The phenomenon of the fashion police coming after women for their sartorial choices on red carpet events, is nothing new. Be it Barbra Streisand's sheer dress at the 1969 Oscars, or Bjork's swan dress in 2001, the gatekeepers of fashion have never stepped back from telling women 'what to wear', and most importantly, 'what NOT to'. One may argue that wearing risque costumes is a strict no-no at any formal award ceremony or film festival, and celebs would do well to stick to the mandated dress code of high heels, cocktail dresses or ballgowns. 

But is only the media to blame for creating such unfair rules against women's choices? Or does the problem lie deeper? Is it only celebrities who break the dress code in out-of-the box costumes who are villified? Or does the policing extend to even those women who try (and fail) to stick to set sartorial mandates? In the wake of the ongoing Cannes Film Festival, we take a closer look at what women have said, done (and worn!) in defiance of the draconian dress code at the prestigious film festival.

Women are expected to behave differently than men

At the Cannes 2023 premiere of her film May December, Natalie Portman spoke of 'the different ways that [we as] women are expected to behave... compared to men'. Be it regarding how women are 'supposed to look or carry [themselves]', Portman made a point about how 'the expectations are different' for women as compared to men... even 'at this festival' and how women are 'defined by social structures' that are imposed upon them. Natalie's co-star in the film Julianne Moore further backed her up saying that "women are not a minority group. We're 50% of the population. So it's important we’re treated as such."

(Image: Natalie Portman in a shimmering ballgown at Cannes 2023. Source: Cannes 2023 fan page/twitter)

The actresses did not specifically mention which aspect of mandated festival protocols they were pointing at. However, it's no secret that the antiquated dress code of 'only gowns and heels' for women at the Cannes Film Festival, has been a continuous point of contention. In 2015, a group of women with medical issues were denied entry to the premiere of Todd Haynes's 'Carol' - because they chose to wear flats; they suffered medical conditions that did not allow them to wear heels at all. In defiance of this draconian dress code, Julia Roberts (Cannes 2016) and Kristen Stewart (Cannes 2018) kicked off their heels on the red carpet.

(Image: Kristen Stewart taking her stilettos off on the Cannes 2018 red carpet. Source: Kristen Stewart fan page/Twitter)

(Image: Julia Roberts walks barefoot up the steps of the red carpet at Cannes 2016. Source: Julia Roberts fan page/Twitter)

Cate Blanchett went barefoot in 2023, and though it was officially in support of Iranian women, the actress perhaps made a much larger point regarding the way women were treated differently - be it in society in general, or at the Cannes Film Festival in particular. Most recently, Jennifer Lawrence wore flip-flops at the Cannes 2023 premiere of 'Anatomy of a Fall' and lifted the hem of her gown while she walked. All of these actions raised many eyebrows and the actresses were policed for their choices. 

(Image: Jennifer Lawrence dons flip flops with her gown at Cannes 2023. Source: Jennifer Lawrence Fan Club/Twitter)

"If you're not asking the guys to wear heels... then you can't ask me either"

The American Osteopathic Association says in an article that "High heels put the foot at an angle and pull muscles and joints out of alignment, so the effects aren't limited to the feet." Reports confirm how wearing high heels causes arthritis, joint pain and ankle sprains. Several women find heels painful and uncomfortable to wear. Add to that a long and heavy evening dress, and it is practically impossible to walk around or move, without getting tangled up in the dress or falling down, leading to even more 'wardrobe malfunction' moments. 

Yet, Cannes mandates high heels and evening dresses for ladies on the red carpet. This, in spite of the fact that this mandate is so unfairly biased against the anatomical realities of women's bodies. In contrast, the men seem to have it much more comfortable in their fitted, no-frills tuxedos and flat, well-polished shoes. This clear gender inequity (in terms of sartorial regulations) that the Cannes Film Festival has been adhering to, was perhaps best summed up by 2018 Cannes jury-member Kristen Stewart when she said, "If you’re not asking guys to wear heels and a dress, then you can’t ask me either."