Artistry of Femininity...and shoes!
Tatiana Von Tauber - 7/13/09

 

True femininity seems a dying womanly art, particularly within the oceans of classic feminism.  Susan Brownmiller in her 1984 book, Femininity, describes it’s essence as “romantic sentiment, a nostalgic tradition of imposed limitations”.  Twenty-four years later, I say  femininity’s essence is an expressionistic art form, a romantic tradition of unlimited freedom to the woman who knows how to play with its potential. 

Call me traditional, nostalgic, or  ”backwards” but the essence of men holding their fine masculinity and women expressing their sensual femininity is a human expression that’s faded from modern times.  It’s only natural for women to have challenged the millennium traditions of femininity and burn it with their bras.  Perhaps it was a female necessity to “be a man” to see if it could thrust more power but I think femininity is a classic that never goes out of style. 

Femininity is a type of sensuality that arouses, tempts, piques our curiosities and stirs eroticism.  It’s very distinct mysterious nature seems to be an all out tease to the onlooker.  Hooray for that!  Nothing like embracing the quality of tease, mystery, allure, temptation and flirtation.  Femininity is fun yet I wonder if in the midst of feminism’s quest for equality, many women simply fell (and still fall) victim to its suppression.  

“Femininity demands more”, Brownmiller says.  ”To fail at the feminine difference is to appear not to care about men, and to risk the loss of their attention and approval.  To be insufficiently feminine is viewed as a failure in core sexual identity, or as a failure to care sufficiently about oneself, for a woman found wanting will be appraised (and will appraise herself) as mannish or neutered or simply unattractive, as men have defined these terms”.  Why, however, can’t females grab a hold of the feminine concept and recreate it the way an artist erases a canvas and pencils in new lines; redefine femininity for themselves rather than insist it’s meaning came from the nostalgic view men defined for them?  Is femininity feared?  Has it simply become a new unknown ready for rediscovery? Perhaps.  I’m beginning to see women shedding the femininity-as-”bad” philosophy as more brave females play with a part of themselves that I think is beautiful and that’s a good thing for both sexes and for eroticism itself. 

Femininity holds elegance in its stride and when I think of that I think of… hmm… shoes!  What exemplifies the feminine woman more than shoes?  What sashays her hips, straightens her posture, accentuates her legs and makes her “work” (as Brownmiller might say) to own her sensuality and sexual empowerment?  True femininity is tied uniquely to true female confidence.  It’s self approval  – not “man made” approval - of becoming whatever it is women independently feel or define as feminine and it merely shows how confident we are to be women.  Yes, femininity takes work.  So does everything else worthy.  Perhaps the question to ask is, is femininity worthy of its commitment? 

Perhaps rather than cluttering our closets with yet another pair of Manolo Blahniks, we could just decorate our walls with paintings of shoes.  If that doesn’t pique your interest, maybe artist and shoe designer Nina Divito can change your mind.   Her artwork is the essence of femininity and oozes mystery, sensuality and eroticism.  When I look at Divito’s paintings, I can’t help feeling the desire to want to walk further into that world. 

Can one resist wondering who the woman could be?  What’s she like in ________?  Would one allow her heels to dig into skin or just request a sashayed walk with her curvy lines around the room?  Would one be curious enough to ask her to turn around so that her face may be seen or let her shoe style tease and undress the mind? 

That’s for you to decide.  Visiting Nina Divito’s beautiful website is visiting a sensuous and mysterious wonderland – for the connoisseur of shoes or the lover of femininity. Or maybe someone who just likes pretty art.  Or feet.  Or legs.  Or stockings…

Go ahead.  Let Nina tease you.  www.ninadivito.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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