When thinking about what to write in this post, I struggled to recognize the source of fantastic in Steven Millhauser’s “Change in Fashion.” While the formulation and expansion of the dress was meant to achieve a purpose, I argue that the motivation of this dress isn’t far off from modern fashion. With the goal of the dress turning from the “refusal to reveal female bod[ies],” to full concealment, Steven Millhauser poses the question of how female fashion is used for male pleasure.
What adds more depth to this is how the dress is depicted as a form of female liberation, giving women the freedom to redefine their own bodies. While the reader is meant to believe that this was the goal, undertones of male sexual satisfaction push forward, with the abundance of fabric encouraging “indirection, disguise, and a vague suggestiveness” towards female bodies.
Women, it was argued, were never more naked than when concealed from view.
If we look at modern cultural fashion standards, women are still under the control of the male gaze. In Islamic culture, while the hijab is regarded as a religious mark, it is used as a tool for male pleasure, as the husband is the one who has full access to the woman’s appearence.
I also talked about women’s attire in the Middle East in my blog post. It’s interesting how (both in this story and in real life) there are women who voluntarily wear the niqab/hijab/burka while others have labeled these garments as tools of the patriarchy. I would definitely consider “A Change in Fashion” to be a feminist tale; it shows that no matter how oppressive something may seem, there will always be women who choose to partake anyway because it is what they want to do.
I agree that there is a sense of modern fashion in his story “A Change of Fashion.” I think that he is sensing at that we try and make ourselves look specific ways for certain reasons/occasions! I think that you bought up a good point with the male gaze, it is something I didn’t think about! I think that the male gaze is something we dress too!
I agree, you do bring up many points such as the hijab that I did not think about. I found there to be fantastical elements due to just reading The Handmaid’s Tale. I brought up the quote, “The skirt is ankle-length, full, gathered to a flat yoke that extends over the breasts, the sleeves are full. The white wings too are prescribed issue; they are to keep us from seeing, but also from being seen.” I believe this is because I have been more in the fictional world than the real one lately, however, your example is one that hits much closer to our everyday life thus dulling the fantastical effect that Steven Millhauser might have been attempting to achieve.
Who is the narrator of this story? Is the narrator a man or a woman? How do you know? Why does it matter?
I like how you brought up the point of religion and their use of “masking the woman” for concealment. I did notice that the story had tension between the female fashion and the male persuasion. It seemed like for once, they were in charge.
I do think it is interesting to ask who the narrator of the story is, because then that affects the role of the gaze. As well as all that is comes with.