This post is part of an as-of-today unfinished longform essay about the way sex workers influence fashion, something I—a former sex worker, myself—have talked about previously to 1Granary. This is a more evolved version of the thoughts in that piece.
The Skimpification of Fashion
I harp on fast fashion a lot (it’s like, my whole thing), but, it’s astounding how quickly the industry has evolved in only a couple short decades to keep up with the demand for cheaper and cheaper clothes. What was once an avenue to get designer-inspired looks for less has become a tastemaker in and of itself, even occasionally serving as inspiration for those same runway looks. And right now, one of the biggest inspirations for both is, well, whores.
Note: As a former whore, “whore” is not a derogatory term for me, personally. But watch your mouth if you’re not a sex worker yourself.
A well-documented theory known as The Hemline Index (that mostly holds up) states that women’s clothes get more modest in times of economic distress. And, indeed, one can see this on many high fashion runways and more contemporary priced brands, with silhouettes getting less form-fitting and hemlines getting longer. However, most of us aren’t wearing clothes straight off the runway, we’re typically wearing fast fashion. Walk into your average semi-upscale bar or restaurant in most big cities now—during what I and most would certainly consider a time of economic panic—and you’ll see the literal exact opposite happening: these girls look like hookers!
Note: “Hooker” is also not a derogatory term as used here. But, again, watch your mouth.