I think femininity is returning in a way that we haven’t seen in years and years. Weekly I find at least one more example of women embracing their dignity as a woman and the things that make women and men different. This past week, one of the more read and emailed articles in the New York Times was one entitled, ‘This Old Thing? Actually, It’s New.’

The article reported the increasing popularity of vintage-inspired dresses, reminiscent of women from the 1940s and 1950s. Now more than the previous generation, women have taken to cinched waists, shapely dresses, pencil skirts and tucked-in blouses. And while buying some old dress from a thrift store can be a great option, many women are forgoing the actual vintage items with their musty smells and subtle stains for modern creations with an old-school feel.

This is not just a product of the popular TV show Mad Men. It’s a turn-around in the way we women see the clothes we purchase and wear. I see the move to feminine items even among my friends. When going out, when nice jeans and a dressy top used to suffice, many more of us are now shifting our focus on the dresses hanging in our closets. It’s amazing what a simple dress and a pair of heels can do to your overall feeling of worth, self-confidence and dignity.

To me, one of the most interesting parts about the article was a comment one of the vintage-wearing women made about how differently she is perceived when she takes the time to dress up. She said, “Men treat me differently when I wear vintage or something that looks vintage,” she said. “I’ve noticed that they open doors and even apologize when they swear, which is so not the case when I’m wearing regular clothes like pants and a sweater.”

Amen to that! We women send messages about how we want to be seen and treated by what we wear and how we carry ourselves. If only more women were interested in dressing in a way that inspired men to rediscover that knight in shining armor hidden deep inside.