Is she to breathe mama?

Within 19th century Western societies, particular modes of dress mirrored the inequalities between men and women. Extreme styles of dress were devised to mould women into the romanticised femininity that is prim and proper, delicate, and decorative - creating an ostentatious attire for the everyday. The image series ‘Is she to breathe mama?’ rejects and re-frames these traditional styles and notions of dress that were instrumental in oppressing and controlling women; they have been re-appropriated to present a power uniform for the modern-day woman, applauding femininity that is strong, unapologetic, and unified.