Brigitte Bardot, the barefoot icon
Brigitte Bardot was a famous French actress and an international sex symbol in the 1950s and 1960s. The film “And God Created Woman” (original title: “Et Dieu… créa la femme”), in which she dances with bare feet, was released in 1956 and helped make her an icon of a new breed of women. There are several reasons why Brigitte Bardot and her bare-foot performance in the film became a cultural icon:
- Sexual freedom and independence: in “And God Created Woman” Brigitte Bardot embodies the character of Juliette, a young woman with a free spirit who lives out her sexual freedom and independence. Her display of bare feet while dancing is often considered a symbol of her informality and rebellion against the conventional norms of the time.
- Natural sensuality: Brigitte Bardot was often praised for her natural beauty and sensuality. The depiction of bare feet in the film emphasizes her sensual nature and close connection with nature, which was considered refreshing and liberating.
- Style and fashion: Brigitte Bardot was known for her individual style and fashion sense. Appearing in the film with bare feet was an unconventional fashion statement and was seen by many as bold and avant-garde, contributing to her iconic status.
- Feminist awakening: the period in which Brigitte Bardot became an icon was marked by social change, especially in relation to the role of women. In a way, Bardot embodied the spirit of the time, when women were increasingly striving for freedom, self-determination, and independence. Her depiction of bare feet in the film was seen as an expression of this new attitude toward gender roles and social norms.
Overall, Brigitte Bardot’s depiction with bare feet in the film “And God Created Woman” helped to make her an icon of a new kind of woman who stood for sexual freedom, naturalness, style, and independence, and thus heralded the feminist awakening in pop culture.
