What bothered church leaders about Joan of Arc wasn’t just the fact that she expressed a direct and individual relationship with God. No, it was something more mundane that really got them going: Joan of Arc cut her hair and wore men’s clothing. What else should a girl wear on the battlefield atop a horse? At the time, the church existed mainly to stroke the egos of those in power and keep people in their lowly places, not unlike some places of work and worship that still exist today.
Here’s the odd thing. Clothes were a matter of practicality for Joan. It hardly mattered to her what she wore. It did, however, matter to the sanctimonious tribe who burned her at the stake. Her pants were a symbol of her independence and rebellion.
What can we learn from the ultimate power dresser? Clothes matter whether we like it or not. I don’t mind saying that I like it. Quite a lot, actually.
My favorite power garment is a jacket, preferably a blazer. I’ll never forget my first one, a teal calico print, which I wore in kindergarten. I wore it fishing once, too. In the sixth grade, I had a red and white gingham blazer. I felt smart and impenetrable in those jackets. Here's a very cool vintage blazer from the 1970s, sold exclusively at our Etsy store. What’s your favorite power garment?
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