Influences and inspiration from art, fashion and culture

Phoebe Hung

Puppets

"And I don't wanna be the puppet that your playing on a string"

Being a puppet essentially means that a person is not in control of their own actions. The role of the puppet in relationship to the song is to portray the female as defiant and strong-willed because she refuses to be controlled.

1950s housewife

"Dream of picket fences and trophy wives"

 

In the 1950s, women were confined to domestic settings.

The typical 1950s housewife was expected to

  • clean the house
  • cook for the family
  • take care of her husband
  • look after the kids
  • go shopping

Snow White

"That Snow White, She did right, In her life. Had seven men to do the chores 'cause that's not what a lady's for"

 

Snow White is best known from the Disney cartoon. She is an example of the many Disney princesses that young girls look up to for inspiration.

In the story, she has to be saved by the Prince who kisses her back to life. This may suggest that girls need to depend on a man to save them constantly.

Land Girls

"Oh I don't know what you've been told but this gal right here is gonna rule the world"

 

The Land Girls are a good example of women proving that they could do the men's job when the men were fighting in World War Two

They defied the social and gender norms of their times and proved that they were equal to their male counterparts

Dolls

"Pretending that I need a boy whos gonna treat me like a toy"

 

Dolls are often portrayed as toys for girls. From a young age, gender stereotypes are enforced and taught to children by segregating the toys that they play with.

Barbie and Bratz dolls are unrealistic and do not represent women's proportions, giving young girls a tainted image of what they should look like