the shapes and styles are sophisticated and completely wearable for the realistic, working woman. This season acknowledges how modern women are today- busy, hard-working, and a lot more successful.
Not only that, but the clothes were designed by women, with Phoebe Philo blessing Celine. Other female designers such as Isabel Marant dominated the trends. Another observation of the shows was the return of the curvaceous model. Lara Stone and Daisy Lowe have been the first few to champion having a feminine figure, and judging on recent catwalks, including Prada using subtle curve-enhancing shapes and nipped-in waists, it is clear that curves are finally back.
The upcoming season and its overall theme fall into a perfect time. Women are coming up on top. There are many theories that the future belongs to women. These ideas are based on what the female gender have achieved so far in terms of rights and progression to equality, and the fact that men are meant to be more disorganised and passive over such matters. And it makes a whole lot of sense, if you think about it. The ideas of marriage have no doubt changed, drastically.
Nowadays, it is more common for a couple to divorce than marry. In Japan there are even divorce celebration ceremonies in which the separating couple smash their rings and toast to never seeing each other again. Artificial insemination is also now available and if a woman wants to have their own kid without a man, they can. 7.5 million People in the UK now live alone, almost double than the number 15 years ago. With better-paid and higher-ranking jobs available these days, we grab the opportunities with both hands and hang on for dear life, even if that does mean putting off marriage and motherhood, preferring to live alone.
And with the current representation of men, not only in the media, but from what I have recently experienced myself, it’s not really a surprise. It started with the Tiger Woods scandal beginning in December, followed by the Vernon Kay texts, Ashley Cole’s alleged cheats and even Take That “nice guy” Mark Owen admitting to cheating on his wife with at least TEN different women. Men are giving themselves a highly bad reputation.
I have recently seen a bloke who at 26, is too scared of committing to any kind of relationship, and isn’t sure if and when he ever will. This male attitude is filtering into women’s, as we are cheated on and hurt, we grow stronger and more sensible. I am not even 20 yet, and have had a couple of serious relationships in which I’ve been hurt, after falling head first naively into them. My attitudes have already completely changed. If I meet a guy who I find attractive I hold back a little, and if I find myself feeling any remote sense of butterflies my brain immediately reacts and throws in sensibility. This man may seem genuine and perfect, but he is still only a man, and you don’t know him, and there’s a 99% chance that he will eventually hurt you if this goes further.
It appears quite sad in writing, but it’s the truth. It’s not just me, from friends to relatives, we’ve been hurt. I know when you’re young you’re supposed to be free and single, but I doubt I will change these attitudes even when I am a bit older. I want to focus on myself, getting myself good opportunities, making sure I go out and have a good time, generally doing everything for me, and solely me.
Women used to be associated with helping the man. We cooked them dinner, we cleaned their clothes, we inspired them to be successful. So I suppose in that sense it was inevitable that we one day became aware that we could be better than them. It’s our turn to inspire and look after ourselves. Men just do not seem to be worth it these days and it’s obvious how many other women now feel this way.
You can see the new ideologies of the modern woman in other recent events. The world cup this year for instance. In 2006, the WAGS got more press coverage than the footballers themselves. With their excessive shopping sprees and partying all photographed in an overtone of orange tan and blonde extensions, these wives and girlfriends were essentially being idolised for simply being wives and girlfriends. The perception this year was a stark contrast. Of course, they were banned, but only a few flew out for the quarter-finals. Victoria Beckham however displayed the perfect image of the new, modern woman.
Power Status!
Her transformation has never been quite as noticeable as we got to compare 2006 to now, a mere four years later. Victoria, the former queen of the WAG pack, stayed in France with her children, as she has no need for such public displays of expenditure. No, no, because Mrs Beckham has her own accomplished and celebrity-favoured clothing line. She is a designer in her own right. Colleen Rooney also remained dignified and stayed at home. To me it seemed somewhat desperate and embarrassing for the girls who still flew out. Even if they didn’t go, their husbands would still, I would hope, be in the know that their beloved was supporting them from home. It’s not like the wives got to see them much while they were there anyway, with the training in the day and the players back to their hotel rooms at night.
Across the globe in Australia, there is also a new prime minister. 48 year old, Julia Gillard beat former PM, Kevin Rudd in a leadership challenge, taking his role from underneath his feet. This happening, despite five years before, her being told that she had no hope. The old-fashioned lot out there have not only mocked her voice, but they have criticised her on everything from her dress sense to the fact that she’s single and doesn’t have children. I have a hopeful feeling that she now goes to bed laughing every night. So what if she doesn’t have children or a husband? She’s prime minister of a country now!
It’s just not that cool to rely on a man for money and a life any more. We have brains, and equally beauty, so why not take advantage of both? The 1950’s housewife is long gone, and us normal people are looking up to intelligent female celebrities now, rather than just pretty ones. Intellectual presenter and girlfriend of Frank Lampard, Christine Bleakley and model-with-wit, Alexa Chung are a couple examples. Even teenagers now obsess over The City, which follows young women trying their best to get successful careers, living independently in New York. The music scene has also been almost taken over by women- need I mention Florence, Ellie Goulding, Rihanna, Lady Gaga and even Kylie returning, to name but a few.
If there’s any moment to define this year and what is beginning to happen, it’s Cheryl Tweedy getting rid of Ashley, and everyone running to back her up and follow her as she just soars higher and higher to success. We are definitely getting a lot more power, but we are completely dignified in getting it. That is why I love this upcoming season so much. It embodies the modern day. It resembles our hard-working ethics and our sophistication. It presents our independence but in an elegant and beautiful manner. It also does this in such subtle ways that it exudes our class and dignity, too. We need not force it in men’s faces, because that is what they would do, and we are better than that.
What a load of old nonsense, who reads this stuff anyway?