Why the apparent lingerie on the runway wears less in real life (spoiler: sexism)

Going out in lingerie like it’s normal workwear? It is a recurring fashion proposal in recent seasons by luxury brands that parade during fashion weeks. The trend was further accentuated during the latter fashion month for spring-summer 2023, so that the New York Times titled on the phenomenon of “ dress naked » :

” There were 333% more low-rise skirts and 78% more low-rise pants on the Spring 2023 runways than there was in the same season a year ago (which itself was heralded as the most stripped down in recent history), with plus 15% visible lingerie and plus 10% see-through clothing, according to Alexandra Van Houtte, the founder of Tagwalk, a fashion search engine. »

Going Half Naked, a Fashion Trend Partly Explained by the Pandemic and #MeToo, Really?

A pandemic effect would partially explain this trend: during childbirth we would have taken a liking to the comfort of staying at home in jogging, pajamas or even simple panties. Some people have also taken the opportunity to sculpt their bodies, which they now proudly display, once deconfined, in skintight, transparent or inconspicuous clothing.

Added to this is the Y2K trend, i.e. the resurgence of some gimmicks in vogue in the 2000s, such as the low waist and the baby t-shirt (too small shirt that looks like it was stolen from the kids locker room).

This stripping trend on the runways could also be explained by a post-#MeToo effect of repoliticizing the female body, overexposed to sexist and sexual violence, and in the grip of draconian laws on reproductive rights. In this regard, Einav Rabinovitch-Fox, author of Dressed for Freedom: The Fashionable Politics of American Feminism and history professor at Case Western Reserve University, compares the years 2020 and 1920, with the New York Times :

“There is a long history of women asserting their sexuality through sexy clothing. Reminiscent of the 1920s when flapper dresses showed off the legs. However today is a little different. »

Selfwear: dressing for the outdoors in lingerie, not for men’s gauze, but for oneself

The main difference today would be in the desire to expose one’s body for oneself, rather than for the male gauze (although 3/4 of the stylists who parade their collections today are men…). It would therefore be a manifestation of self-love, a source of power, a manifesto of self-determination written on the skin, and not an attempt at seduction, according to the New York Times.

The fashion anthropolinguist Saveria Mendella agrees with the great American newspaper when she designates this new nudity offered by the catwalks as ” self-wear » which she defines on her Instagram account as follows:

“It is the great return of the upside down. We dress for ourselves, how we want, when we want. Welcome to the era of self lovecomfortable, yet sexy vibe: self-wear. Fashion explores the notion of intimacy. Underwear is proudly displayed as true outerwear. »

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So even when it comes to boned corseted bodies, the purpose of the underwear displayed outdoors is to sculpt the body in a comfortable way, with exposed underwires to show that there is no desire to hide, but to show that there is have an increased body.

An inverted trend that will hardly take to the streets

But then, behind the beautiful speeches in English or Franglais that try to intellectualize the naked bodies of the women on the catwalk, one wonders who dares, and who can really afford to adopt this kind of fashion. Whether it’s in high school, college or the office, there are few spaces that accept all styles of clothing. In this case, there is little chance that the self-wear be perceived as sufficiently correct professional dress.

Add to that the reality check: Even during the delivery, the street harassment continued. Overall, we have seen a violent backlash since the media explosion of #MeToo 5 years ago, which freed up speech without necessarily freeing up listening, nor punishing the abusers. We may know that we are never responsible for the violence we suffer, that no clothes cause harassment or worse, that even an old jogging is not enough to dissuade potential aggressors, the fact remains that in real life we ​​immediately feel less canary in certain clothes than in others. And exposed underwear is one of them for many people. An apparent thong is never an invitation to anything, but it doesn’t stop the more sexist from pulling this string to draw conclusions full of slut.

The stars probably allow it because they have private drivers and bodyguards who ensure their safety in the public space, a bit like Rihanna who often comes out in a crop top. For mere mortals, this is rarely the case.

On the other hand, if you feel like it, it is always possible to try this fashion trend in those that are considered safe places personal (places where you feel safe), whether it is an evening with friends, lovers or in love, or even with family. Enough to avoid this fashion trend being seen as an injunction to undress.

Front page photo credits: Chanel, Dior, Burberry, Alberta Ferretti and Coperni.