Just two centuries ago, it was nearly impossible to bear any flesh. Even seeing a woman’s bare feet was a rare sight, as exposed skin was unacceptable in the fashion society of that era.
Now we see memes quoting “dat ankle,” mocking such conservative dress culture. Teenage girls are seen with skirts so short that the standard passerbyer is left to wonder whether the garment was a dress or a shirt. Bikini-length shorts are common place, now acceptable to wear with peekaboo pockets made longer than the actual shorts.
Thus with shortened hemlines and bared midriffs sticking around well into the cold season, one might start to wonder: when did it become socially acceptable to show that much skin?
While some people consider the recent barely-there trend to be indecent, others march to the beat of a feminist drum. Yes, the trend is sexual, but that sexuality can empower more than degrade.
There is a common stereotype that women who dress promiscuously are in dire need for the attention of others, but could it be that it’s just to make a fashion statement? If crop tops are seen every which way in malls, can’t someone buy one without being reprimanded?
The answer is yes. They can and they should. The mindset that nudity is lewdness should be entirely abolished from our minds. The Italians believed that the body is art, thus we should be able to expose and exhibit this artwork however we please. Obviously there are limits, but when approached in a tasteful manner, the exposure of skin can be incredibly elegant.
This trend is not, however, restricted to just the female population. As high school boys become more and more interested in fashion, the mid-thigh bermudas and chest-baring deep v’s multiply. So if such trends are becoming more commonplace, what’s to stopping them from following fashion besides an unspoken rule created by social norms and a little bit of insecurity?
Fashion is not about showing off your legs for the attention, it’s about finding a balance between less and more, experimenting with proportions and colors. Perhaps having a considerable amount of flesh visible is lewd or indecent, but maybe that’s what makes it so popular; because who better than the fashion industry is there to push the boundaries society has made on what is “acceptable?”