Why is slut dressing cool?

[Hullygully]

I don't get this.

I get that everyone should dress as they like/not be judged on appearance/not be victim blamed etc

I get all that

What I don't get is why women dressing in a way MEN deem sexually attractive: short skirt, tits hanging out, monster unwalkable in heels = empowering.

It's nonsense.

"jimmy saville raised millions for charity"

Only a real twat would post that Fucking goading.

Sab - are you trying to wind people up? It was a metaphor for people choosing the good parts of religion. Hand picking the good bits.

What did your previous post mean?

What was a metaphor for people choosing the good parts of religion?

Jimmy Saville?

Yes. What was your antipenultimate post all about.

Nice I'm Pagan too, lovely accepting religion that. :)

bale I have real issues with organised religion, it's mostly used as a way of controlling people, but the issues within it run much deeper than the religion itself. Organised religion is just a product of it's surrounding culture at the time it is invented, so it's the culture behind the more distasteful aspects of it.

Take away religion and you'll still get the same problems, because you will still have a power imbalance.

I don't understand what yougot is banging on about

we all agree religion has been singularly unhelpful in the main

er, what else is there?

I like the point above about sex dressing as power, I'd forgotten that. For some women it's the only access to any kind of power even tho it's really the opposite.

It can also be a kind of cocoon/shield from the world, as you are playing a sort of character. A very exaggerated version of yourself, or "femininity". Even if you are then attacked for it, it's the look being attacked and not you.

In a judgemental society why not give them something to judge rather than letting them pick?

If I wear something OTT people will comment on that and maybe not comment (immediately) on the things I have no control over.

From boob tubes to religion - I love mnet I do!

I was going to write a long essay about this but actually all I really want to say is Hully - I'm surprised and disappointed at you for posting this.

I wonder if you'd look at my DD on a night out and think she was dressed like a "slut", i.e . fake tan / false eyelashes/ short skirts etc. she and all her friends are intelligent women with good careers, they certainly don't need an illusion of power and they are dressing up for themselves and no-one else.
It's fashion, pure and simple, if the shops and magazines are full of this look then that's what they'll buy, it's always been the same, from the 1920's onwards , probably even earlier than that, women have been told their clothes are slutty - funny how young men aren't told that their skinny jeans and tight little t-shirts give the "wrong impression" .

Did you read the thread, Bela?

I realise the discussion has changed a bit but to answer the op.
We live in a society that values women on their appearance above all else. We are surrounded by encouragement to 'improve' and change our appearance. From our parents telling girls they look so pretty in that dress to the god like worship of women who are deemed the sexiest (Cheryl Tweedy etc). In day to day life women are constantly congratulated when they comply to looking a certain way. People say 'oh you look great have you lost weight?' and we now accept plastic surgery as normal. This constant ingraining of one ideal leads women to change themselves so that they are accepted and liked, and if the women who get the most love and attention like glamorous celebrities look a certain way then a lot of women who are told over and over how important their looks are will follow.
It's depressing and sad and one of the reasons I am a feminist. I want freedom from the self loathing that every woman I have ever met clearly experiences.

Hmmm... how about.. women should be able to show their bodies without it being assumed to be 'for men' This summer I sometimes wore very short shorts, my legs are not sexual, if a man finds them sexy then that's fine but I just wanted to keep cool. 'Tits out' who bloody cares? Society sexualised womens bodies and I for one am not going to pay for that by covering my body when I don't want to.

Or how about recognising that sometimes there is more to it than that?

I really don't think Rihanna etc are dressing that way because it's a bit sunny out!
There is a definite dynamic at play.

And nobody here is saying women should cover up, but are trying to analyse the different reasons behind dressing in a sexy way.

Society definitely sexualises women's bodies, it's worth examining.

Rihanna and other pop stars are dressing like that because their male bosses have told them to, because it sells in this over-sexualised time, because the whole industry is sexist, the list goes on. There is SO much criticism of women when they wear things that show their bodies which is a huge problem. There are different reasons why women wear what they wear but I think referring to it as 'slut dressing' is wrong and damaging.

I think OP has explained why she used that term- it has been picked up on!

It's a real rock and hard place isn't it, on the one hand encouraged to show your body (and dollar signs are very encouraging, but for the ordinary girl on the street it's attention and approval. we all like a bit of that.)
On the other mocked and criticised.

I suppose you pick who to align yourself with - it's usually the people with power, naturally, and they are the ones who like young girls to wear very little.

I don't buy the notion that it is an authentic expression of sexulaity which must be made in public.

I agree with this. Certainly a lot of people hide behind a look to avoid attacks on themselves. Examples would be kids who don't fit the attractive notions of their peers going with the goth look or gay men becoming highly camp so as to disarm any potential bullying.

I used to dress like this, short skirt big hair, high heels and well there's just no hiding these 32Fs.
I did it cause I felt good like that going out- simples:)
it wasn't about pulling or getting guys attention, just getting dressed up.

I'm only 21 now but after 2 kids there ain't a chance in hell I'd put in what used to wear, but I don't judge others.
my life just isn't a string if parties and nightclubs anymore.

everyone has different taste that's all. my SIL is an unconventional dresser (rock/punk) and she wear things that I would never have dated to put on!
but because she's a rocker it's viewed differently.

I say each to their own:)

also- people's opinion of what's sexy is different:)

Perhaps this is way more simple. We all, especially when young and/or single, are highly motivated by the need to attract a partner. Boys drenched in aftershave and silly trousers are doing this because they believe it is what will make them attractive to girls. Girls do the same (only it's short skirts, etc that they think makes them attractive).

I see women dressed in the way the op described even in my office. To me and most other men I know.staggering around in high heels and overly tight dresses looks fairly amusing rather than sexy. To be fair, when a man glimpses a woman walking by dressed in a provocative manner there is a hard to resist urge to look, even if only briefly and if the woman is not attractive to you. I suppose it is a basic reaction to seeing the signals that say "I'm available, check me out"

I find it puzzling that so many women dress in the manner being discussed while being highly defensive about it being to make one attractive. What's wrong with that? I suppose I could say when I dress up on occasion it's only to make me feel good but the next part of that is obviously because it feels good to be admired.

Perhaps the end result of dressing 'sexy' but denying it's anything other than fashion is the gradual change to yet more extreme clothes; free from the fear of being accused of being 'slutty' by judgemental people.
As I say I really don't understand why it should be considered anything other than a natural part of human interaction to !wish for others to find one attractive.
I now see I have rambled and made little senee but perhaps you get my drift?