Is the prairie dress anti-feminist?

Long billowing sleeves and high necklines are making a comeback. What's a feminist to think?

Little House on the Prairie.
(Image credit: United Archives GmbH/Alamy Stock Photo)

Fashion trends are notoriously cyclical — if it's happened once, for better or worse, it will happen again. Case in point: In recent months, trend reporters from The New York Times and The Washington Post have foretold the return of the homely prairie dress — that patterned, cotton, mid-to-ankle-length garment with embellishments such as ruffles, puff-sleeves, and high collars, often worn by women in the mid-19th century. If you're struggling to conjure a visual, think Little House on the Prairie, or, if you're a millennial, Westworld (sort of). These dresses are undeniably conservative, covering nearly every inch of the female body.

Having been the young owner of my very own Gunne Sax prairie dress back in the late '70s/early '80s, I reflexively shook my head at this news, mainly because the timing seemed off. This is a pivotal moment to be female: More than 100 women were just elected to the House of Representatives; the #TimesUp and #metoo movements continue to gain momentum; women are reclaiming the female gaze amid the threat of a long calculated Roe v. Wade reversal. This is a time to unequivocally demand equality on any and all fronts, including in fashion. I wondered: Why on Earth is a trend that seems so regressive suddenly en vogue?

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Vivian Manning-Schaffel

Vivian Manning-Schaffel is a journalist, essayist, creative writer, and editor. Her writing has been featured in NBC News BETTER, Medium, Lenny Letter, The New York Times, and many other additional outlets. Find her online at her website and on Twitter at @VeeManningS and @SoapboxDirty.