Arguments abound on who women dress to impress. Some are of the opinion that it is other women because they are the ones that would know the value and hard work put in to achieve a particular look, whereas others are of the opinion that it has to be the men.
So when women dress-up, who do they really dress to impress? This is not about special days like dates or job interview but on day-to-day basis.
In 2011, Daily Mail published a story titled ‘Sorry chaps, women only get dressed up to impress each other’. The article said survey finds that women dress to impress other women. More so, Fashion Designer Betsey Johnson once said “Girls do not dress for boys. They dress for themselves and, of course, each other. If girls dressed for boys they’d just walk around naked at all times.” How true is this statement?
LifeXtra sought people’s opinions and Aminah Husseini Kani, a youth corps member, says she dresses for self-satisfaction, not necessarily to impress anyone.
Alaba, a final year student of Computer Science, says he believes that most ladies neither dress for these intentions; to impress other women or the opposite sex. He however stated that there are “few women who dress just to impress men” and there are others who dress for fellow women “probably to beef them and show off.”
Shittu Hiqmah, a student of the University of Ilorin, claims she dresses to impress fellow women. She said she wants them to know that she is “classic”, while Badmus Hameedah a school teacher, claims she dresses for both reasons, one is to gain men’s attention to know how beautiful she is and the other is for fellow women “to set a standard so that others will get envious.”
Oluwatosin Saheed, a Federal Road Safety officer, believes women dresses to impress men and show how “hot, sexy and curvy they are.”
In an online forum discussing the topic, Trevor Smith, a contributor, said that women dress to impress other women. He said “my wife really seems like she dresses up to impress other women. I notice when we are going out to the movies or somewhere that she’s not expecting to see anyone, she dresses in a different way. When we go to Church however, where there are quite a few very well dressed women, she puts on her nicest dress and makeup.”
Another contributor, Robert Troxell, stated that most women dress mostly for other women. “They may see something they like and buy it, but they aren’t really sure about it until other females notice something new and gush approval. At that instant, the woman wearing it finds ultimate satisfaction and validation in her choice.”
Troxell, explaining further, added that if women really dress to please men, they wouldn’t need so many clothes because they will just wear the particular outfit he likes.
He said women do not dress for men because they have so many different outfits, and shoes to match and assorted jewelry and “Men don’t care about all that fluff. She could be dressing for herself, but more so for other women. If they dressed only for themselves, women would dress extravagantly when they stay at home. But they dress comfortably at home and don’t make a fuss. So, they go to all that trouble for others, and mostly for the delight and approval of other women.”
Swechcha Ponnekanti wrote that Women do dress up specifically for men sometimes – Maybe when they’re going on a date or when they want someone or possibly, more than one person, to be attracted to them for various reasons. But a good portion of “dressing up” is about fashion, impressing other women and getting genuine compliments from them, feeling confident, aesthetics, and sheer fun.
Irrespective of whether women dress for the same sex or the opposite sex, it is worthy to point out that fashion industry revolves basically around what others think, hence why people follow trend, or wear a particular style.
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