Fashion, Kuel Category Expert: Angie Weihs
What if women ruled the world?
Dior’s runways, both for Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter, show us that fashion and feminism can be visionary sisters; warrioresses for the same ideals and protectresses of our planet. Like the collaboration of Dior’s first female artistic director and 70s child Maria Grazia Chiuri with feminist artist Judy Chicago, our outfits collaborate with our souls. They want us to be messengers of our truth.
Fashion Is Political
“When we walk in boots of our personal truth other women will follow.”
Chiuri’s fashion shows are as much art as a manicured fist for change. Fashion is political. It’s not just her, the Zeitgeist of “metoo” and BLM demands other designers to step up and support women’s desires for equal opportunity, equality, and diversification.
Off the runways we demonstrate our mindsets every day, and when we do so deliberately, our style contributes to our confidence and clarity. And encourages change. When we walk in boots of our personal truth other women will follow. Fashion empowers. Outfits talk.
Goddesses In Summer
For Dior’s summer collection, Chiuri drew her inspiration from classical depictions of goddesses; symbolic for aligning the beauty of body and mind. There was an abundance of flowing fabric and royal gold but also flower power and fringes; the Bohemian intensity of the 70s. The fall/winter show celebrated Boho spirit again with shredded fringe dresses and luxe velvet suiting. Ying and yang came together in the toughening of the female and the softening of the male.
(also see: Fringe galore at Prada, Fendi, and Jason Wu’s Fall/Winter 2020 collections)
Chiuri asserted herself as an unconventional thinker in the 70s, so did I. I embraced both, the androgynous Twiggy style and the wild dresses and quirky harem pants we sewed in my feminist theatre group. Lighthearted feathers and rich jewelry tingled, rattled, and hummed when we swung our hips or strutted in our fierce bare feet or in cowgirl boots, and artful sandals.
Boho Love
“Boho reminds us of ancient and contemporary wild women”
Wearing Boho reminds us of ancient and contemporary wild women and shapes a feeling of community and togetherness; it’s a visual of “make love, not war” and a No to “normal.”
Bohemianism was and still is about much more than just frightening saturated societies; it was a culture immersed in philosophy, spirituality, mythology and rebellion, of artists of all kinds, painters, writers, actors, musicians, dancers and their friends. They typically lead a free, vagabond-ish life, literally and in spirit.
Resurrecting The Hippie
The innocence of hippie love and the passion to broaden minds of the 60s and 70s is worth resurrecting. It was revived in the 90s, when esoteric spirituality was flourishing and boundaries of mainstream reality were pushed. Maybe now, another 30 years later in 2020, we are challenged to do both; to investigate what’s true, individually and global, and to transform our mistakes with a spiritual rebellion.
Boho outfits have a fascinating history and provide endless tales. There is a different Boho shade for every woman; adventurer, gypsy, nature goddess, mystic or sophisticated sensual French saloniere. All are confidently relaxed yet exuberant styles. Swinging fabrics, unusual accessories and multi layered jewelry create a powerful mishmash of elements perfect for fierce midlife women who are done with ageist assumptions.
With Boho We Can Claim Our Power
Boho is a means to claim our power, to sum up our experiences and express our feminine wisdom in our outfits.
What if women ruled the world? What if we start right now to take a social stance against everything from materialism to society’s constraints and support like-minded women, artists and small businesses? Boykott corporations, which destroy the planet? Starting with our daily life and let our outfits call out our message? A Boho dress is not the revolution, but it carries a free spirited vibe that wakes up strength.
The Rebel Me
I was rebellious in the 70s and spiritually new-aged in the 90s when I read “The bringers of the Dawn.” It was the decade when “Women who run with wolves” and “When the drummers were women,” inspired me to dance to Afro-Haitian drums with hundreds of women In Santa Fe. We wore ethnic sarongs, rhinestone adorned bras, belly dancer’s necklaces, bracelets and charm anklets on our bare feet.
When I recently swirled in my boho dresses, I felt it; I had not only revived my 70s rebel but the childlike belief that love all around me and change is possible. I had learned to listen to my outfits, which became messages from my soul.
She said, “You are eccentric, rebellious, untamed; be the woman with the Gypsy spirit.
“Do I have to wear a babushka bandana?”
I never likes those neither in the 70s not in the 90s.
An Ageless Gypsy
What do you think? Will I buy the camper and live the vagabond-ish life of a free-spirited, ageless woman who will not celebrate her 70s birthday in 2021; who will be her ageless Gypsy self?
Gosh, I love the eye-opening magic of Boho outfits. I hope you feel inspired to swirl in yours.
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About the Author:
Angie Weihs is a fashion forward Instagram influencer. In nearly three years of outfit explorations, fashion evolved as a tool for awareness and empowerment. Women who embarked on a styling journey with her found confidence by discovering their ”real.”
Her upcoming memoir, “Maybe you should wear pink,” lets outfits talk and shows how to wear our souls on our sleeves so that the Universe can have our back. Reinventing ourselves during a worldwide pandemic is an unprecedented challenge. Angie’s goal is to let our style help us rethink, redefine, and re-feel our lives. And, provide the clarity and power we need to reinvent a broken world. You can follow Angie on Instagram at agelessrebelmagic.
Wearing boho bracelets today, they have this sweet silver rattle; a reminder to be fierce and loving.
That is a great reminder!!