It’s almost impossible to go on the
Internet nowadays without seeing a “listicle”− a popular blogging style that takes on the form of
both a list and an article. You can spot them easily with their click-bait
style titles, offering you advice on everything from cleaning tips to how to
make a relationship successful. One popular topic for these articles is
suggestions from men on what women should and shouldn’t wear. Dark lipstick.
Skinny jeans. Peplum skirts. High-waisted shorts. Gladiator sandals. You name a
type of clothing, makeup, or accessory, and I can guarantee you that there is a
man out there who thinks you shouldn’t be wearing it, which obviously means you
need to take out all these things from your repertoire. Obviously, because
these men (whom you don’t know) have so generously decided to offer you their
advice and you’d be a fool not to take it.
Here’s a newsflash to men out there:
Women don’t dress for you. Women don’t need your opinion on “what looks good”.
An opinion, by definition, is a way of thinking about something; a way, not the
only way. When we get dressed in the morning, our first thought isn’t “Will the
men I see today like this?” A woman’s purpose in life isn’t to please men; our
goal, just like those of men, is to achieve our own happiness. And your
happiness shouldn’t stem from the opinions of a faceless blogger who has
decided to add his thoughts on a topic that he isn’t exactly an expert in. My
advice to you men, and I apologize for not putting this in listicle form so
that your brains can comprehend this easily, but please bear with me: don’t
give your opinion unless it’s expressly asked for. And to the women out there,
let’s take back our autonomy. Our style is our
style for a reason, and we don’t need anyone telling us what they’d prefer.
Don't accuse men of telling women what they should and shouldn't wear. Most men I know don't care. Those "listicles" are probably written by women, to be completely honest.
ReplyDeleteFor those men out there who do try and tell women what to wear, I agree with you, though.
So... why do women wear shoes which damage their feet and cover faces with chemicals -- if one is not dressing for the male gaze? Not to mention hair removal?
ReplyDeleteIn addition, most of the articles you are referring to are written by women, for women, and published in women's blogs. While "male" blogs like Return of Kings do occasionally run articles like you are referring to, they are quite up front about why. Their target audience is specifically the sort of woman who wishes to get into a relationship with the sort of man who reads RoK...