Getting Dressed: The Sex Factor
Thursday, May 31, 2007
MD writes in the comments for this post,
She is cute but I am not sure what she has accomplished with this outfit. I am not saying that she can’t pull it off but it truly triggers the concept of girls dressing for girls or girls dressing for guys. This is definitely a girl dressing for other girls because I don’t think that most guys would be impressed or comprehend the look.
MD (who is a guy) brings up the hilarious category most women are quite familiar with: the trendy looks that all of your female friends covet and the men in your life can’t stand–or understand. I’m giggling as I write this because I know that you all know what I’m talking about. And MD, you totally called it; as it happened, while she and I were chatting, she mentioned that her husband wasn’t a fan of the dress.
So if you’re a guy, write in the comments what you can’t stand in women’s fashion. If you’re a girl, write in what clothes you’ve noticed that the dudes don’t like. And ladies, shall we air the things we would like boys to banish from their wardrobes? And anyone feel free to weigh in on dressing for the desired sex in general. I’ve started with the first comment!
Comments
Leave a Comment
If you would like to make a comment, please fill out the form below.
Absolutely men hate dress-over-jeans, while women keep on doing it. I’ve pushed my bf to acknowledge that a “tunic” over jeans is usually okay, but only if you couldn’t wear it as a dress, ever. We bicker over where the top has to hit the thigh to make jeans underneath not the biggest sartorial sin possible.
We’ve gathered evidence among men. This one is a no-no. He even quotes What Not To Wear in his arguments, which is unprecedented. I don’t even know how he picked it up.
It seems to me that guys hate hate hate capri pants. Hence the picture.
Sooo letsee what do I not like in men’s clothing. Well, square-toed pilgrim shoes, cheap too-big suits, overly tapered or too-short jeans. I hate anything fussy or too buttoned-up looking. Tons of guys in DC have that problem–they’re so scrubbed and shaven and tan and hair-gelled that they’re no longer masculine. This is perhaps why I’m basically a sucker for stuff like a sweaty guy in Carhartt pants coming off a hard day’s work at the farm.
mm.
my male bff HATES oversized sunglasses. he just gives me this look every time i put them on. when he does this, i enjoy bringing up the fact that he works socks with sandals when i first met him. it usually gets him quiet pretty quickly.
i’ve also heard a lot of complaints about cropped/capri pants. as my father says, “this isn’t the depression! can’t you afford a full pair of pants??”
another thing i hate on guys (that they seem to love): bright white sneakers, the huge k. swiss-like ones. ewwww.
Ladies, please stop wearing the skimpy-blouse-and-Seven-jeans uniform to go out. If you promise to do this, we promise to stop wearing the stripey untucked shirt, bootcut jeans, and black, square-toed shoes.
Kathryn, a week or two ago I threw on an H&M shirtdress over some slim black pants and got more compliments (by men and women, but mostly men) than I ever have on an outfit, and I normally wear cute stuff. Maybe it’s because the dress was very small, which is why I was wearing it over the pants in the first place, but my point is that the dress-over-jeans thing CAN be alluring and sexy. I’m attracted to girls myself and I can’t stop staring when I see one who’s wearing a well-fitted version of that combination.
Bravo, Mr. Corporate Flunky–a point I think both men and women can agree upon! I’m so very tired of that going out uniform.
A great post, Rachel. And the funny thing is that original picture has stayed with me–I was going to come back yesterday to comment on it, as I thought it was such a perfect dress on the perfect woman for it.
Not that these are in style anymore (thankfully), but overalls look hideous on both women and men!
Oh heck, I’m full of opinion so here goes. But first, my caveats/qualifiers:
I’m a guy
On women I prefer a 40s/50s vintage sort of look or an up-to-date “smart” look. My wife pulls these off beautifully
For myself, I like to combine good colors and dress a bit dandy-ish at times.
On women I hate:
the current trend of empire-waisted shirts and dresses, enough already, how about some variety;
ill-fitting pants, be they capris or anything else;
those horrible long shorts;
But I love:
glasses;
skirts;
peep-toe shoes;
On guys I hate:
the Am-jack look (stripey shirt, square-toed black shoes, etc.);
ill-fitting suits (or worse, the pained expression of “having” to wear a suit);
the indie-rocker look;
tennis shoes w/ suit.
On both I hate:
flip-flops anywhere but at the beach or in your home;
undrewear showing;
costumes (look at my 80s shirt!);
looking too “I don’t care” or “I shop at thrift stores.” You could at least try to match;
backpacks with business wear.
And more than anything I hate women who assume they know more than me about my wardrobe and what I should wear just because they are a woman and I’m a man. They are wrong 95% of the time.
That’s all I can think of right now.
1. denim shirts – short and long sleeved
2. denim shorts – short and bermuda-length
3. braided leather belts
4. polos with company/sports team logos
5. sunglasses with nylon lanyards
6. denim shirts (sorry, once wasn’t enough)
7. cell phone holsters
8. pleated tapered cuffed khakis
9. button-down collars on dress shirts
10. really nice dress shirts untucked over jeans (blech)
But then again, I would take the fussy put-together London look (i.e. spread collar with French cuffs, half-Windsor knot, Church’s shoes etc.) over casual bbq attire ANY DAY on a man…
Most guys I know (boyfriend at the time included) could not stand the whole Ugg boot trend. Girls thought they were cute and comfy, whereas guys thought they were downright dowdy.
As for guys, I totally agree with Rachel’s comment. DC guys are way too polished for my taste. Of course I want my man to look nice, but I don’t want him to take longer getting ready than I do. There’s a fine line.
overalls are totally in again, dude. muhahahaha.
http://www.hel-looks.com/?p=image/archives/15/20060918_01/
This string cracks me up! My fiance hates my giant sunglasses. He calls me Buggo when I wear them.
For me-
1- Trucker hats, unless you own a John Deere.
2- Leggings with a cropped shirt (don’t care if you’re a size negative 14 or a 14w) I have seen this in DC WAY too many times!! Leggings and a longer shirt- if you can pull it off, rock out, but I *hate* the short shirt/leggings look.
3- Belly shirts. 1992 called, want their look back.
4- Gentlemen, hopefully this goes without saying, but fishnet/mesh shirts are NEVER appropriate.
Everything else has been covered.
Johanna- I actually just saw a guy at lunch with a denim shirt and denim shorts on… and, to put frosting on your cake- his denim shirt had an Orlando Magic logo!!!
That is absurd. As a male, I think she is cute and stylish, from what I can tell. Carpi-like seersucker is preppy sexy. If a woman is stylish and hot, men will notice and appreciate both.
Cargo Shorts-nothing ruins a guy more than when you look at his oh so attractive face and then look down to discover that he is sporting side pockets.
T-fab:
you just gave me chills *and* a flashback to a time when I dated a man who showed up not only with a denim-on-denim ensemble but a denim-on-denim-on-denim (jacket, too) one. A quick and relentless intervention was engaged.
I wrote a post on this on my blog a few months ago, and I admitted that one of the major drawbacks to dating older men is their struggle to pull off the weekend casual wear. Suits they’ve got down but once Saturday rolls around, especially a *warm* Saturday…oh man, it is not pretty.
Johanna,
That’s not just an older guy thing. Well, I don’t know what you consider older, but I’m 35 and my summer weekend wardrobe is not great. I admit it. For all my opinions, I’m sporting some horrible shorts and an old snowboarding t-shirt right now. Not a great look.
Fall/winter weekend, I’m fine. Spring/summer weekday/work, I’m fine. Maybe it’s my aversion to the heat (any heat).
Offhand:
My boyfriend and male friends hate on women:
Tevas or Birkenstock sandals
Dresses over jeans
Jersey Culotte/Gaucho Pants
Huge Sunglasses (A la Posh Beckham)
Pointy toe shoes (otherwise known as “elf shoes” – in particular the one that curl up at the end, especially on boots)
I do not like on men:
Tevas or orthopedic looking sandals.
Preppy popped collar shirts with madras pants. Blech!
Also failed to mention:
The oversized beaded “Mrs. Roper” beads that women seem to think are fashionable. Why don’t you just put on the house coat and yell for “Stanleeeyyy”!
Final fashion stink:
Tassled shoes on men. Never trust a man in tassled shoes.
C – I am with you on what I call “tunic” over jeans. That can look fantastic. That’s long tops/dresses too short to wear with any sense of decency.
For your example, I think your black pants may have made the look even chic-er than jeans.
However, my BF and his friends have seen actual full-on dresses over jeans (as have I), and hated the look so much they’ve extrapolated to almost any long shirt. If it covers your butt, they think it’s too long. (that’s the point of bickering difference)
i second or third guys’ hatred of gaucho pants, uggs, empire waist dresses and shirts (my boyfriend always feigns horror and pats my stomach – “just checking for babies”) and capri pants – as a friend used to put it, “pants or shorts! just make up your mind!”
another guy friend just piped up: halter tops and jeans that are too low on the derriere.
for menswear, you all have hit the big ones. i really detest unpolished, scuffed dress shoes. they ruin an otherwise polished look, and i see so many guys on the metro like this.
Johanna:
Oh no. Oh no. Please tell me you opted for a “night in” instead of heading out and about with Denim Dan…
rdhd:
Personally, I love a guy’s weekend cas wear to be khaki shorts, and a classic button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up (obviously just once or twice, we’re not talking past the elbow here..)
And of course, a good tan goes a LONG way!!! I’m a big fan of the “I just got done sailing” look.
One thing I hate: When girls say Name of boyfriend “doesn’t like me in this or doesn’t like my hair like that.” Who cares? I like the idea of knowing what both sexes don’t like about the other’s tastes in general, but the dressing for your boyfriend thing is ridiculous. Guys don’t really care in the reverse of the situation… and if they do, they have to make one HELL of an effort.
i won’t speak for anyone else who mentioned a significant other here, but i was citing my boyfriend’s comment purely for humorous purposes. i agree – wear what you want, period!
Sorry — totally didn’t mean to call anyone here out! I have a couple of friends who recently went on and on about that, and they always dwell on it, that I just had to say something somewhere. But yes, everyone wear what you want!
A good rule of thumb is to stay away from anything worn by Paris, Nicole, or Lindsay.
The oversized sunglasses, already mentioned, is the worst offense. Also a no-no: logoed wear and accessories. What does a Louis Vuitton purse say other than “I’m a fashion lemming”? And ladies, just because you have ten fingers doesn’t mean you have to be wearing rings on every one of them.
Corporate Flunky-
don’t forget about Britney!
alright, so I’m the boyfriend (not husband) of the original subject of all this…the black and white flowy dress on the redhead…
I will not touch men in this city for the vast majority are fashion retarded to put it nicely. So here’s my list of what I dislike about DC women fashion, all of which my lovely girlfriend follows, usually…
1. Comfy without trend- Uggs were okay, and are okay, because they are trendy and cute. But flip flops, baggy sweatshirts, sweatpants….come on. Have some respect for the people’s eyes around you. you might love to be “comfy” to and from work but you make this city look like an ugly slumber party for the cankled masses.
2. Sneakers- Belongs above but it needs special mention. Unless they are Italian designer Pumas or limited edition campers, PLEASE do not wear sneakers outside the softball pitch or gym. You look like a college intern or a dweeb from the country.
3. Hair- It all starts there. Really ladies? Unless you’re going to the hair cuttery, no one is going to think down of you on the hill or K st if your hair has SOMETHING special going on.
4. The drab- I could go on and on but I will stop here. The problem with women in the city is the drab. They buy the safest thing, either what they see in a committee room or what there sorority sisters wear to Dupont on Saturday nights. Men love, LOVE, an individual. If you wore a swan around your neck we will talk to you. If you wore a red dress with green shoes and a yellow necklace, we will buy you the bottle not the glass. If you wear tight jeans, pointy shoes, and a black blouse, we will talk to you last and already be bored when we see you. Show yourself, your true self…if you’re boring, uptight, republican, then flaunt it. Wear black and gray and military boots, but please just show who you are. I have no idea who most of the women are in the city but many of them look like Ann Taylor to me. And I don;’t want to date Ann.
I have this great blousy shirt that’s a bit tuxedo-ish. My girl friends think is adorable- my ex would roll his eyes like crazy every time I put it on. I also think guys don’t get the whole layering thing. Layering is truly an art, gentlemen.
sb’s comment made me think of something…for some reason, none of my guy friends – who range in age from early 20s to late 40s – like my rosette-adorned/ruffled *anything*. I have these great black peeptoes with a rosette fastened right above the “peep” and so far, women have loved them while men give it the “eh, they’re okay” verdict which we all know is tantamount to “that’s sh*t’s no good.” Same with a black silk halter that has a ruffled tuxedo-bibbing. “It’d be better with all that mess down the front,” one said to me as we sat down to dinner.
Why not, guys? Why not?
And for the record, I still wear both ALL THE TIME.
I just wanted to pipe in and say that I wear capri pants and I don’t care! I find that I get fewer mean comments about the whiteness of my legs when I opt for capris rather than shorts. And no, I can’t tan. Nor do I want to!
i can’t believe i forgot to mention this before, but it hit me on the metro today — those ridiculous preppy quilted bags. they are just terrible!
PHENOMENON. ARE WOMEN GOING TO FINALLY REALIZE EHAT TRENDY FASHION IS CREATED BY A GAY COMMUNITY THAT WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE THEM LOOKING REDICULOUS THAN APPEALING, THROW OUT THE PANTS, ANY SHOES THAT LOOK LIK YOU BARROWED THEM FROM FRANKENSTEIN, GET RID OF THE SPANX [ NOTHING LESS APPPEALING THAN FINDING A PAIR OF LATEX SHORTS BENEATH THAT PRETTY DRESS AND PLEASE NEVER WEAR A PAIR OF JEANS UNDER YOUR SKIRT. ENJOY BEING A GIRL, GIRLS