When a woman’s body is deemed a political playground, when she’s morally policed basis the hemline of her skirt, you know it’s still a man’s world we live in. To this day. Be it a risqué sartorial experimentation or modest fashion, it’s up for judgement, the women’s own agency dismissed in the name of constructive criticism.
But we persist. Many celebrities have now started embracing their personal style on the red carpet. You want to dress modestly? Please do so by all means. Thigh high slits and décolletage baring necklines might not be on every one’s to wear list and that’s okay. We list down ladies who are bringing modest fashion to the red carpet.
Malala Yousafzai
Nobel Peace Prize-winner Malala Yousafzai attended the Oscars for the very first time wearing a custom Ralph Lauren gown with an in-built headscarf. In her capacity as an executive producer at the event, it was delightful to witness the shimmery, full-sleeved, floor length gown accommodate her desires of dressing modestly.
Halima
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Somali-American fashion model Halima shot to fame with her Miss USA stint, where she was the first woman to wear a hijab in the history of the pageant. She was later signed to IMG Models and the rest is history. Since then, she has championed for modest fashion on several international carpets, thus making a solid case for diverse representation in the high fashion circles.
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Lensed here alongside Tommy Hilfiger, the design visionary himself, this snippet is from her role as the judge at the Fashion Frontier Challenge. When you systemically appoint marginalised folks at leadership roles, flourishing from the ground up is then imminent.
Janelle Monáe
Wearing a crystal hooded dress by Ralph Lauren to this year’s Academy Awards, the Glass Onion alumna’s draped hood creation utilised 168,000 Swarovski crystals with 600 hours of hand embroidery to get done. Identifying as non-binary and known for having a non-denominational love-based belief in God, Janelle Monáe’s sartorial outing translates to modest fashion not necessarily being tied to religious beliefs.
On The Runway
Proenza Schouler’s Fall 2022 collection also iterated the relevance of modest dressing, ticking boxes on both the minimalism and functionality charts. Bella Hadid strutted the ramp for the brand in a black, full-sleeved and hooded knit sweater adorned with a brooch and demonstrated her penchant to ace the every look that can be devised.
Whether or not based on an aesthetic or a cultural perspective, the decision of dressing up in modest fashion should solely be a woman’s. And placing either of the reasons on a pedestal higher than the other can only be classified as sheer mockery of a woman’s rights. That’s it.
Also Read: The Classic Hollywood Glam Silhouette Makes A Comeback
