Yes,I know,none of my business

[Idayatatime]

Last night DH & I enjoyed a rare night out. As we were waiting in the queue for our taxi home two attractive girls who couldn't have been more than 18 got out of the taxi & headed across the road to a local nightclub. As they emerged from the taxi I couldnt believe it.I am not exagerating when I say one of the girls was wearing a skirt that was so tight & short her bum cleavage was totally visible. I find this offensive & can't believe a girl would leave the house dressed like this. I believe its nobody else's business how a girl wishes to present herself but I can't understand why anyone would agree with this particular look.

Offensive? I just find it funny. I mean, fashion eh? They just look like a twonk but I'd never find that offensive.

Although we are still fighting, we have definitely won some battles.

Women have way more rights than 30 years ago.

30 years ago women would be shunned by their own families for getting a divorce, having sex outside of the marriage, choosing to be single etc.

There may be another reason the teenage boys were staring...

In 1996? Where did you spend the late 90s?

In the 1980s my very stylish friend went to the Hacienda in a basque, stockings and suspenders. Chanelling Madonna with huge style and panache.

I honestly feel some mumsnetters have led very sheltered lives.

Teenage boys have stared at teenage girls since time began

Since the 70s/80s, there has been a concept of 'women dressing for themselves'.

I used to say it when I was young and naive. But Ive grown up now so I dont believe the things I did 40 years ago and have learned that going out dressed like a pop star/porn star is for men. By all means carry on the myth that its empowering for women, thats what I used to think when I was a teen and in my 20s. Its not.

I have seen so many men's arse cracks when they bend down in saggy jeans. There seems to be no scandal there. Builder's bums are not nice to look at so I look away (and lose my appetite!)

Just look away when you see an exposed arse crack! On girls and boys!

I didn’t say it was empowering for women, are you quoting the wrong person.

I said they are not doing it for men, they are doing it as they wish to, it feels good, they are revelling, in their youth, beauty, sexuality and freedom.

i don’t think it’s remotely empowering, i am saying it is not for the male gaze. It may have been for you, but you can’t extrapolate it to everyone is like you

Young women want to dress sexily so they can attract a good looking man and have sex with him. Same as it ever was. It's not 'the patriarchy'.

I wore very very short skirts, hot pants etc in the 1960s. What's all the fuss about? In my late 70s now and fashion is always a roundabout.

It is for the male gaze and I didnt say you said it was empowering?

I'm really sorry to hear you went through that and hope you're doing okay now.

It truly does reinforce the point that predators behaviours have absolutely nothing to do with how a woman dresses or presents herself.

That's just not true.

Thirty years ago was 1996 - all those things were firmly in place.

But nothing else has changed.Women still do all the shitwork in society and in families. Porn, including violent porn, is everywhere and impacts how men think of women (and how women think of themselves) as fundamentally sexualised and existing for men's gaze and convenience.

Rape, looking at the conviction rates, is basically legal.

We've won nothing other than lip service in three decades, and in many respects things have gone backwards.

Young women want to fit in with their friends, be fashionable. And it may surprise you to know, many of these young women are gay

These male saggy bum crack jeans - are they wearing those because they want to revel in their youth, enjoy their bodies, enjoy their freedom and sexuality?

It would surprise me. Statistically some but definitely not 'many'.

Exactly! Lesbians have bottoms too! It’s not all centred on the male gaze.

But why is it only the girls?

Yes they are allowed to wear what they like, but they should also be reflecting on what compels them to cooperate with - in fact, reinforce - their own rampant sexual objectification.

Good god it’s like rhe dark ages on here.

I HATE the full arse on show thing (I do think it's worse than back in the day, it's gynaecological at this point) but you've really just got to look away.

I remember when my son brought his girlfriend home from university 1st year. They went out for the evening. It was low cut top, skirt up to her bum cheeks. Long talons, lots of pairs of earrings and heavy makeup. She was a fashion student. DH nearly had a heart attack. She looked like a hooker from Miami Vice days. Seven years later she's a very sophisticated business woman.

What freedom? There is no freedom feeling you have to dress like a sexual object in order to fit in.

You know what real freedom is? Being post-menpausal and grey-haired and being able to move about invisibly.

100% agree. You are free to feel however you want about it.
There's also nothing you can, or should be, be able to do.
You summed it up perfectly at the start....it's none of your business

I’m not the poster you replied to, but this weekend I saw two women wearing stickers over nipples as a ‘top’. They were both early 20s and it was part of a Halloween outfit in both cases. No one batted an eyelid really (there were plenty of crazy Halloween outfits). I thought they looked fantastic, personally. If you can’t wear skimpy clothes and experiment in your 20s, then when can you…