Tea at Trianon: The Great Skirts Debate

John Wilson Croker on Marie-Antoinette

"We have followed the history of Marie Antoinette with the greatest diligence and scrupulosity. We have lived in those times. We have talked with some of her friends and some of her enemies; we have read, certainly not all, but hundreds of the libels written against her; and we have, in short, examined her life with– if we may be allowed to say so of ourselves– something of the accuracy of contemporaries, the diligence of inquirers, and the impartiality of historians, all combined; and we feel it our duty to declare, in as a solemn a manner as literature admits of, our well-matured opinion that every reproach against the morals of the queen was a gross calumny– that she was, as we have said, one of the purest of human beings."

~from History of the Guillotine by John Wilson Croker, 1844

Edmund Burke on Marie-Antoinette

"It is now sixteen or seventeen years since I saw the queen of France, then dauphiness, at Versailles; and surely there never lighted on this orb, which she hardly seemed to touch, a more delightful vision. I saw her just above the horizon, decorating and cheering the elevated sphere she had just begun to move in, glittering like a morning star full of life and splendor and joy. Oh, what a revolution....Little did I dream that I should have lived to see such disasters fall upon her, in a nation of gallant men, in a nation of men of honor and of cavaliers! I thought ten thousand swords must have leaped from their scabbards, to avenge even a look which threatened her with insult. But the age of chivalry is gone; that of sophisters, economists, and calculators has succeeded...."

~Edmund Burke, October 1790

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

The Great Skirts Debate

Betty Beguiles handles the matter with grace and aplomb, saying:

We find ourselves in a unique place in history. Though women today are experiencing unparalleled freedom, we are not yet far enough away from a time when we were socially marginalized to have completely moved on. Because there may be some residual fear of having their liberties taken away, some women have a knee-jerk reaction when they hear it suggested that there might be some benefit to their favoring skirts over pants. Several of the individuals who contributed to this conversation asserted that the mere fact that the question had been raised concerned and insulted them....

When questions are raised regarding the appropriateness of women wearing pants, they are often received as a demand that women take a step backwards in the quest for equality. One of the key tenets of the feminist revolution of the 1960’s was that, in order to be equal, women should not be asked or expected to do anything differently from men. The assumption being that to do so would be an infringement upon our autonomy and might prevent us from living full lives. This worldview has so infiltrated our culture that the average American wouldn’t even think to question it.

Nancy Reyes said...: Trousers came in with miniskirts. They were more modest, and warmer in the winter.

I changed to long skirts myself, as a doctor, because I "dress up" for my patients,but most nurses now wear pants for practical reasons. Ever try to do CPR in a skirt?

Not everything is "political".

the real problem is lack of feminine clothing per se.

I watch Fashion channel Asia and the wonderful feminine dresses (and pants/tunic combinations) make me wish I could wear them here....but in the rural Philippines, everyone under 40 wears Jeans and teeshirts...we only see skirts in uniforms for school or in women who are attending the local Protestant church services.

Sigh.; January 12, 2011 at 3:48:00 AM EST
Jessie said...: I think the more important aspect to realize what you feel confortable in. If it's skirts, that's fine. If it's pants, that's fine too. I really can't see why this is such a big deal...; January 12, 2011 at 11:41:00 AM EST