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I started this topic as there was a rather good discussion happening over on the thread "Antique Manners" on this subject. At this point, I believe it deserves it's own thread. smile

I'm unsure of any other time except in Victorian England, but with some fashions from other eras, I'm assuming it's true for other eras/other countries.

A Victorian lady would dress to cover. She might not have a high collar, but aside from her hands and face, her body would be covered. In other era's, maybe the neckline or shoulders would be shown. Again, however, little else would be seen.

If a lady showed any thing more, it would be inviting attention that was considered inappropriate or distasteful. Only the "unfortunates" (what the papers and polite society called the prostitutes) would wear revealing clothing and that was because it was their trade. Even then, it was distasteful.

Lhuv-Kerapht and I were discussing the attitude many people have about clothing which is a very valid point.

The less clothing you wear, the more attention--sexual or social--you will get. The more clothing you wear, the less attention you recieve.

I worked in a retail store and I couldn't believe what little some people will wear. I understand it's the summer, but you're in public! A head bandana (like renegades wear in Western films when they rob a bank) does not count as a shirt. A bikini and wrap stays at the beach. A jean vest should be zipped all the way up so other's don't see your bra and if it's too small, wear a shirt under it. College students who wear shorts that barely cover the tops of their thighs (not to mid thigh, mind). Some of these examples weren't just the younger generation; some of them could have been my mother's age.

Many of us on here I've found are very conservative on this subject so we may just be in the minority, but I think it something people should pay more attention to.

Lhuv-Kerapht made another good point. If you wear less revealing clothing, people don't really try to socialize with you. I've recieved a lot of advice over the years, telling me to try on clothes that are more in style, which show a lot more skin than I'm comfortable with, and it's not something I would want to do.

I think another good point is that if we enter relationships based on sexual appeal or who isn't wearing actual clothes, how solid are the relationships? It seems a very shallow way of judging people.

So, who else wants to weigh in on this?

A very astute assessment! biggrin

On the dress and thong: shock and horror! Purely boudoir material, that! Yikes.... And you're absolutely right. Any guy who would think ill of you for not debasing yourself for his jollies is the one with the problem. I've never understood why people would sacrifice so much of themselves and their dignity, just to get all the wrong sorts of attention.

I do think that we, as a society, should dress at least a bit more conservatively. In winter, it is simply impractical, and the rest of the time - well, frankly, I don't think it's very respectful of others for people to go out with their everlovin's hanging out, be that what it may. Everything else aside, it sets a wretched example for small children. Kids always look upon their elders with admiration. They want to be them someday, and impatience to get there faster can lead to problems. Kids look forward with eager expectation to the time when they're all grown up, and get to do the stuff adults do. Good parents know where to set the limits, but increasingly, a number of parents are expressing indignation at how difficult it's becoming anymore to find age-appropriate clothing for their little girls. There are girls as young as 5 or 6 capering about in clothing once seen on older teens and collegiates who wanted to look as sexy as they could look to get attention, or in fashions once relegated to the exotic dancer set. On a pre-pubescent child, this is utterly disgusting, and for my money, I can't imagine why such a thing would be remotely persmissable, let alone allowed to become the standard of dress, such as is suggested by the state of the clothing market. Some parents are sewing clothing for their kids just to protect them from the ogling that results from wearing revealing clothing. And people wonder why there's such an upward spike in the instances of child exploitation, illegal photos and videos and the kinds of sick, predatory behavior that shows up on Dateline. To me, it seems obvious. Stop dressing little girls like streetwalkers and maybe people won't feel so encouraged to look at them like objects of sexual fantasy. If society starts dressing more conservatively on the whole, kids are less likely to aspire to traipsing around in such blatantly inappropriate attire, making it easier to set appropriate limits. And the rest of us don't have to deal with the visual assault created by all the older people who think it's okay to leave their homes as undressed as the castaways on "Survivor." There are plenty of things a person can wear to stay cool in the summer, while still looking quite presentable. I get tons of catalogues filled with tons of perfectly fine examples. I wonder if these people get those catalogues....

I saw a letter to the editor in yesterday's paper that really goes in with this sort of thing. An older woman was rather upset at having seen an increasing number of people out at the grocery store, arrayed in things like a set of degenerate, hole-ridden pajamas and bedroom slippers, and wondered if we'll be seeing hospital gowns next. Time was, a person who appeared in public undressed like that would be thought mentally ill and committed to the local psychiatric hospital for it, as it is so terribly inappropriate and perhaps indicative of a fundamental disconnect from reality.

I used to work 2nd shift at a retail store and we had some one come into the store with his entire pajama outfit on. Slippers, sleep pants, t-shirt, and house robe. Honest to the Goddess, he was wearing it. How is that okay? Do you just get lazy and roll out of bed the moment before going out? I'd have gotten a kick in my butt if I had tried that.

People need to realize that there is a time and a place for everything. I own my fair share of short skirts (cut mid thigh but nothing too extreme) but I only wear them to concerts or when I'm out with my close friends. Those who falunt their decolletage during the day and especially very public places such as schools are out of their mind. There is good attention and bad; having people staring at you because certain body parts are peeking out is not quite the attention that a person should want. I'm not about to propose that everyone should cover themselves from shoulders to ankles but people should dress more appropriately for where they are going. The world is not a trashy bar and no one wants to see the outfits that you use to pick up sleezy dudes.

I am a pretty modest dresser, and I hate when people dress scantily. I work at a clothing store, and yesterday I saw this girl in a skirt super short and had a slip so far up you could practically see her hoohaa.

I love skirts, but unfortunately, my legs are so long, skirts that should be knee length end up being mid-thigh length. So I wear tights under them. I also really love the look of school uniform skirts, but the only pleated skirts they make outside of school are butt length, so i made one for myself that was knee length, and I love it heart

I hate it hn girls walk around in those skimpy little skirts that show everything they've got when they bend over. I do wear shorts and a tank-top in the summer but only when it is really hot. I don't like showing off like that. I think if you wanna show off that way then go to some bar and dance.

I dress extreamly modestly for my school and area. The most skin I show is my legs when I put on work-out shorts and go running, and I only do this because I live in Florida and it is too hot here to wear pants while running. It really annoys me when girls in school wear revealing clothing. We are there to learn, not let guys oggle us.

Ahhh....


I have been on both sides of the argument...

Whilst younger, I was a *ahem* burlesque dancer. I was expected to wear revealing clothing as it was more akin to advertising for my profession. Yes, attention galore! Men wanted to talk to me about anything - and most times, they just wanted to "be seen" with a beautiful woman by their friends - nothing more. Women would glare at me - some because they felt I was too revealing, others because they wanted to look like me. I had a very hard time with my female friends, and even lost some just because of the clothes I wore...

As I got into professional advertising and marketing, I left the ultra-mini skirts and bandana- tops behind for straight pencil shirts and button up silk blouses. I was, as some call it, very "well put together". I kept up with the fashions (for I was working on fashion magazines), but toned it down with waist jackets and blazers. I got less "direct" attention - and more professionalized and relevant attention. Men gravitated to me for I exhumed "power and knowledge" while still exalting in my female curves and form. I still had a hard time with other women though, for they felt ever-more-so threatened by the "arrogance" of my attire.

Now, I work more behind the scenes - so I don't need to wear the power suits anymore. I've migrated into computer and ecommerce programming, and now wear only jeans, sweatpants, sweatshirts and sweaters for the room I work in is climate controlled and I hate air conditioning.

Surprisingly - no one talks to me. Guys and gals avoid me like the plague.




I sometimes wonder if I dig out my power-suits and wear them to work, if people will suddenly start paying attention to me again...



nah... i need to be left alone to complete my software development.


Conclusion
I've known for a very long time the power of fashion - what it can and cannot do for a person. Women especially have more variety in how they look as their fashions are more widespread. I've taken the SAME skirt, worn in different ways for varying effect. Its a joy and a challenge to see how I can alter my wardrobe for a specific event or if I want to portray a certain mood. Lately, I admit to being depressed, and people around me know it for I am wearing nothing but sweats...

Men, as a female I pay more attention to the man wearing collars and pressed slacks then I do the ones wearing baggies and chains to their knees.

A book's cover really does reveal alot about the story. ^.^