Sex and Fashion (Part One)

Sex. It's what is in all the popular magazines, movies, tv shows and even our books. We see it in fashion ads in the way girls and even guys are posing. The way their makeup is put on. Even the fashions and the way they place the clothes on the model is done in an effort to sell the clothes through marketing their sex appeal. After all, who would not want to be thought of as sexy and attractive?

In the effort to be sexy and attractive, womens' fashions have drastically changed throughout the years. There is a scene in the movie The Time Machine (2002), based on the book by H.G. Wells, where the hero first begins traveling into the future. The basic things happen first, a spider builds its web extremely fast, spring comes and flowers bloom and grow like crazy. At one point in the scene, he sees a clothing shop across the street from where he is traveling. In the window, we can see the time period based on the clothing choices presented in the windows. And watching the length of the skirts is a perfect example of the ways in which opening up about sex changed womens' clothing choices.

Now, I don't believe we should all be wearing victorian styled outfits. I do, however, feel that all too often things are made shorter or to show much more than is needed. What fashion designers are really doing today is objectifying women. And we are allowing it! Now I am perfectly comfortable with a woman showing a little cleavage, or even wearing a pair of shorts (yes this contradicts my research discussed in "To Skirt or Not To Skirt"). Yet, I find it difficult to find clothes that I feel cover enough of my body in todays fashion stores. I even go into department stores and find my options are usually to dress like someone much older than my 23 years, or to show off every bit of skin on my body by wearing tops that just barely cover my breasts, and shorts that definitely do not cover my entire gludius.

Now for our objectification of women.