Fashion Trends That Men Hate

Four cute Horizonites pose against the wall; (left to right) senior Lauren Arenas, junior Alexa Geidel, seventh grader Addison Bennett, and senior Katy Abbe.

Martina Weary

Four cute Horizonites pose against the wall; (left to right) senior Lauren Arenas, junior Alexa Geidel, seventh grader Addison Bennett, and senior Katy Abbe.

Martina Weary, Copy Editor

“Do you wear winged eyeliner? How about boots? Do you like to decorate your body with jewelry or other accessories? Have a tattoo? Wear your hair short? Do you wear lipstick? Do you wear any kind of adornment that could be constituted as clothes? I have news for you, ladies, you are on the wrong side of a trend that men hate!”

Okay, stop. Stop. Just stop. If you started reading this article, you’ve probably read a dozen others with the same title, and I’m telling you now that it needs to stop. I don’t care if you are male, female, or any other gender, you need to hit the brakes and ask yourself why you’re reading this.

Let’s step back for a minute. Who gave anyone the right to police the way that an entire class of people dresses? Maybe you’re thinking, “Oh, well, it doesn’t really matter, nobody has to follow what these articles say.” That isn’t the issue here. The issue is that these articles exist in the first place. Why do people feel the need to regulate how women dress? I am so sick and tired of random people on the internet telling me, or my mom, or my friends how we should and should not dress, and all to please men that we don’t even know.

The inherent issue with these articles is that they push women into a position of inferiority. Are you proud of the way you dress? Well, too bad, a man says otherwise. These articles are like little winks and nudges at the fact that people still defer to males as the ultimate social authority, and isn’t that just a little creepy? Not only to we defer to men, but men of any age. Take the semi-recent controversy with Nash Grier– that kid who stirred up a whole internet of rage with his video telling girls how they can be more attractive. He’s only 16. He’s younger than me, and I can’t say that I have any life experience. So what authority does he have to make blanket claims, as he does? He is making an argument to the whole internet, anybody that can see his video. He is telling me, when I watch his video, that I am not pleasing enough to men, that I need to try harder. Just to make my existence more bearable for the males within viewing distance.

So look again at those articles you’ve been reading. What’s the point? Why are you looking at them? Do you need to validate your presence to the men in your life? To men you don’t even know? I’m not trying to say that you have to disregard fashion and live your life wearing garbage, but stop feeling bad about your wardrobe. When you feel good wearing something, wear it. It doesn’t matter if it’s a hoodie, a burqa, saggy jeans, or the skimpiest dress you own. If you feel good wearing it, wear it, and don’t let anyone challenge you. (You know, besides indecent exposure laws and dressing professionally.) Your clothes are part of your identity, and strangers do not have the authority to rule on your decisions, just because you’re a lady. Think twice, and then think again about why everyone wants to control the way you dress, and then dress the way you want.