Fashion has always been more than just clothing, it’s a powerful form of self-expression, identity, and often protest. Throughout history, fashion has been used to challenge authority, express political beliefs, and show support for movements. From color to the cut of a hemline, garments have carried messages that go far beyond style. Fashion can become a visual act of defiance or unity with proper thought. In light of current social movements, this post will explore significant examples of fashion being used as protest throughout the last century.
The Women’s Rights movement is a prime example of fashion for protest. Suffragettes used their daily wear to challenge societal expectations of women. In the early 1900s, suffragettes wore white to symbolize purity and virtue as they marched for the right to vote. These suffragettes presented themselves as respectable and deserving of equal political rights. Even today, many congresswomen wear white intentionally to honor the history of suffragettes.
Some designers will take matters into their own hands and create clothing to break traditional gender roles. In 1966, Yves Saint Laurent released Le Smoking suit, a tuxedo designed for women. It empowered women to claim traditionally male spaces. This suit was so radical at the time that only one was sold. Later revisions of Le Smoking suit became more popular, but the initial design shook the industry. During the 1960s and 1970s, women began wearing more masculine clothes, such as trousers, as a symbol of equality. Turning away from standard skirts, dresses, and corsets women at this time sought to promote freedom and liberation through their style.
Most recently, feminist advocates debuted the pink pussy hats at the 2017 Women’s March. As a form of visual unification between protesters, these hats became an iconic symbol for the feminist movement. Currently, trends of male-repellant makeup have begun trending on social media. This is an effort from women to decentralize the male gaze and encourage them to dress to their personal aesthetics. The trend rejects restrictive beauty standards and encourages not only individualism but uniqueness.
Fashion as protest also has deep roots in young communities of color. During the 1940s, zoot suits were a method of protest regarding fabric rationing. These suits were oversized with wide shoulders, long coats, and baggy pants. This was a bold statement specifically amongst Black and Mexican American youth at the time. Throughout wartime fabric rationing, wearing clothing that utilized great amounts of fabric was seen as unpatriotic. Further, this made the zoot suit a symbol of resistance against assimilation of identities, asserting pride and individuality when worn.
The Black Panther Party used fashion as a form of power against an oppressive government. They wore black leather jackets, berets, and sunglasses to project strength, unity, and defiance against systemic racism. The party sought to reclaim agency in the face of police violence and oppression.
The Black Panther uniform, as it was called, brought unity and purpose to its members. The party sought to unite their voices through protest, mutual aid, and pride in their identity. The distinct uniform sought to reclaim power in a society designed to marginalize people of color. Though the Black Panther Party saw a decline in the 1980s, its message of mutual aid and determination lives on to this day.
Most recently, the 2018 Golden Globes saw a powerful fashion statement rooted in protest of the industry. During the rise of the #MeToo movement, celebrities made a coordinated effort to wear black in solidarity with victims of sexual harassment in Hollywood. Celebrities used their visibility to shift the conversation from fashion to justice for victims. Though a quiet form of protest, celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Meryl Streep, and Viola Davis embraced the dress code, making their statement undeniable. Though this was specific to Hollywood, it stood for women across the globe facing harassment and violence who do not have the platform to speak out.
Even in our own hometown of Blacksburg, we see fashion as a form of protest. Vetement De Rue, a student-run fashion show, debuted their Spring 2025 show on April 1. At the end of the show, two designers waved Palestinian flags in support of those within the Gaza Strip. The fashion industry at its core is about breaking barriers and pushing what is mainstream. From large-scale civil rights movements to student-run fashion shows in Blacksburg, symbolism and protest through fashion can be found in every corner of the globe.