sanjukta sen

When I typed ‘define feminine’ into Google, the first answer it gave me was “having qualities or an appearance traditionally associated with women, especially delicacy and prettiness.” This is absurd. For me, feminism, and indeed being feminine (with regard to fashion) is about enjoying what I wear. It’s not about what other people will find most sexy; it’s about what’s right for me. Forget what is trending or what’s deemed ‘in’ this season: one designer simply cannot speak on behalf of all women. It’s this individuality that we need to respect and celebrate. With this in mind, it is time to acknowledge fashion’s nod to feminism.

If you’ve been paying any attention to London Fashion Week (or even to high-street shop windows), you’ll know one thing: the time has come when heels, in the eyes of fashion royalty such as Chanel and J. JS Lee, are no longer a woman’s staple shoe. With the rise of ‘normcore’ – that is, the idea of one’s style being so normal and restrained that it represents normal gone hard core – it’s no surprise that the way the fashion world views femininity is evolving.

Even Victoria Beckham, the Queen of Heels herself, has ditched her five-inch stilettos in favour of the flatform (flat platform shoes). Her new Autumn/Winter collection boasted more practical, anti-injury inducing footwear – and thank God for that.

Regardless of the fact that wearing heels for at least eight hours every working day (only to swap them for taller and more spindly ones on a night out) can cause major long-term foot problems, the heel has also perpetuated a rigid, one-sided and hyper-sexualised image of what ‘womanhood’ is about.

Don’t get me wrong – I love a good heel, it makes me feel empowered and sophisticated. However, so does a brightly coloured trainer. And I shouldn’t feel like any less of a strong, young woman if I’m not wearing heels. From an early age girls are subjected to the idea that unless they are teetering around in Cinderella-esque, ultra-dainty shoes, they aren’t fulfilling their roles as beautiful, ‘proper’ women.

But what is a Proper Woman? Twenty years ago, she may have been the LBD-donning, stiletto-wearing siren, but now,things have changed. Personally, I feel as womanly as ever wearing my deep blue and magenta Nike trainers, high-waisted jeans and baggy T-shirt. I feel confident, feminine and, most importantly, like myself. And that’s exactly what feminism is about, right? The whole point is not being defined by someone else’s definition of what being feminine means. And it’s about time the fashion world stumbled off its high heels and onto a more humble, all-embracing flatform.