Den svenska mode(rna) kvinnan : Maskulint och feminint i Iduns modekrönikor

Sammanfattning: In today's society the focus on the feminine body ideal is rather extensive due to the use of social media and the constant need for validation. Nowadays there are several ways to adapt your looks to fit the feminine body ideal, ranging from surgical procedures to the use of filters on social media. However, one way of adapting the looks to fit the ideal that has been used throughout the times is the usage of different types of clothing. But what happens to the feminine body ideal when the views on the feminine ideal changes? In this essay fashion columns in the Swedish weekly newspaper Idun, between the years 1921 and 1929, has been analyzed to investigate how the female fashion reflected, and also influenced, the female struggle for equality in Sweden during the 20's. This essay discusses the reception of the modern masculine woman and her strive to be able to wear trousers, short skirts and shingled hair, but also who is mastering what is considered modern, and how the female fashion changed during the 20's. In short, the results show that the relationship between fashion and equality is hard to define. The study clearly shows that the female fashion is often used as a symbol of equality and changes parallelly to the changes made in the Swedish society. Therefore, the female fashion could be seen as a reflection of the struggle for equality, and at the same time as a weapon to carry the equality campaign forward.