WHY DOES
GINGER SPICE
WEAR WHITE?
An exploration of the Spice Girls’ school of feminism and the politics of Geri Halliwell-Horner’s colourless wardrobe.
But actually …
why does Geri Halliwell-Horner always wear white?
It’s a topic of great lore and ceaseless conversation among the Spice Girls fandom. It permeates beyond the confines of girl group gossip circles and has been a talking point during the promotional campaign for Geri’s young adult, New York Times Bestseller, Rosie Frost and the Falcon Queen.
The novel is a testimony to the core principles of girl power; a harrowing story of a gutsy, flame-haired teen who courageously seeks justice and equity at the magical Heverbridge School.
In the book, the protagonist, Rosie, employs the four Falcon Rules: have courage, stand united, never give up/be the light, and to thine own self be true – a Shakespearean reference from Hamlet used to mean not agonizing about pleasing other people, or living by someone else’s rules or standards, but rather living as your authentic self, without compromise.
The Falcon Rules are employed by the intrepid main character to fight against systemic barriers that are keeping her from knowledge and truth. Facing bullying by peers, having a socio-economic upbringing different than her classmates, and taking on a corrupt, anti-environmentalist antagonist, Rosie stealthily navigates a world that seems biased and unjust. This coming-of-age story is an unambiguous nod to Halliwell-Horner’s particular brand of “girl power.”
Curiously sandwiched between the action and adventure that Geri describes as “Mean Girls meets Jurassic Park,” there are subtle (but significant) nods to the early suffragette movement.
Considering Halliwell-Horner was the evangelist of girl power in the 90s, it seems only customary for Geri to cultivate references to real-life leaders of women’s enfranchisement in her new book. However, specific references to suffrage could provide a plausible explanation for why Geri has been consistently wearing a monochromatic palette of alabaster and cream for so many years.
Before leaning fully into my, admittedly, guilty predilection for easter eggs and unexplained mysteries, I must concede that Mrs. Halliwell-Horner has never elaborated with great detail the reasoning behind her magnetism for white apparel. Her explanations are acutely simple. She has stated that wearing white “makes things simple” and that "it's like wearing a school uniform as an adult [...] It matches everything."
While Geri’s motives seem perfectly comprehensible, anyone who has worn white knows that her reasoning is unequivocally bizarre considering one becomes a walking target for pesky stains and prey to post-Labour Day commentary.
I balk at the thought of being deemed a conspiracy theorist — or worse, a crazed stan blinded by adolescent nostalgia and lacking any semblance of objectivity – but Geri’s cavalier and uncomplicated remarks present a bizarre sort of oxymoron: wearing white is, quite simply, not easy…at all.
Anyone with a smidge of familiarity with Geri’s public declarations knows that they can be bombastic and mercilessly polarizing.
At the height of the Spice Girl phenomenon, Ginger proudly declared that “Margaret Thatcher was the first Spice Girl, the pioneer of our ideology – Girl Power,” which had progressives and anti-neoliberals in an absolute tizzy – and, rightfully so. Thatcherism had incredible social costs for the people of Britain and free market policies increased poverty exponentially across the isle.
In a 2013 blog post on her official website, Geri apologized for deleting a tweet that publicly recognized the death of Margaret Thatcher. In her initial social media post, she said that the former Prime Minister (PM) was “a grocer’s daughter who taught me anything is possible.” After considerable online criticism and subsequently removing the blog, Geri wrote “Given the adverse reaction, did I even really know enough about Margaret Thatcher?” She continued, “I do admire a woman, whether she is right or wrong, regardless of her opinions,” which offers insight into the intimacy of Geri’s relationship with politics.
The prevalent notion that Ginger Spice is a blazing, bright blue Tory doesn’t get any help when we see glimpses of the inside of her vast Oxfordshire estate on social media or when she’s photographed celebrating a Lionesses football match win with former Conservative Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport AND anti-gay marriage MP, Nadine Dorries.
However (now I beg you to stay with me), I sincerely, whole-heartedly do not believe Geri’s seemingly political statements or gestures are actually that partisan.
Throughout Geri’s nearly 30-year career, she has often been maligned for perceived conservatism. Admittedly, her penchant for traditional English pastimes, union jack mini dresses, pride for the British monarchy (or King Charles’s bum), and impressive net worth are hardly the underpinnings of progressive values. Though, they do not signal right-wing support many critics would claim. It also doesn’t mean that she no longer has a grasp on the feminism she once espoused so readily. I reckon the contrary may be true.
In her photo journal and second book, Just for the Record, Geri seemed all too aware of right-wing radicalism. During late 1999 and early 2000, Halliwell-Horner received multiple death threats from notorious nail bomber and British National Party (BNP) supporter, David Copeland. The threats were investigated by the London Metropolitan Police and Scotland Yard. Her close friendship with George Michael and her avid support for the LGBTQ community was cited as Copeland’s motive.
“The threat seemed to be linked to my relationship with George and my support for gay rights,” detailed Geri. “The murder of Jill Dando had made it impossible for celebrities to laugh off these sorts of threats and the gay angle fitted in with the new homophobic focus of right-wing groups.”
I acknowledge that it is plausible that there could be cognitive dissonance, but I refuse to assume Geri’s political allegiance – or anyone’s for that matter.
Halliwell-Horner’s career stands in opposition to any of the dog whistles and rhetoric espoused by Nadie Dorries, the Conservative Party under Boris Johnson, or any of their partisan associations.
Whether she’s debuting her latest record in the sweaty grime of Soho’s G-A-Y (once arriving at the club on horseback – the camp tactic simply ate), covering the Weather Girls’ 1983 cult-classic It’s Raining Men (she supported the gender-inclusive rewriting of the lyrics by trans artist Mila Jam), or the decidedly intersectional 2019 Spiceworld Spice Girls stadium tour in which the group’s tour mantra was that they welcome “all ages, all races, all gender identities, all countries of origin, all sexual orientations, all religions & beliefs, and all abilities,” there is an exceptionally crystalline message of egalitarianism.
Her activist leanings aren’t always blatant and are typically delivered with a wink. Don’t think I missed noticing amongst the guests at the London book launch for Rosie Frost was none other than trans icon and activist Dylan Mulvaney. Whether intentional or not, it’s a stark contrast to the author of another young adult series. Of course, I’ll let you be the judge of the optics of her party invitees.
The standards for women in pop culture are incredibly daunting and double standards still prevail. There’s a bevy of male celebrities – some amongst her boy band contemporaries – who have blatantly endorsed right-wing conservatives and QAnon conspiracy theories with far less ridicule and rigorous gossip. Plus, we live in an ever-connected age where photographs and clickbait headlines can be shared readily on social media without valuable context. But, that’s another article for another time.
Eyebrows be perked and cynics be alarmed, but the critiques of Geri Halliwell-Horner’s political statements and public affiliations are not lost on me as both a dedicated Spice Girl disciple and as a graduate of a political science post-secondary degree who falls far left on the political spectrum. I’ll be completely honest, as a Spice Girl, Geri’s declarations about girl power never seemed to be rooted in the teachings of Simone de Beauvoir, Audre Lorde, or Gloria Steinem – and I don’t mean that as flippant denigration.
“It’s like feminism from the 60s revitalized for the 90s, but this time around you can wear your wonder bra, as much makeup as you like, but still have intelligence and … balls!” declared Ginger Spice in a 1996 interview with the Associated Press (AP).
The girl group’s brand of third-wave feminism was somewhat superficial and simplistic: they were doing it for the girls and encouraged their largely female fanbase to seek equity, regardless of who they were, what they wore, or what they looked like. They were postmodern, lipstick feminism for the masses and unapologetically depicted female sexual autonomy in a modern context.
Girl power lifted from the early 90s Riot Grrrl subculture and formulated a strikingly capitalist, but incredibly comprehensible, notion of empowerment for young women.
They were in an industry dominated by boybands and failed to escape labels of being manufactured, that they couldn’t sing, couldn’t dance, and were basically sell outs with little integrity. “A [male] sports team never gets questioned when they get loads of sponsorships after becoming successful and it should be the same with us,” Geri cleverly pointed out in a 1997 ITV interview.
Being women in pop music didn’t demand the nuance of The Second Sex, nor did it need to.
As the defacto spokesperson for the Spice Girls, Ginger was the loudest of the bunch to challenge the societal norms that allowed for double standards to flourish. This bravado also meant that Geri, possibly naively, provided bold declarations about an assortment of political figures – Nelson Mandela, Bill Clinton, Prince Charles, and Winston Churchill – to name just a few. Though, these declarations were never substantive statements on domestic policy or on foreign relations, but rather about the symbol of people in positions of power.
Geri famously professed that Elizabeth May “has girl power.” Yes, Josephine Butler probably stirred in her grave at the revelation. BUT, could it be that this was more about May being the first woman to be Prime Minister than about her legislation record or her party’s stance on public issues? Possibly. We don’t know if she would have said the same thing if it were a female Labour PM in power because, astonishingly, the United Kingdom hasn’t elected one – yet.
Personally, I’ve always graciously presumed Geri’s statements regarding British Prime Ministers were about the representation of women in positions of power, rather than her christening any political party’s decrees. Her lens is seemingly just about women, rather than all of the intersections that can bleed into how public figures act in legislative spaces. From her discussions about maternal healthcare with US Democrat Congressmen during her time as Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to her recent work with Homewards, a new initiative to combat homelessness for women and children, her advocacy has never wavered from doing it strictly for the girls, regardless of parliamentary affiliation.
As much as I deify Ginger Spice and felt secretly inspired by her as a closeted gay boy, I delicately (but fervently) doubt Geri Halliwell-Horner is an international or domestic policy wonk. And, she doesn’t need to be.
She has the agency to decide how she participates in politics, particularly as a celebrity that has been viciously scrutinized throughout her career for far more elementary matters. She’s faced ridicule over her weight, who she’s dated, the notes she can hit in a pop song, and continually examined on how well she adheres to the pillars of feminism. Criticisms that are levied astonishingly far less at her male celebrity counterparts. It’s no wonder she has remained decidedly private about her actions inside the voting booth. An easy target yes, but a fool she is not.
Likely a stunning revelation to some nescient pundits, the closest Geri has come to making a grand political proclamation was when she endorsed the Labour Party and incumbent PM Tony Blair in his successful 2001 electoral campaign.
I’d also be remiss to point out that if you searched Geri’s official Instagram her follows point towards a lot of progressive organizations and women in positions of power, such as US Vice President Kamala Harris, Dr. Jill Biden, Malala Yousafzai, and a staggering amount of animal conservation societies. Of course, we can only gather limited information from social media followings that can be curated by a savvy publicist.
What we do know about Halliwell-Horner’s personal politics is that she has shown involvement in women’s literacy, homelessness initiatives, reproductive rights campaigns, breast cancer advocacy (with Cherie Blair, mind you), is pro-choice, is a proponent of the World Wildlife Fund, supports women in nursing via the West Hertfordshire Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, loudly championed LGBTQ acceptance since the 90s, is pro-trans (ahem word to J.K Rowling), believes we need to “start looking at gender in a more fluid way,” and a major theme of her debut young adult novel is about the challenges of climate change.
Forgive me, but I don’t know if I would necessarily classify her as a boots-the-house-down, brazen blue Tory.
The optics of her public encounters, monarchist leanings, and talk show fodder sometimes read like a publicist's worst nightmare. But, I do not believe there is enough evidence to substantiate an informed conclusion of where on the political spectrum Geri resides. What we do know is that her position is decidedly focused on women’s empowerment and a simple venture in her most recent authorship corroborates that stance.
Page-turning my way through Bloodstone Island and the world of Rosie Frost, I am cognizant of how many real-life female historical figures Geri has weaved through every chapter. The plethora of notable women Geri so casually name-drops is nearly excessive.
The public figures mentioned in Halliwell-Horner’s novel defied the expectations of their time and quietly protested social systems through talent and ability.
From her absolute fixation with Anne Boleyn and Elizabeth I to the paintings that adorn the walls of the Falcon Queen Gallery: Charlotte Bronte, Mary Seacole, Ada Lovelace, Amy Johnson, and Charlotte Cooper, these women collectively represent the original champions of girl power in a patriarchal world.
In the Falcon Gallery, Rosie is also introduced to the likeness of Emmeline Pankhurst, who famously organized the UK suffragette movement and helped British women win the right to vote. It is this specific nod (amongst other mentions of suffragettes in the book) that brings me back to one of the Spice Girl fandom’s most impassioned pastimes: why Geri Halliwell-Horner refuses to outfit herself with any semblance of colour.
During the early 20th century, many suffragettes used visual spectacle as a form of protest and to elicit a reaction to their covert messaging.
This enabled their mass gatherings to garner the attention of the press and the wider public, without the sensationalism that would result if they called for the systemic dismantling of the patriarchy or dared to burn their brassieres.
‘Suffragette white’ was first donned en masse in June 1908 for Women's Sunday, the first large-scale meeting in London’s Hyde Park where 30,000 participants were encouraged to wear white and accessorized with subtle splashes of purple. White fabric was relatively affordable, which meant women of different socio-economic backgrounds could participate. The colour’s association with purity also helped those involved present themselves as respectable, dignified women.
Wearing white was also adopted by women who sought the vote in the United States. The symbolism of white as a silent sign of solidarity among women still exists today. During President Trump's first State of the Union address in 2020, Nancy Pelosi and fellow Democratic Congresswomen dressed in white to use their physical being, rather than their words, to communicate their position on the allegations of sexual misconduct and misogyny coming from the sitting President.
From the Ladies in White, the wives of jailed dissidents who challenged the government of Cuba, to the white-adorned women and children of Brooklyn who participated in the Silent Protest Parade to show solidarity in the face of racial discrimination during the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement in 2020, the connection between the colour white and silent, peaceful protest is storied and spans across borders.
Geri's wardrobe significantly lightened in early 2019, when her attire began to have a consistent palette of snow white and porcelain cream. An about-face completely at odds with the brashness of Ginger Spice.
The timing of her garment overhaul strikingly coincided with the #MeToo movement, which saw an awareness campaign against sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and rape culture, particularly in the realm of the workplace. It also marked 100 years since suffrage in the United Kingdom (1918) and the United States (1919).
Geri has been careful to jump into #metoo discourse, but it is evident that she aligns and supports the movement. In 2019, Halliwell-Horner delicately alluded to her support on ITV’s Lorraine by saying “(#MeToo) was really dark, but it had to happen and then we can move into the light.”
More recently, on a book tour through the United States, Geri related one of the main Falcon Queens in Rosie Frost to the feminist movement. "I was advised by an agent, 'Don't touch Anne Boleyn because she's not popular,'" she said. "The more I researched her, I thought, 'You know what? I think this woman had a bit of a raw deal.' If we put her in modern times, she'd probably join the #MeToo movement. The poor woman got executed by her husband, and she had to leave a little girl behind. That's horrendous."
While Geri doesn't explicitly go into detail, she has consistently implied commendation and support for women to express their lived experiences in regard to the #MeToo movement.
Possible alignment with the watershed #MeToo movement alone offers little proof of Geri’s preference for lighter shades of attire, but her brawny historical knowledge and interest in British suffrage is more illuminating.
In 2016, Geri and her daughter Bluebell attended the London premiere of Sarah Gavron's film, Suffragette, starring Meryl Streep, Helena Bonham Carter, and Carey Mulligan. The film details the story of a working-class wife and mother, Maud Watts, who is empowered by political activist Emmeline Pankhurst, and her gang of vote-eager women who fight for equality.
The movie had a profound effect on Geri, which she discussed in the pages of You magazine for International Women’s Day the same year. Writer Liz Hogard detailed how Geri proudly told her how, then nine-year-old daughter Bluebell had written a school play about the suffragettes. "‘It’s amazing. We went to see the movie Suffragette and she was so interested. She wrote a script but then ironically her male teacher said, 'Sorry, we can’t do it this term,' and she was gutted," Geri revealed. "'So I said, “Now you know how the suffragettes felt,”’ Geri chuckles. ‘But they did the play this term. Bluebell played Emmeline Pankhurst.’" Given this insight into how well-versed in the issue Geri must be, it would be nearly impossible for her not to know the symbolism of white clothing during suffrage or even in a more modern context.
As I gleefully finished the novel, I noticed Rosie Frost and the Falcon Queen uses many of the symbols and motifs employed during suffrage.
Many American feminists, for example, the National Woman's Party, adopted purple, white, and gold combinations as official colours. Each colour had its own meaning. Purple meant loyalty, and gold was “the colour of light and life...the torch that guides our purpose, pure and unswerving.” Further, rose pins were used to indicate support for the movement.
After all, there is a reason for International Women’s Day to be branded purple.
Even the book and film The Colour Purple is named so because Shug Avery asks Celie if she takes the time to notice what little things God does to show us that it loves us—a different way of reminding Celie to stop and smell the roses. Celie also longs to wear purple, a colour she associates with royalty and with vibrant women such as Shug. It is the colour she believes God may have created in order to receive love.
While seemingly for younger audiences, I have an aching suspicion that the depth of background research for Halliwell-Horner’s novel was substantial and well-threaded throughout the storyline – in many subtle, clandestine ways. One look at the cover of Halliwell-Horner’s novel and you can presume exactly where my mind wandered to. The ginger hair, the purple, the roses…it’s all there.
Furthermore, a major tenet of protest during suffrage was one of silence.
It can be an incredibly effective tool in challenging the status quo of oppressive systems. In the summer of 1917 an estimated 10,000 Black citizens marched down Fifth Avenue in New York City to wordlessly protest racial violence and discrimination – all clad in white clothing. Silent protests wearing white were a common sight during the early years of suffrage.
Protest doesn’t have to be spoken from the lips, but sometimes worn on the hips.
In Halliwell-Horner's book, Rosie Frost is characterized by her mental tenacity while navigating life as an outsider at Heverbridge School. She is often called a “sponger” by other pupils since she didn’t have the inherited wealth to afford the costs of such a reputable institution.
Amidst the relentless bullying, Rosie continually reminds the reader of one of her mother’s central life principles:
“If in doubt, say nothing.
Silence is your shield.”
This mantra is repeated by Rosie from the beginning of the novel until the very end. She must continually endure the taunting but has faith that her intellect and abilities will ultimately prove worthy of respect. This struck me as a considerable parallel to the ‘silent sentinels’ of suffrage. Even in a broader context, it represents the ability of women to fight in a multitude of ways to spark change.
Adorned with demure garb these days, Geri hasn’t lost her sense of girl power. It has simply evolved, is far more clever, and has taken on a new medium.
Almost three decades after five young women from various corners of England came bursting onto the scene, Geri has to all appearances become sheepish about offering political opinions interviews. When asked to comment on current events or political movements, especially those concerning women, Halliwell-Horner is notably diplomatic, measured, and universal in her responses.
Though, Geri’s choice of attire is noticeably deliberate and insists we pay attention. Maybe silence has become her shield, but her white apparel tells us everything we may need to know.
Just this year, The Sunday Times magazine asked Geri if she was angry about the scrutiny and maltreatment levied against her early in her career. Appropriately sticking to the talking points of her novel promotional tour, she said, "If you look at [Anne Boleyn’s] life, it's not that dissimilar to what happens now in the press.” With a glimpse of Ginger Spice's enthusiasm, she continued, “That woman was vilified, lied about and slut-shamed by misogynist pigs. It's been happening for centuries, No. I don't take it personally.”
Writer Dolly Alderton points out there is a particular resistance to any assumptions that she was a victim. Amongst Gen X’ers there is a propensity for women to “never complain and never explain.” Possibly an assumed “armour to survive half a lifetime in the public eye.” As someone who has endured the intense misogyny wielded against celebrity women, it is no wonder that she is much more reserved and seemingly acquiescent.
We’ve seen countless stars break under the pressures of the limelight, but The Sunday Times interview offers a clue into how Geri is able to compartmentalize the pitfalls of fame.
With a cackle, Halliwell-Horner said, “Resentment is drinking poison and expecting someone else to die.” She adds, “It's all copy. I use it in art."
In Rosie Frost and the Falcon Queen, Geri’s feminist voice is still strikingly evident. By her own admission, Halliwell-Horner confesses that in her writing she “hides vegetables in chocolate.” Perhaps, Rosie is an intended parable on girl power.
Since Halliwell-Horner has always had to deal with folks discrediting her it’s no wonder that she’s far more elusive with her proclamations of girl power. She’s no longer the talking billboard for female solidarity, but now tells fictitious tales of tenacious, ginger-haired girls who quietly crusade to be taken seriously.
Gone are the Vivienne Westwood platforms, showgirl outfits, and valiant rally cries for female empowerment. Instead, she’s using pen and paper to create a new hero through Rosie Frost. Ginger Spice may have hung up the Union Jack minidress, but she undoubtedly still wears ‘girl power’ on her sleeve.
