I’m too SEXY(??) for my shirt! - Are we moving into a New Era of Sexy Menswear & Modest Womenswear?
No doubt our notion of “sex appeal” is complicated today. Clothing designed for “male gaze” is increasingly becoming irrelevant. Note the drop in sales and profitability at Victoria’s Secrets, perhaps the best example of a female brand based on male defined sexuality. In contrast, female modesty dressing seems to be on the rise. Pinterest recently observed that searches for “modest fashion” were up 500%. On Instagram over half a million people have hash tagged the term modest fashion under their photos.
Brands such as Celine now have a capsule collection based around modest fashion. On the other hand, if the spring 2020 trends are anything to go by, men’s fashion is moving in the opposite direction! Not the hunky sexiness of the past, but a more delicate, undefined sexuality. Bare skin and feminine silhouettes feature strongly in many collections, including Saint Laurent and Prada. 70’s gender bending trends are notable influences. One cannot ignore the underlying messages. Perhaps the fashion pages are now just as important in reflecting current social and political issues, as the news reports.