#demonizing aesthetic elements commonly associated with women in western culture

[marzipanandminutiae]

I do believe the hunger games books do fall into the femininity thing. Katniss doesn't describe the shape of the Capital's buildings but she does say that they're all the colours of artificial candy.

And Capital fashion in the books is even more outlandish than the films, with jewels embedded in people's skin, whiskers in people's cheeks, people dye their skin green or tiger-striped.

Yeah, so, I don't think the books do much better on the "Does being a girl make you part of the Bourgeoisie."

I still like em though.

Yikes. I forgot that part. All of those things are unironically awesome and it's bold of the books to assume "respectable" mainstream rich people have done anything that cool with fashion in a long time.

Well, it's been a hard-wired trope in a lot of media for over 200 years at this point. I suppose we're bound to still fall victim to it sometimes. But it remains annoying.

I mean, imagine how cool a mostly colorless, sleek, ultra-modern Capitol would have looked contrasted with districts full of folk art (which has always been a thing, since humans always love art and creativity) that are visually beaten but not totally broken. That still have some joy and individuality to express in the face of oppression- which the Capitol writes off as "tacky" or "childish." Warm woodwork and bricks against cold plexiglass and steel. Old buildings with surviving stained glass, crumbling but still standing, against impersonal skyscrapers. Mended, treasured objects made of natural materials against disposable plastic.

I'd love to see it.