Breaking Free From the Male Gaze: Harley Quinn

 Harley Quinn as a character has fascinated me endlessly ever since I watched the film, Birds of Prey later falling into an endless cycle of information about her. Her crackhead energy, witty one-liners are something I live for.

However, you might be thinking is this merely a post simping for the one, true Harley Quinn? And to that I say, develop some patience. Today, I will be analyzing how the Male Gaze transformed and affected Harley's character through her wardrobe choices and how they have changed.

Firstly, let me define what the Male Gaze is: 'In feminist theory, the male gaze is the act of depicting women and the world, in the visual arts and in literature, from a masculine, heterosexual perspective that presents and represents women as sexual objects for the pleasure of the heterosexual male viewer'.  

I apologize for bringing up painful trauma for some, but remember Suicide Squad 2016? Yes, I don't either but I have scrolled through Instagram enough that Harley's outfit is burned in the crevices of my mind. You know the one I'm talking about! This is a pattern repeated throughout the movie, Harley clad in skimpy, skin-tight, restrictive clothing with those signature pigtails pulled tight on both sides of the skull.

Here we see Harley as an object, as the 'Property of the Joker', she is cast in a sexy light with close-ups of her ehem womanly attributes. There she is a sex-symbol, an eye-candy for the male viewers with little substance of her own other than being the crazy girlfriend of the Joker. This is reflected in the following wardrobe choices throughout the film.

All tight, sleek, pulled-back and figure hugging. It looks more garish and costume-y than proper clothes, making me uncomfortable. How did Margot Robbie even walk in these outfits? Dedication! 

Next we move on to Birds of Prey, a stand-alone Harley Quinn movie, depicting the 'emancipation of one, true Harley Quinn'. Here we see a shift in her wardrobe, it is now kitschy, kooky, comfortable ans just too-Harley. It features bright, bold patterns, colours, sequins, graffiti. It's a woman who is learning to dress for herself, who is having fun with her wardrobe, who is experimenting! She's having fun! Here we see the loss of Joker's influence on her, she is no longer trapped by the male gaze(also the movie was directed by Miss Cathy Yan, a female director who did not want her to be sexulaized) . Of course, no breakup can be complete without a transformation as we see her cutting her hair! The scenes are all well-lit showcasing her outfits perfectly, with scenes of her smirking at the camera in a picturesque way. It's truly delightful to see harley in her element, just existing and having fun. 

We can clearly see how harley loves to play around with unconventional pieces of clothing and is attracted to jewel tones and sparkles, all showcasing her bold and impulsive personality showing how she is unafraid of expressing herself. Even though the bold colors and seqiunns  were present is the previous movie, the biggest change is in the silhouette that makes all the difference! Another addition is te star motifs littered throughout her outfits, signifying her oneness she's gone solo and risen up no longer needing the Joker's support! 

In Suicide Squad 2021 we can give direct parallels to the abomination of 2016. It is in a way a redemption arc for the previous film, directed by James Gunn but most importantly we can see the difference in Harley's look. Her outfits seem darker, more muted, reflecting the slightly gory nature of the film. 

Another thing to consider is that the outfits she wears are likely ones she has modified to fit her purpose, such as the red ballgown, tattered for better mobility and the red and black leather, modified with graffiti at the back and the bejeweled belt containing her initials. She is working with what she has, staying true to her preferences with the modified items se can get. The outfits are still bold and eye-catching, albeit being toned down compared to te others, having a layer of sombreness and toughness to them(all according to Harley's standards of course).

In this movie, Harley was treated as a person, an insane one but a person rather than a sex symbol for people to salivate over. 

I hope you enjoyed this article. 

Peace out, 

Rikona.