Wednesday 4 June 2014

The Explicit Nature of Fashion; The Culprits and The Consequences

Appalled. This is how I felt when pictures emerged on Twitter of Rihanna at the Council of Fashion Designers of America awards ceremony- CFDA. For those of you who have not seen Rihanna's explicit outfit, it involves a sheer crystal coated gown. The gown itself is intricate and luxurious- yet I feel this look is destroyed by Rihanna's lack of undergarments... 

According to mirror.co.uk, both Rihanna and her stylist "wanted to make [the outfit] a little bit scandalous". While this was achieved, what sort of example does it set for the youth of society? Aren't there alternative ways to attain a "scandalous" style?

Don't be fooled. Rihanna is not the only celebrity that chooses to express herself in such uncensored attire. There's also Miley Cyrus, who infamously flaunts her body, often leaving little to the imagination.

While I understand that self- expression is necessary and rational, I feel that it can be accomplished in many forms, and not only dressing semi- naked to an internationally recognised event. Women such as Rihanna and Miley should be empowering their younger audiences to manifest their emotions and personality through music, literature, and other forms, rather than encouraging them to associate fame and popularity with objectification. 

Being young myself, I see the impact of such displays amongst young people I know. Many upload revealing photographs onto social media platforms, and receive an array of attention because of this. This obviously encourages these individuals to continue this vicious cycle of objectification, disallowing others to understand their character, but rather their physical attributes. Does this mean that in order to receive admiration one has to dress in a graphic manner? While I strongly feel the answer should be no, the society in which I live tells me that the answer is increasingly becoming yes. 

Chelsea Elizabeth xx

PS- Leave a comment to let me know what your view on Rihanna's outfit is? Did you like it, loathe it, or do you feel it contributes to the dangerous cycle of objectification?

Follow me on Twitter at @_chelsealiz and I'll follow you back!

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