Final answer:
Suffragists used fashions in dress and hairstyles to symbolize the new freedoms and roles women were assuming in society, demonstrating their strength and unity. They also used dress as a form of protest, contrasting with traditional stereotypes, while actions such as the mistreatment of suffragists during hunger strikes garnered public support for their cause.
Step-by-step explanation:
How Suffragists Expressed Political Meaning Through Clothing and Hairstyle
Suffragists adopted new fashions in dress and hairstyles that symbolized the new confidence and freedoms women were experiencing during their fight for suffrage. These changes in dress were partially out of necessity; women working on the farm and in munitions during wartime needed practical clothing as fabric was prioritized for the war effort. The more functional clothing and simpler hairstyles reflected the roles women were taking on in society and their move away from the traditional confines of domestic life.
The National Woman's Party (NWP), led by Alice Paul, used dress as a form of protest. During public demonstrations, suffragists' clothing represented a new era for women and often contrasted with the stereotypical feminine norms. This was seen as radical and was an integral part of their campaign, demonstrating a silent but visually impactful message of strength, unity, and the desire for change. Women's suffrage activists threw instruments of oppression into a "freedom trash can," rejecting the societal expectations of women's appearance. Later, the suffragists' treatment in jail, including coercive feeding during hunger strikes, further used tactics that drew public sympathy and support for the cause.
Antisuffrage propaganda also played a role in the depiction of suffragists, portraying them negatively and focusing on their appearance to dissuade public support. However, suffragists used their clothing and demeanor to rebut these depictions, presenting themselves as composed and dedicated to their cause.