The fashion of Suffragettes

White. Snow, pure, pearl, brilliance, a lily, innocence. The color white can be associated with many things. It is seen as pure and innocent. White can be seen in the darkest night, shining through like a heavenly light. 
A dress, threads tightly woven in a way that gives form. Though the form underneath is shielded by the facade of another. A dress, flowing freely every which way; a dress, flowing freely while not feeling free. A dress, a prison, an escape, a manipulation and a symbol.
A white dress, empowerment where many didn't want it, empowerment where they needed it most. A white dress, femininity, a cause, a hope and a right. The white dress showed off their femininity, flaunted it,  made sure it was known what and who this cause was for. The power of a color, the power of a dress, would soon be known to all.  
Suffragette white is a key part of a suffragette’s attire, it is an important color that completes the outfit of a woman fighting for her rights. White was the perfect color to show their power, their hope and most importantly their femininity. The main goal of suffragettes was to get their point across and to do that they needed the correct attire and fashion for the job. The fashion is what everyone would see and know who they were and what they stood for. They wanted to look presentable to the public. This meant wearing the fashionable, not quite floor length walking dresses with a corset and a jacket. This clothing did not offer full physical mobility, highlighting traditional ideas about femininity and a woman’s place in society. (Shaw, 2020)