People are quick to associate a love for shopping with femininity and use this to argue that women are less capable of handling their finances than men. There is an excess of media that depicts women as spending large amounts of money, from Carrie Bradshaw and her Manolo Blahniks to Sharpay Evans and her sparkly outfits. One of the most common female stereotypes is an obsession with clothing. When society criticizes modern women who love fashion, free expression is scrutinized.
“This (criticism) of female consumption could represent a stereotypical practice that produces differences, turning some forms of consumption (for women) into (a) problem and (for) others into something normal,” said Jaime Ramirez, a sociocultural anthropology graduate student.
It wasn’t until 1974 with the Equal Credit Opportunity Act that women could pull out a loan without a male co-signing, obtain a credit card in their own name or have their own credit history. It has only been 51 years that women have been allowed actual financial independence.
“We can see that in male consumption, that is equally expensive in luxury cars or tickets for sport(ing) events or technology or watches, this is normalized (or) associated with success or functionality. But when the same kind of consumption is realized by a woman, we can see judgment,” Ramirez said.
In the 1800s when women had less access to independence, shopping malls provided a place where they could walk through stores without a man watching over them. The act of walking into a store and buying something that made you feel confident was perceived as radically feminist at the time, but now, women spending their own money on trends is seen as frivolous.
According to an article from Forbes, financial advisors typically agree that women are better with handling their spending habits than men. Women are able to better visualize if a purchase is actually worth spending the money.
“I try not to impulse buy and I know nowadays overconsumption is such an issue,” nursing sophomore Madison Horn said. “I try to give myself like two weeks at least to sit on a purchase, and, if I still want it in two weeks, then I do purchase it.”
Men and women both give into shopping habits, as a Capital One Shopping statistics article shows that spending between single males and single females is almost equal.
“This stereotype of gender, it’s associated that women are more concerned about clothing, cosmetic beauty, in comparison with men,” Ramirez said. “At the end of the day, both are consuming different things.”
It isn’t problematic to buy a popular item of clothing just because you like it. This can be reinforced by women in history who have fought for women to have an equal opportunity to spend as men. A passion for fashion is a form of female independence that has been fought for years and should be supported by society rather than torn down.
Healy is a journalism junior from San Antonio, Texas.