A
male
age
30-35,
anonymous
writes:Hey all, I have questions about women's fashion. This will probably make more sense to folks from the eastern part of the world. I'm sorry if this hurts sentiments but this is something I really do not understand. My city has changed a lot in the past 20 years and among all the developments the most noticeable are the changes in culture and fashion. I couldn't help but notice that men's fashion has pretty much been the same growing up. A shirt,a pair of trousers , some shoes and you're good to go and not much skin is exposed. However with women, specifically party wear, the dresses keep getting shorter exposing much of their legs and their tops too expose cleavage. Ofcourse a woman can wear whatever she wants too... But why is that their clothes designed this way, sexualizing their bodies? I'll be honest here, sometimes,as a guy, it's really hard not to look (sometimes stare)at them lustfully when they're dressed this way. Is that the reason? To get male attention?For me, I really enjoy talking to people and getting to know them but it gets a whole lot harder when it's a woman and they're dressed this way. Let me reiterate I'm not against women dressing however they want to... I'm just wondering what purpose it serves to have so much of skin exosed?Is it that the female form is considered beautiful? And why hasn't men's fashion developed along similar lines? Reply to this Question
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Fancy yourself as an agony aunt? Add your answer to this question! A
male
reader, anonymous, writes (10 May 2017): Thanks everyone for taking the time to answer. It's much appreciated. However I do feel like I ruffled a few feathers with this question. I apologise if it offended any of you. I understand how it can be a touchy issue.
A
female
reader, chigirl  +, writes (8 May 2017):
 Womens fashion has always been about what men want. Until only recently, you see more womens fashion in clothes that women themselves have designed and want. All from "traditonal clothing" to 1980's style and 1990's style is mostly about what men want. Even todays style is a lot about male ideals of the female body. But take a look at classic female clothing changes that happened around the era of feminism and that still continue today: loosely fitted shirts for women as well as PANTS. Women don't dress in miniature skirts and tightly fitted dresses purely for their own sake. When women dress to be comfortable, they wear sports wear that is loosely fitted and comfortable, or jeans and t-shirt. Same style as men wear, when men want to be relaxed and comfortable.
But changes in society takes time, and so far the ideal female beauty is still defined by male point of view. Jeans for women are designed to be tighter and closer to the skin. Shirts are the same, designed to be tight fit. This is not what women wear when they want to be comfortable, this is what women wear to be seen as beautiful according to society standards: and yes, to have the attention from men and to be envied by other women. Women are very competitive for male attention, they want to make other women appear less interesting, it's instinctual.
Do be warned though. There is a big difference between wanting attention from males, and wanting to be groped/felt up. No one wants to be assaulted or harassed. But they do want to be admired. Even a woman who dresses with clothes all covered up wants to be admired, and she chooses something pretty with nice decorations or colours, because she wants to be admired and wear a colour that suits her skin or brings out her eyes.
If women didn't want to be admired, or didn't care about their appearance, and if there was full gender equality, women who did not seek admiration from men would probably wear the same as homeless people wear: whatever they have available and not need to buy anything new at all, ever. Men who do not want to be admired would also not care about holes in their pants etc. So even if male fashion has not changed, don't confuse this with men not wanting to be admired. Mens fashion is still mens fashion, even if it has not changed much. You're not wearing garbage bags, after all.
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A
male
reader, Been there Now over it  +, writes (7 May 2017):
Every woman - lets make that everyone - likes to look attractive and get some attention. It not only feels good emotionally but is a form of power.
From a practicality standpoint, it is much more comfortable when the weather warms up. And finally, many if not most people feel much more natural without clothing. After all, humans are the only things on the face of the earth that wear garments.
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A
female
reader, anonymous, writes (7 May 2017): Women often judge their clothing according to the weather or climate so generally go for thinner materials and less copious clothing in the summer rather than the winter.
If clothing offends you why not put your sunglasses on or but special blinkers on your eyes like horses wear!
If a woman wears nothing but a bikini on a busy street you can assume she is going to a swimming pool or beach or about to stand under the garden hose to cool off!
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A
male
reader, anonymous, writes (7 May 2017): The ladies can answer this question better but looking at it from a male perspective certainly a skantily dressed female draws my attention more than a female covered from head to toe so it must be to draw male attention although, also I would add that some ladies do exaggerate in exposing too much flesh which I find comic to say the least.
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A
reader, anonymous, writes (7 May 2017): Fashion is a form of expression, it's chosen for specific occasions, or denotes a particular event. Women adorn themselves to accentuate their beauty; and the underlying reason is to appeal to the male-eye.
Men are visual creatures; and even if the woman is covered from head to toe, knowing it's a woman underneath will still stir his male urges. We can also smell and touch.
You're old-fashioned in your tastes; and for the most part, general-society draws a line as to what is tasteful for a woman and what's not. Usually set by a double-standard. Even wearing shorts or a halter top is frowned-on by prudes and old-schoolers. They hate everything younger people do.
One of the things people tend to do when they are stifled by tradition or oppression is to rebel. They buck society. They go in-your-face! If females have been wrapped or draped in cloth like a mummy, the first thing they want to do is show some skin! Even if it's just to expose their arms and shins! They want to, because men set the standard; and they are forced to comply. Who can blame them?
Women think differently from men; so they'll give you a number of reasons that only makes sense to women. They do know how to get our attention! That comes natural!
Women dress to titillate, to show-off, to seduce, and to stick their tongues out at prudish judgemental-society.
They dress for fun, for sport, and to draw attention to their regal beauty and form. It's not always for slutty intent; or to draw negative-attention from guys who have no respect for women, regardless of what they're wearing.
Yes, there is point when a lady is being less than a lady; and is degrading herself by over-exposing her body. She is showing her desperation for attention, and belittling herself as a female. Unless she is of an indigenous tribe, and that's the norm. It may also be a way to advertise her profession. Sometimes it's useful to climb the coporate ladder. Then she dresses more conservative once she has clawed her way to the top! In that case, it was only a maneuver. Not the preferred way; but if you're swimming with the sharks, you use whatever resources you have to get there. With men, brains aren't always enough.
If all her wardrobe is revealing and provocative; then it comes down to what is nothing more than bad-taste and conceit. They also have a very low opinion of men; and consider us nothing but walking penises. They use their femininity to disarm and manipulate us. They also defy our opinions and prick-tease us. Look, but don't touch! That's their prerogative. If men can boast about their prowess; they can tease and allure to their heart's content.
That doesn't eliminate the fact there's still a calculating brain and cutting wit that knows how to use her assets to get what she wants; because she knows how easily men can be aroused. They have their motives as well as a sense of style.
Lust all you like, but be a gentlemen. They have their opinions about men too! They think we can't control our sexual-urges, we all cheat, we are all porn-addicts, we're commitment-phobic; and yes, size does matter!
It's true, some want more male-attention than she deserves; which is usually the wrong kind. Unfortunately, some people set standards that are too harsh; and will judge any amount of skin revealed makes a female a slut. They prefer women to walk around in a sack revealing nothing but her eyes. How much is too much?!!
The fashion-industry encourages women to take risks. Women also take cues from theater and pop-culture; which everyone seems to mimic. It's sometimes raunchy and daring; which makes it all the more racy and appealing. So ladies sometimes want to get the same kind of reaction from men the actresses and performers get. It's a matter of fantasy.
First-off, the kind of fashion you described is not that prevalent in daytime attire. It's usually at social events, the beach, and parties. Skimpy outfits are fun and frisky, and it gets a girl more attention. Girls who have more respect for themselves don't go so far. That still doesn't give any man a right to make an on-the-spot judgement and mistreat a woman, or show her disrespect. How you behave around women, regardless of how they're dressed, is a reflection on you as a man.
If you're stupid, under-educated, crude, and have a weak brain; you'll behave like an animal, or worse. Clothing, no matter how skimpy, doesn't justify ill-treatment. As a woman wouldn't have a right to kick a guy in the balls for staring. Nor punch a guy in the groin for wearing a speedo at the beach. Showing more of his man-parts than most people care to see!
You're not so naive as not to know why women dress the way they do. You simply wish to justify your negative opinion and pretend they have loose morals; not suitable to your high standards and morals. That isn't always the case.
Fashion changes and evolves. What's considered stylish and trendy is popular but for a season. If you hangout in places where the women are loose and guys like to congregate; they are likely to dress accordingly. You'd see more revealing women's-fashion; it because that's the kind of crowd the venue draws. It says nothing about women as a whole; just that disco and party-wear is usually short or skimpy.
We are visual creatures. Fashion, makeup, and hair is all for our enjoyment. Men seem to have short attention-spans; so women do what they can to get some attention. They may even go so far as compete with what seems to excite men the most; considering everything the media tells them convinces them that's what we want and like. A high percentage of the males out there watch porn; so why pick-on women about what they wear to have a good time?
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A
female
reader, Youcannotbeserious  + ♥, writes (6 May 2017):
 Ha ha, had to laugh at your statement "it gets a whole lot harder when it's a woman and they're dressed this way". I am sure you didn't intend any double meaning there.
Men are much more visual creatures than women, i.e. they get turned on more by things they see than women do, hence why the majority of porn is aimed at men.
For what it's worth, I too feel it is a shame that some women feel they cannot look attractive without baring lots of skin. In my experience, a woman dressed in clothes which flatter her and suit her colouring looks much more attractive than a woman wearing next to nothing.
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A
female
reader, Ormskirk360 +, writes (6 May 2017):
 Why do you choose the clothing you wear? (I assume) because you like them. Why does there need to be another reason?
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