Symbols of Independence: Dressing for Dissent
Freedom doesn’t always wave a flag.
Sometimes, it wears chains turned into brooches.
Sometimes, it wears stars carved in silver, arrows stamped on prison skirts, or snakes coiled in defiance.
This July 4th, we’re not dressing to blend in—we’re dressing to resist.
We're not celebrating performative patriotism, but personal sovereignty. At Phoenix Silver, our talismans speak with centuries of meaning behind them.
🔗 THE ARROW: WORN IN PRISON, RAISED IN POWER
In Edwardian Britain, the broad arrow marked government property—including the shapeless gray uniforms of women jailed for demanding the right to vote.
But imprisoned suffragettes turned the insult into iconography.
They adopted the broad arrow as a badge of honor—worn with pride on the Holloway Brooch, designed by Sylvia Pankhurst. (above)
To be imprisoned was no longer shameful. It meant you were willing to risk everything for dignity, voice, and freedom.
British Suffrage arrow brooch with ruby, emerald, diamond, and pearl
British Suffrage Arrow Brooch with paste stones British diamond, pearl arrow suffrage brooch
In that context, our arrows—broad and fletched—don’t just point forward. They recall sacrifice. Resistance. Legacy.
⭐️ STARS: SYMBOLS OF IDENTITY, NOT IDEOLOGY
The five-pointed star is everywhere—from military patches to celebratory decor. But its history is older than that.
For centuries, the star has represented individual power, cosmic order, and the ability to navigate through darkness.
On flags, it claims nationhood. On skin and silver, it claims selfhood.
American medallion with gold/purple/white colors. American 19th Amendment Centennial Pin
Antique pearl star pendant brooch, 9k yellow gold
Antique British suffrage diamond star and triple moon brooch
At Phoenix Silver, some of our stars are hand cut and a little wonky, some are crosshatched, imperfect, and proudly worn.
Because we believe your personal revolution deserves a constellation.
And yes—many suffragette banners were stitched with stars, guiding women toward a freer future. Shop Independence Jewelry
🐍 THE SNAKE: NOT A THREAT, BUT A THRESHOLD
Long before it was demonized, the snake symbolized rebirth, medicine, and female knowledge.
The Gadsden flag of early America said, “Don’t tread on me,”—the snake as resistance.
Tadema Gallery Suffrage serpent brooch with pearl and peridot A la Vielle Russie Victorian American snake brooch
But deeper still, women have long known what it means to shed a skin, slither through fear, and strike when pushed too far.
That’s what our snake pieces honor: transformation with teeth.
🗽 LADY LIBERTY: THE SYMBOL THEY FORGET TO LOOK AT
Crowned in a radiant star halo. Draped in robes. One hand raised with a torch, the other bearing law.
Antique gold Lady Liberty statue Antique Campaign pendant
Lady Liberty was never a symbol of ease. She is the embodiment of active welcome—of illumination, justice, and the invitation to rise.
But her image and promise have been stripped of meaning. Overlooked. Forgotten.
We bring her back—not as a statue, but as a coin you wear over your heart, or dangling from your ears. Because freedom isn’t something you visit on a ferry. It’s something you live—especially when the world tells you not to. Shop Independence Jewelry
This Independence Day, we're dressing like freedom means something to us.
Wear the arrow for the women who were shackled so we could walk.
Wear the star because your voice deserves to shine.
Wear the snake because rebirth is a sacred ritual.
Wear Lady Liberty because you know the torchfire is still burning.
This isn’t jewelry for decoration. It’s for declaration.
For dissent. For memory. For women who refuse to be ornamental.
Symbols of Independence isn’t a seasonal release. It’s a call to remember—and to rise up.
Leave a comment on the article or your holiday plans below and Shop Independence Jewelry.