Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Comment
Lauren O'Neill

Don’t call it anti-feminist: the return of ‘girly’ fashion is all about having fun

Five models on the catwalk dressed in Simone Rocha's new collection.
Simone Rocha’s autumn/winter 2023 collection at London fashion week. Photograph: Ben Broomfield/pr

The other day I received a parcel in the post, and when I opened it, I squealed with pure glee. Nestled in the box was a pair of pink satin shoes, flat like ballet pumps, fastened with a silver buckle. They looked like a cross between a pair of Velma-from-Scooby-Doo Mary Janes and something you’d see on a Sylvanian Families rabbit. I was delighted.

Over the last couple of months, I’ve developed a predilection for adorning myself in the trappings of uber-femininity: tartan kilts, danceresque tights, legwarmers and fuzzy knits. On the secondhand clothing app Vinted, I now have an alert set up for the phrase “bow jumper”; and there is a container on my dressing table that is overflowing with hair ribbons.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.