Who Are You Wearing?

In class on Tuesday, the Oscars were briefly brought up and the conversation stuck with me after class. The general consensus was that while both males and females are there to honor their achievements, it might not always seem that way. The idea of women as spectacles is highlighted at award shows like the Oscars. Dr. Johnson observed that during interviews, men are asked to talk about their nominations and future projects while for the ladies, it’s dress talk all the time. This rhythm is expected nowadays and people speculate what trendy styles will pop up and which designers will be lucky enough to have their creations walk the carpet.

In the link posted below, it shows People magazine’s list of 15 best dressed at Sunday’s award show. Notice, not one man makes the list. The fascination with women’s attire is nothing new but it is interesting to look at how the focus on wardrobe might take away from putting the spotlight on their career. While the men get to talk about and promote their projects, women describe their dress choices and what made them decide what to wear. What implications result from this? How does it affect girls watching at home? Is it just another way that society tells girls that for them, it’s important to look their best and play the part while for men it’s about recognition for hard work?

http://www.peoplestylewatch.com/people/stylewatch/package/gallery/0,,20552373_20568781,00.html

Besides the red carpet itself, “fashion experts” later analyze the women. Their dresses, jewelry, hair, weight, and everything is picked apart and critiqued until there is a summary of what was good and what was just plain bad. Although this is common for celebrities, how is this healthy? How are women celebrities able to ever be comfortable with their bodies and choices when the whole world, including other women, pull apart their appearance piece by piece? This hardly ever happens for men, give or take a few comments about a haircut or such matters.