Editor’s Note: Opinions expressed in letters to the editor are those of the author, and publication in the Graphic in no way represent an endorsement of any opinions published. This space is provided to allow public response and commentary on articles and issues which are covered by the Graphic and important to its readership.
After the former controversy last year with a writer criticizing the “scandalous Halloween outfits” and getting called out by Jezebel for slut-shaming, I thought it would be best for the Graphic to avoid articles on telling girls what not to wear.
With all due respect to Jacklyn Maza’s beliefs, I did not enjoy her article, “Beware of the Sheer,” which basically criticized modern fashion trends in sheer clothing and women who wear them, even in her words “to escape the heat.”
Maza calls out women for showing their skin, saying “no one wants to see your belly button,” and “wear a camisole or an undershirt with a sheer shirt” and that “bandeaus and bras” do not count. She also says that “sheer pants are never to be worn.”
The funny thing is that we all live in Malibu, where belly buttons on both men and women are often seen tastefully at the beach. And I’ve seen many girls wear bandeaus around school without the world suddenly ending in a tasteless fashion disaster. As for sheer pants, as long as they don’t disobey Pepperdine’s code and conduct, I don’t see why they should never be worn, at least on campus.
And why are people dressing so (as the article calls it,) “trashy?” While we’re lucky to have an ocean breeze from time to time in Malibu, at the time your article was written temperatures were reaching the 90s and even higher in other parts of California. I don’t see how “short hemlines” are a threat to our peaceful, sun-baked and perspiring society. If anything, wearing sheer clothing is a reasonable action to take to keep cool and still look fashionable.
However, the worst part of this article is the wording here: “But I noticed that some aren’t well-versed in the language or how its cooling can result in catcalls.”
Why are we blaming girls for catcalling when they wear sheer outfits on ridiculously hot days when it is clearly the men who are catcalling and should probably keep their thoughts to themselves? Let’s not forget that men have the ability to strip off a shirt on a sweltering day — women do not have that privilege in this society. Yet, women aren’t known for catcalling when men walk around with bare chests and chiseled, glistening abs. Hmm. So is the problem here clothing? Or is it the actions of men and the perceptions of women?
The rates of rape in Afghanistan show that you can be seen as a sexual object no matter how much fabric is on your skin. And I’ve been catcalled before, wearing sweats and jeans. I guess I should have thrown on a raincoat and ski mask instead; better cover up my scandalous body.
As long as no one is flashing their breasts or derriere in public, I think it would be best to let people seek their own ways of cooling off in this heat wave and have others keep their judgments to themselves.
In the meantime, I’ll wear whatever I please.
Sincerely,
Amy Fan
A former writer/artist for the Graphic
Sophomore
Film Studies & Creative Writing Major
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As published in the Sept. 19 issue of the Pepperdine Graphic.
