Coco Avant Chanel

I finally saw Coco Avant Chanel last night and it was incredibly inspiring. Not just in terms of style (black and white Chanel suits and strings of pearls, oh my) but in terms of feminism! Audrey Tautou portrayed Chanel as a hard-but deep down inside- somewhat fragile woman that is essentially 'done over' by one particular gentleman and consequently vows never to be anyone's wife. WONDERFUL! What a strong, independent fiery woman. A woman with incredible style and a penchant for aristocratic and very rich men. A woman who built one of the most influential fashion empires in history and worked until her dying day in 1971. A woman with class, intelligence and strength who needed no man (other than for transient pleasures). 

The movie got me thinking about strong women who never marry and achieve so much more than they perhaps would have had they settled for a dainty life as somebody's wife. Elizabeth I, the 'Virgin Queen' comes to mind; she refused to marry despite protests from English Parliament that her death would result in civil unrest and war if she was to die a single woman. Had she married, she would have inevitably had to relinquish her power. Instead, she renounced marriage and led the country into its golden age. 

Is love obsolete in today's society? Possibly. Is marriage an archaic concept that only serves to demean and oppress women? Maybe not, but at the moment I feel terribly empowered as a woman and so I will say that the answer is yes. What's love? Pain. What is marriage? Constriction and mediocrity. Call me a cynic (and I am) but I am never falling victim to love again. It is much more fun to be the Femme Fatale of Velvet Underground Fame.

You're written in her book

You're number 37, have a look

She's going to smile to make you frown, what a clown

Little boy, she's from the street

Before you start, you're already beat

She's gonna play you for a fool, yes it's true

Femme Fatale, The Velvet Underground

Or Estella from Great Expectations:

She'll only break your heart, it's a fact. And even though I warn you, even though I guarantee you that the girl will only hurt you terribly, you'll still pursue her. Ain't love grand?