Men.. and Women - is it really Black and White?

There are a multitude of different angles that I could take this blog, but for the time being I would like to focus on clothing. Why is there a different dress code for men and women, and why does one get stereotyped if they choose to wear a certain garment? Lets start with the work place.. As a man, in an office type job you are exected to wear pants, dress shoes, a shirt and maybe a tie if your boss is pedantic. As a woman you are expected to wear dress pants, a dress that is neither too tight, too short nor too attractive, stockings, dress shoes and if wearing a top - it must not show too much cleavage, be too tight, be made of a certain fabric, or again be anything other than modest. What is 'modest' ? who invented this word and who gave it its' description? The origin of the word modest is a derivitive of French and Latin, in English it means 'kept within due measure'. Due measure as I understand it, is 'the proper or appropriate amount'. It seems unbelievable that a woman would give herself restrictions when dressing and the only other possibility is that a man has decided what is 'the appropriate and the proper amount' of clothing for women to wear. Some might argue that in the work place men have restricions too, that they would rather wear perhaps jeans and a tshirt, or shorts for that matter. I do not refute that at all, I agree that men have restrictions, but- the dress options for women are purely set in place so as not to look sexy. For women 'sexy' is unacceptable in the office. Men could wear a tight shirt or vest to show off a muscular chest and tight pants to show off his well rounded buttocks or strong thighs - and that is perfectly acceptable. Men do not have breasts or a waist or curvacious hips, so his clothing options allow him to be sexy without it being seen as a problem due to our vast anatomical differences. Sex to a woman is empowering, we feel fantastic about ourselves when we notice people giving us attention based on how we look, and this could come from women or men. Men understand the power of an attractive woman. History shows us that women did not get the right to vote until 1920, and that was in New Zealand. Several other countries did not allow women that right for many more years following. Before that, a woman would get married and take her husbands name- becoming his property as she had no rights and no say. Men would expect the women to stay home and raise children, cook, clean and love doing it - claiming that the work place was hard and messy and women need not waste their time being there. As women began intergrating into the work place, and this started fluxuating rapidly during World War One, as men went off to war - women had to keep the businesses alive as well as raise families and maintain a well kept home. Women proved their value. As the men returned home and women were faced with uneployment and a home life again - they realised that they too could bring home the money and be more independent from their spouses, rather than perform the so called 'labour of love'. 'Labour of love' is a term given to women that stay home and look after their house and family. Its 'labour' because it is hard work and a day that never ends, unlike a 8-5 job. Similarly, the word 'love' is used because there is no way a women would volunteer herself for this job unless she loved her family!! Women were faced with angst. Men thought they themselves were more superior, regardless of the fact that women had held down both forts while they were away. Some women were capable and determined enough to keep their jobs after the men came back home and thus the dress code became prevalent. I am open to the suggestion that women chose to dress in a modest fashion in order to prove that they took their job seriously and had no intenions of finding a mate at work - but even then, the dress code stems back to biblical times - where women were used as baby-makers and chefs and maids and nothing else. Most christians were poor, and lived in rags and basic necessities - they did not have the fashion sense nor wealth to afford and maintain the outfits people in the twenty-first century are accustomed to. That being said - if a women dresses in a certain way - does that mean she does not take her job seriously? Dressing to your body shape and choosing clothes that accentuate your assets is a sign of a well planned wardrobe - if anything it shows careful consideration and time management! Technology has evolved, transport has evolved - we can fly over oceans and countries to get to a desired destination as opposed to ships - but women still can not dress to their body shape and wear something short and tight and fitting - without being deemed 'inappropriate'. This to me is RIDICULOUS! If men cannot handle a sexy, confident woman - then too bad!! I challenge women to start dressing in a sexual manner, not only when they go out at night to clubs and parties, but also in the day time - why cant you? Because someone might judge you, and label you a slut? The only way we are going to fight this stereotype is if we change the meaning of 'inappropriate' dressing... Dress how you want, dress how you feel comfortable, as long as the quality of material in your outfit is crisp and new and well kept then i see no problem. If your dress shows your buttocks - its too short, if your breasts are flopping out of your top - its too much cleavage.. we want to be tasteful, BUT we also want to empower ourselves, so wear some stockings, get a great bra and work what your mama gave ya!