This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at C of C chapter.
Growing up, we all had disputes with our mothers about what was deemed “appropriate” to wear to school. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one who donned jeans on the car ride to middle school, only to slip into the bathroom and pull the crumpled denim mini skirt out of the bottom of my back-pack as soon as I waved goodbye to my mother. This past year, I even had to explain to my mother that wearing a visible bralette isn’t the end of the world, and that hundreds of other girls were probably showing off their Urban Outfitters bras under their low cut, spaghetti strap dresses at that very moment.
While we scoff at how non-fashion forward our mothers can be, it’s not their fault that they are not up on the latest trends. And no it probably isn’t because moms are just natural prudes. Go to any history class and they will mention how modesty has gotten slack over the years and that, every decade, generations get more and more daring with their idea of what is pushing the envelope.
In the 1920s, flapper dresses were considered risqué, in the 70s it was midriff, in the 80s it was mini skirts, in the 90s it was visible thong straps *barf*, and now that we’ve gotten to the 2000s, people are running out of envelopes to push. So they push the same ones, but harder. With nothing left to do but make clothes tighter, necklines deeper, and shorts shorter that is exactly what women have taken to doing. Think about how many butt cheeks you have seen popping out of denim shorts today (I’ve seen three), or how many almost nip-slips you’ve seen out at night. Women now have to go above and beyond the boundaries people thought had been permanently established to turn heads. And with the anti-slut shaming campaigns that have been going around, even this has become acceptable.
With women finally overcoming their fear of being called a slut, they’re taking back their right to dress themselves. Gone is the fear over whether our skirt is too tight or our shorts too short, and it is something to celebrate. I donned one of the most revealing outfits I have worn in my life this past Saturday (and yes, it was in the daytime with full light and everything) and it felt great.
While there are always going to be negative comments towards what is considered “slutty” by society, they have certainly decreased and this is a great step for society, and an especially great moment for college aged women. College is the time when you are given the most freedom with what you can wear. With your parents out sight, no teachers with rulers out ready to measure the distance from your knee to your skirt, and no bosses to remind you of a workplace dress code, we should take full advantage of our newfound right to dress promiscuously with minimal judgment.
For some time now we have been fighting against slut shaming and the idea that a woman in a short dress is “asking for it” and we have finally made progress. We’re at a point in time when the minority of people our age is dressing modestly and we should enjoy that. The right to dress however you want seems basic, but our society judges a lot based on what you wear. However, now that women are starting to throw up a big middle finger to society and their standards, our gender can enjoy a little more freedom and a few more choices on what to wear. So don your crop tops and booty shorts proudly, and feel empowered knowing that you are showing off your body without shame and for whatever reason you want because, we should not be judged for our choice of dress.