North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has garnered global attention by recently issuing a ban on North Korean women wearing red lipstick.
This directive, announced last week, has sparked a discussion as Kim considers red lips a characteristic of capitalist countries despite the colour red being traditionally associated with communism.
This move follows a previous ban on the use of makeup, with Kim attributing this restriction to the symbolic influence of the West.
As a result, women in North Korea are now only permitted to wear minimal makeup, reflecting Kim’s efforts to limit Western cultural impact in the country.
No tight-fitting pants any more
The North Korean government’s control over personal appearance and fashion choices is stringent. The ban on red lipstick, makeup, tight-fitting blouses, blue denim pants, body piercings, and earrings, along with the requirement to adhere to government-approved hairstyles, leaves little room for individual expression.
Even styles associated with Kim Jong Un, such as specific black coats and hairstyles, are off-limits to ordinary citizens. These strict regulations underscore the government’s efforts to maintain control and limit Western influence.
Punishable offence
Violating the laws imposed by Kim Jong-un is not taken lightly. A special unit of the country’s police, known as the ‘fashion police’, is tasked with monitoring compliance with these laws.
They are particularly concerned about the attire of the general public, and severe penalties are in place for anyone who fails to adhere to the approved dress code.
This strict enforcement underscores the seriousness of the ban on red lipstick in North Korea.
It is said that people who break the law will be taken to the country’s borders. There, they have to face many hardships. It was a punishment for their crime.
They may also have to pay a fine. Convicted persons are also prevented from appearing in society. It is also stated that if they wear clothes in defiance of the order, they will be cut off immediately, so they can no longer wear them.
A person who wears clothing without regard to fashion rules may even be sentenced to life imprisonment. Apart from that, the guilty have to submit to punishments such as torture, dismissal and employment.
Mesopotamia around 3500
Despite its ban in North Korea, the use of red lipstick is an ancient art, with a history dating back at least five thousand years.
Archaeological evidence suggests that Queen Puabi also called Shubad or Shudi-Ad who lived in ancient Mesopotamia around 3500 BC, used a mixture of white lead and crushed red rock as lipstick, symbolising her power and status. This rich historical context underscores the cultural significance of red lipstick.
Excavations have revealed that many wealthy Sumerians used lip colour stored in chicken shells. The nobles who lived in ancient Egypt preferred to wear dark red on their lips.
Archaeologists pointed out that they used a mixture of red chiral and resin. Research has revealed that Queen Cleopatra also liked to colour her lips very dark red.
Red lipsticks symbolised
In historical contexts, red lipstick held significant symbolism. In ancient Greece, women involved in sex work were known to wear red lipstick made from unconventional ingredients such as mulberry, seaweed, sheep sweat, and even crocodile excrement.
Researcher Sara E. highlighted that failure to wear this lipstick in public was considered improper and resulted in punishment for women in this profession.
This practice was further supported by a study conducted by Shaffer. Moreover, during the Middle Ages, Christian women in Western Europe viewed red lipstick as contradictory to the values of modesty and natural beauty emphasised by their faith.
During the reign of King James I of England (1603-1625), cosmetics were considered to have a shadow of witchcraft. It is said that around 1770, it was seen in western society that women wore cosmetics and dressed beautifully to deceive men into marriage.
The members of that society did not hesitate to introduce such women as witches. Red lipstick was used in women’s rights battles in the 1920s to win women the right to vote.
Therefore, red lipstick was known as a revolutionary makeup at that time. Revolutionaries like Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Charlotte Parkins Gilman and Emeline Pankhurst carried their revolution by adding red lipstick. It is mentioned in history.
Red lipstick was used in revolutionary activities until the Second World War. Red lipstick was used with patriotic femininity during World War II, with slogans such as “Fight Red” and “Victory Red”. With such a long history of red lipsticks, one cannot help but wonder what North Korea’s Kim Un is doing.
