There’s something irresistibly whimsical about the exhortation to “heal your feminine energy.” That is the invitation of “Soft Girl Summer,” some kind of trend arising from the mysterious algorithms and zeitgeist of the internet.
Without confirmation of its full meaning, I declared unwavering support for the movement, writing at the Federalist:
Generally speaking, it seems, Soft Girl Summer is a trend embracing feminine expression. In contrast to the exhortation to “take up space” and compete with the boys, the Soft Girl trend encourages quiet and nurturing routines and hobbies.
Participants in the trend often express themselves in Cottagecore styles — think flowing dresses, floral prints, teatime, cats, and antiques. In other words, Soft Girl signifies the unapologetic embodiment of femininity.
If this is what is meant by Soft Girl Summer, I am in full support.
It can be tempting to think that what we wear and the decisions we make about food and personal hygiene have no bearing on the world. Certainly, it is no humanitarian mission or international peace talk. And yet, how reasonable are those as standards for most of us. If we don’t pay attention to what we wear and how we serve dinner to our family and guests, it’s unlikely we’ll be solving world hunger instead.
Most likely, dressing poorly and needlessly using paper plates for dinner will result in even less excellence in most areas of our small lives. Our lives are small, hidden among the millions of identical people in our demographic parameters. Our choices—in dress and hairstyling, tea-making, and above-average cooking—may seem insignificant in our small lives. However, our lives, though small, are also significant. And because each person is significant, the choices in our lives, how we channel and express that feminine energy, matters.
