So, High Heels Aren't Less Empowering Than Sneakers
Guess we're having this conversation in 2022.
It was the outfit switch-up heard around the internet yesterday: the green M&M is losing her iconic platform high heeled white boots as a way to modernize her look for the 2020s. Instead, she will be wearing a pair of sneakers in advertising materials from here on out. According to CBS News, Mars explained the move by saying that “cool, laid-back sneakers” are intended “to reflect her effortless confidence." The statement went on to say that the outfit change is "better represented to reflect confidence and empowerment, as a strong female, and known for much more than her boots."
The general consensus (thankfully) was that the change was absurd to the point of being comedic. One person on Twitter called it a reverse yassification, while another joked that she was no longer allowed to attend Euphoria High School. Hilarious.
The underlying issue here is that instead of empowering Ms. Green M&M, it appears that we’ve applied antiquated and sexist ideas about what women’s clothing says about their intelligence and confidence. Just because her boots are fabulous and she cares about them, doesn’t mean that it's all we see in her, or that’s all she sees in herself. And just because she shows them off doesn’t mean that her power and confidence comes solely from her footwear.
Obviously, I’m talking about a fictional piece of chocolate, but also I’m not. We’ve seen this idea play out a million times in different spaces. Don’t talk about female politicians’ outfits, because you wouldn’t do that for men, or don’t ask about red carpet dresses, ask about the work. Why not, though?
In doing this, we accomplish two things. We take away the power that clothing has to tell an individual's story, and we assume that a woman can’t do two things at once. Sticking with the M&M here for a second, maybe she wears those boots because they are special to her, and they look good. And not being able to look beyond the boots to see the other things she has to offer (I suppose this is kind of weird with a fictional character, but you get where I’m going) sounds like a you problem. This may come as a shock, but people are complex, and just because they care about clothing doesn’t make them any less so.
*This Stuff is a newsletter by me! fashion journalist, Alyssa Hardy. Three times a week, I unpack the ways our clothes impact the world through news, essays, interviews and more. Subscribe for free here and follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.*