The Politics of Women’s Fashion in the Cultural West: A Perspective

Abstract

In this perspective piece, we discuss the politics of fashion in the cultural West. We cover issues of social expectation and individual freedom. We comment on where society draws the line with regard to public decency. We also comment on how the approach taken by society to health and public safety issues related to fashion differs markedly from that taken to other similar items.

Where Do We Stand on High Heels in 2018? An Audit

“…Indeed, public safety issues relating to clothing and footwear in terms of how Journal of Applied Mathematics and Physics they impact on bystanders have largely been overlooked [31], despite a culture of draconian health and safety rules in other areas. In terms of potential limitations of the work, the sample was large, but sampling bias is always a possibility.…”

“…Although the concept of the collective has been substantially eroded by decades of neoliberalism [29] [30], collective forces such as fashion still exert a considerable influence. Indeed, the lack of regulation of business under neoliberalism may lead to considerable constraints on individual freedom where this clashes with the economic freedom of businesses [31]. There are indeed multiple influences on what women wear, including businesses, celebrities, cultural norms, women's own preferences and women's perceptions of men's preferences [32].…”

“…The policy response to work and advocacy on high heels has not been as strong as would be hoped [31], potentially reflecting the reluctance of governments to intervene under neoliberalism, and a strong focus on individual behavior and responsibility, combined with a reluctance to regulate business beyond what is deemed minimally essential. However, the UK Government did issue a statement that forcing women to wear high heels at work was not legal under the Equality Act in workplaces (the vast majority) covered by this legislation.…”