The Ribbon: A Timeless Symbol of Femininity

December 13, 2022

Lifestyle

Nesha Ruther

Writer at Bond &. Grace

The ribbon is one of the most ubiquitous symbols of femininity present in our culture. From the time we were children drawing stick figure girls, it was with a triangle dress and a bow on the head. In a 2021 study done by the Korean Ministry of Education, subjects were made to interact with computer-generated “agents” that discussed a variety of topics. The agents had identical robotic faces, with the distinction being that one had a ribbon on its head, and the other did not. The study found that the ribbon triggered gendered stereotypes, and the agent with the ribbon was seen as more competent in “feminine” disciplines such as psychology, and less competent in “masculine” areas such as finance.

How did an item so innocuous become one of the most potent embodiments of femininity? Let us travel backward through time, looking at important moments in which the ribbon has appeared, and what it has meant.

In recent years, personal style among women has seen a shift back to the traditional. If you have spent any time on social media over the past few months, you are likely to have encountered a good deal of lace, ribbon, babydoll collars, and bows. This style is being labeled “coquette” a term used to refer to a flirtatious woman, and is the latest in a long trend of styles and aesthetics that are imagining and reimagining femininity in various contexts.

The ribbon is a staple of the coquette style, signifying not only femininity, but youth, innocence, and a girlish quality. This style has been around for a number of years, albeit under a previous name that (questionably) paid reference to Vladimir Nobokov’s novel about a certain twelve-year-old girl. The term coquette also has a literary lineage, bringing to mind Hannah Webster Foster’s 1797 novel The Coquette, which ironically, was a cautionary tale about women straying from the predetermined path of marriage and children.

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This style, and the ribbon at the center of it all, can be traced back to 1960s film icons such as Brigitte Bardot and Catherine Deneuve, who popularized this wide-eyed, girlish affect.

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Even earlier, In 1944, an issue of LIFE Magazine not only depicted girls with ribbons in their hair, but analyzed the placement of the ribbon as an indicator of romantic availability and interest.

In the 1930s, films such as Gone with the Wind, Snow White and The Seven Dwarves, and The Wizard of Oz depicted their heroines ribbon-clad, as a signifier of wholesome femininity.

Ribbons were very much en vogue in 19th-century Victorian England and France, worn as accessories or decorations to women’s clothing. Here is where it gets interesting, however, because while the ribbon was a staple of popular dress during this period, it was standard for men as well as women.

The Rococo style, also known as the Late Baroque period, was one of opulence and decadence, made fashionable by the French monarchy in the 1730s. Ribbons were worn everywhere from wigs to the tips of one’s shoes. Yet they were not a particularly feminine symbol and were worn just as frequently by men.

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Rather than being gendered, the Rococo Ribbon symbolized wealth, sophistication, and proximity to the monarchy.

While it is difficult to tell what exactly transformed the ribbon from a decorative piece for both men and women, to a solely feminine accessory, its history is a long and winding one.

Whoever you are, and however you choose to wear it, with every bow and trailing tail, you are participating in a rich history of gender expression and celebration.