Latest news with #fashiondebate
New York Times
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
This Dress Is Dividing the Internet
The dress has no frills. It has no patterns or intricate detailing. It doesn't even have straps. And yet, it has divided the internet (or at least one small corner of it). Lululemon's new 2-in-1 Maxi Dress, as the name suggests, offers two ways to wear it: a long strapless dress, that converts into a skirt when the bodice is folded down. And it has become the subject of videos with millions of views on TikTok debating whether the dress is cute — and if it's worth the $148 price. 'That's an insane price for any dress, let alone a dress made out of athleisure material that's supposed to be casual,' said Niccie Jamitkowski, 21, whose reaction video to the dress has 2.5 million views. Of the 2,000 comments on Ms. Jamitkowski's video, she said the responses have been 'split down the middle' in terms of people voicing support and criticism of the clothing item. 'Half of the comments are like, 'I think it's really cute — don't tell people what to wear,' and then the other half of the comments are like, 'No I agree, I think it's really ugly — it doesn't make sense that Lululemon is putting out a long maxi dress,'' Ms. Jamitkowski said. Reached by email, Chris Zimmerman, the vice president of women's global merchandising for Lululemon, said the dress was designed with 'comfort, performance and versatility' in mind. 'As it has reached a broader audience, the conversation has grown — and we love seeing how people are making it their own,' he said. Convertible clothing is not new by any means. But several social media users said the style of this dress was notable because it hit on current trends, including the dropped waist and the length. 'I think they took the trends that were popular right now and then released it to an audience who already has a huge brand awareness and following,' said Laura Cote Guerrero, 25, about why the dress went 'so viral.' Ms. Cote Guerrero's video, which has nearly two million views and more than 1,500 comments, is one example of the outsize reaction to what appears to be a simple dress. In the video, which she later explained was satirical, she said it would be 'kind of embarrassing' to have purchased the dress, especially given its price. Despite some of the viral critiques, the dress has amassed fans, too. It's sold in three colors, and most of the sizes are currently sold out. Anastatia Bhageloo, 27, said she bought the dress because she was curious about it after seeing videos on social media — and she ended up making a video of her own. 'I think it looks good on me,' she said in a phone interview. 'It's really comfortable. It feels like PJs, whatever fabric they've used.' Brianna Young, 22, said she purchased the dress earlier this month after seeing it in a store, and then posted a video about how much she liked it. At the time, she hadn't seen any videos about it on social media, so 'the fact that it's such a big conversation now is kind of wild,' she said. For Ms. Cote Guerrero, who said she landed on a more 'hateful' side of TikTok after making her video about the dress, part of the 'beauty' of the platform is that 'anyone can say what they want.' 'In the end, it's all just fun and games,' she said. 'And if I see a girl in New York City walking around with that dress, I will hype them up and I'll tell them they look great.'
Times
14-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Times
Would you date a man wearing these sandals?
A row on Mumsnet isn't unusual, but this one was particularly heated. The subject? Shoes. Men's shoes, to be specific. On Saturday, one Mumsnet user tentatively asked whether she was being 'unreasonable' to feel second-hand embarrassment at her husband's new sandals. 'I don't know why but they make me cringe. I think sandals on men look so naff and 'old man',' she wrote, above a photo of said sandals. 'Am I being unreasonable, or do they look really naff and embarrassing?!' I'm not embarrassed myself to admit that I spent a good half-hour scrolling through the hundreds of replies and howling. The response was mixed, I'd say, with various people saying she was being entirely reasonable, and that they'd consider divorce if their husband appeared
News.com.au
08-05-2025
- General
- News.com.au
The one piece of swimwear that is dividing Aussies
We have to talk, Australia. You, me and you and you. You too. A deep schism has been revealed, a deep fault line that is running through our society, that is dividing men and women, that threatens to drive a wedge between the sexes. G-string bikinis. Yeah or nah? Earlier this year, launched The Great Aussie Debate, a wide-ranging, 50 question survey that has uncovered what Australians really think about all the hot topics of 2025. Over two weeks, more than 54,000 Australians took part in the survey, revealing their thoughts on everything from the cost of living and homeownership, to electric vehicles and going shoeless in supermarkets. Well, now the results are in and one finding has laid bare the split in our community on the burning, keeps-people-up-at-night issue of, is it okay to see two wobbling bottom cheeks making their way towards the surf on a perfect, sunny Saturday morning? We asked Australia, 'should G-string bikinis be banned on beaches?' and at a time of what can feel like increasing division, of cultural, social and political disharmony, overall, the response can be summed up with a blasé shrug. The results show that more than two thirds of respondents, or 69.57 percent if you want to get a bit swotty, think 'people should be able to wear whatever they want' and only 30.43 percent think G-string bikinis are 'inappropriate to wear in public'. However, drill down further and something really surprising comes clear. While nearly four in five men think G-strings are fine at the beach, or 78.29 percent (and 73.86 percent of non-binary respondents) - only just over half of women, 54.07 percent, do too. Or to put it another way, women are nearly evenly split on the issue with just over half ticking 'appropriate' and half (45.93 percent) in the 'inappropriate' camp. Women are clearly far less Advance Australia laissez faire. The man part is, to widely generalise, easy to understand. They are not averse at all to seeing chicks parade about on the sand or splash about the shallow end with their bottoms bared. Ooh err. But how do we understand women's squeamishness? Are we (speaking as a cis gender woman) being prudish or pragmatic or still struggling with that whole body positivity whatsit? Most obviously, maybe we are just not that willing to serve ourselves up on a lycra-ed platter to be sexually objectified when all we are trying to do is to enjoy a salty dip. Move past that though and we enter complicated territory. Maybe women police our and other women's bodies more harshly than men. Nearly a century of media-propelled, pop culture-powered messages about beauty and body standards are not going to be magically undone by a few years of Dove ads. Our Debate results clearly show that the older demographics (of both men and women here) are far less likely to see G-string bikinis as okay. That is, that 55/45 split for women might say more about older women's eons of deeply socially and culturally internalised standards of beauty and body. Anyone over the age of about 40-years-old today came of age saturated in the notion of the 'bikini body'. We hoovered up every Cosmo and its ilk which promised us the secret to get and keep that most precious of commodities, a shape deemed worthy of flaunting on the beach. Today we might be completely cognisant of the chicanery and smoke and mirrors of the advertising industrial complex but deprogramming ourselves can and will take years, like waiting out the half-life of radioactive waste. (We really are talking about the body politic and here you were thinking you were just getting a story about nice bottoms. Huh!) Onto the next possible reason. The context for the G-string bikini. Beaches and pools are spaces that mean there will generally be children around too. Should tots carting big smiles, buckets, spades and floaties have to see adult bottoms? Or does our even being concerned about this say more about our own shame because kids do not place such meaning on bodies? How do we even read bottoms? Simply part of women's' anatomy like a foot or a finger or as something inherently sexualised? I have a bad feeling I am going to use up question mark budget for the second quarter in this story alone. Also, realistically, we are not a country that has traditionally bared all, budgie-smugglers aside, when we swim. Unlike Europe, Australian beaches have never fully welcomed toplessness, the nation's boobs kept by and large wrapped or covered to some degree. On the subject of female nipples out and proud, the general approach has largely been, no merci. All I can tell you confidently is that firm answers, like bottoms, are few and far between. Here's my personal view. You do you. Wear what you want. If nothing else, there is enough crap going on in the world right now for anyone to spend too much time worrying about what other people are wearing when they are minding their own business and getting SPF in hard to reach places. We are meant to be a country defined by tolerance, by acceptance and by welcoming all those who want to be a part of this glorious endeavour of nationhood and democracy. No ifs, and… definitely all the butts.
The Sun
06-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
My boss said my shorts were inappropriate – some think she's ‘jealous' & others say they're only suitable for a postman
A YOUNG woman has revealed that her boss deemed her white denim shorts inappropriate for work. But Lauren Rita couldn't quite see the issue with her outfit, so took to social media to ask people for their opinions. 2 Lauren's work look has since left many divided - and while some think her boss is 'jealous' of her good looks, others deemed shorts as only appropriate for postmen. Posting online, the young woman who works a 9 to 5 job in London, shared a short clip of her standing in the streets of the country's capital. She sipped an iced drink from Starbucks and posed for the camera, as she proudly showed off her summer outfit - a pair of high-waisted white denim shorts with a black top. While Lauren thought her outfit was great for heading to work during the warm weather, her manager had other ideas. Alongside the clip, Lauren wrote: 'My boss said these shorts were not suitable for work.' While Lauren didn't confirm which industry she works on or her job role, she then asked her followers: 'Is she wrong?' The TikTok clip, which was posted under the username @ laurennrita, has clearly left many open-mouthed, as it has quickly amassed 277,300 views. Not only this, but it's also racked up 5,233 likes, 378 comments and 117 saves. But social media users were left hugely divided by Lauren's shorts. One person said: 'Shorts are inappropriate for work unless you're a postman.' Shoppers run to Primark for new 'cool girl' summer shorts in colour of the season Another added: 'Anything shorter than knee-length is not appropriate for the office.' A third commented: 'Shorts (no matter the length or the gender they're on) are not office appropriate.' How to look chic on a budget Fashion stylist Gemma Rose Breger, and beauty journalist Samantha Silver revealed how you can make your outfits elevated without spending hundreds of pounds. Don't ever spend on designer denim: River Island ''always has such a great selection of fashion-forward jeans that follow the current trends''. The high street retailer offers a great range of sizes to fit UK 6 - UK 18, and three leg lengths - and prices start from an affordable £25. There are no rules for jewels: ''Pick up something at a car boot sale, or charity shop, scroll on Vinted & eBay, snap up something from the clothing section in your local supermarket when doing the food shop or check out high street clothing stores.'' Don't forget the pre-loved sites: With a rising number of second-hand sites, such as Vinted and Depop, there's no excuse for not buying - or selling - pre-loved garments. Gemma, for instance, has managed to get her hands on chic Chanel sunnies for a mere £17. However, at the same time, someone else beamed: 'More than suitable! Love the shorts.' work!' Whilst someone else remarked: 'It's 100% jealousy. Keep wearing them.' Should you wear shorts to work? There has been much discussion in recent years about whether shorts are appropriate for office days. Depending on the industry you work in, what is considered acceptable office wear can vary massively. Generally speaking, a good rule of thumb is, if you wear them to the beach, don't wear them to the office. Therefore, elasticated waist, athletic shorts, ripped denim shorts and short shorts should be out of the question. Fashion tips to make you look rich Fashion Tips to Elevate Your Look Invest in Classic Pieces --Quality Over Quantity: Prioritise well-made, timeless items like a tailored blazer, a little black dress, or a crisp white shirt. Neutral Colors: Opt for neutral shades such as black, white, beige, and navy, which are versatile and exude sophistication. Accessorize Wisely Statement Pieces: Invest in a few high-quality accessories like a designer handbag, a classic watch, or elegant jewelry. Minimalist Approach: Less is more. Choose one or two standout accessories to avoid looking cluttered. Tailoring is Key Perfect Fit: Tailored clothing can make even affordable items look high-end. Ensure your clothes fit perfectly by having them altered if necessary. Maintain Your Wardrobe Iron and Steam: Wrinkled clothes can ruin an outfit. Keep your garments wrinkle-free with regular ironing or steaming. Proper Care: Follow care instructions to keep your clothes looking new. Dry clean when necessary and store items properly. Footwear Matters Quality Shoes: Invest in a few pairs of high-quality shoes. Classic pumps, loafers, and sleek boots can elevate any outfit. Conditioning: Keep your shoes in good condition by cleaning and polishing them regularly. Monochrome Outfits Single Color Palette: Dressing in one color or varying shades of a single color can make you look polished and put-together. Attention to Detail Grooming: Well-groomed hair, nails, and skin are crucial. A polished appearance starts with personal care. Subtle Makeup: Opt for a natural makeup look that enhances your features without overpowering them. Layering Sophisticated Layers: Layering can add depth and interest to your outfit. Think blazers over blouses, or sweaters over shirts. Confidence is Key Own Your Look: Confidence can make any outfit look more expensive. Stand tall and wear your clothes with pride. By incorporating these tips into your fashion routine, you can effortlessly achieve a luxurious and sophisticated look without breaking the bank. Your safest bet is to avoid denim and go for tailored shorts in a thick linen or cotton fabric. Make sure to choose a pair that offers a little extra length. It's best to style such shorts alongside traditional office items like smart shirts or blazers. Of course check with your manager if you're unsure whether your outfit is suitable or not.
