Question

Imagine a population imprisoned by their very clothing; the stiff corsets, heavy skirts, and voluminous petticoats that made it difficult to take a deep breath, let alone exercise. Add to that the laws and social conventions that cemented a man's place as head of the household and holder of the purse strings. How suffocated women must have felt.

—Introduction to Wheels of Change,
Sue Macy

According to this passage from the introduction, what does Sue Macy believe about women in the late 1800s?

She believes that women must have loved to express themselves with the fashion of the era.
She believes that women wanted to exercise but lacked proper clothing at that time.
She believes that women must have felt trapped by clothes and social conventions.

Answer 1

She believes that women must have felt trapped by clothes and social conventions.

The passage calls clothing “imprison[ing]” and cites restrictive laws and social roles, concluding “How suffocated women must have felt,” which supports that interpretation.