What is your first reaction when you see woman with a pair of short shorts and a crop

top? It might be, “That girl must be looking for attention.” When it comes to the way women

dress, people tend to be biased. These views of women, based on their clothing choices, are

different from both perspectives of men and women.

The way women are perceived is based very strongly on the way they look. For women,

appearance can determine whether they are perceived to be qualified for different situations such

as a job interview.

Dr. Alissa Koval-Dhaliwal, therapist at NJCU’s counseling center, states, “Women who

dress in revealing clothes are often regarded as less competent or intelligent than their peers who

dress more conservatively.”

This tends to be true more often than not, as clothing choices are perceived to reveal a

woman’s personality.

For women, what their fellow peers wear is seen as a fashion statement and a way of

expression rather than a call for attention.

Cumba Ndiaye, 20, said, “It [clothing choices] depends on the person’s mindset and

fashion sense,”

But although this is becoming a more popular idea, the thought that attention is sought by

women who dress in revealing clothes still persists.

“Some do it for attention others for their fashion sense,” Ndiaye continued.

The issue of judging women based on their clothing choices is overlooked because

people fail to see, or rather choose not to see the way in which women are being affected.

“The consequences to women, with regard to societal treatment, are much clearer,” Dr.

Koval- Dhaliwal stated. “These stereotypes, unfortunately, can lead to women not being taken

seriously in the workplace or classroom and may impact whether someone is hired, how their job

performance is evaluated, and whether they are promoted.”

Joseph Valentin, a fashion design student at the Art Institute of New York City, believes

that a woman should dress as she pleases.

“It is a way for men and women alike to feel self-confident; for women, it’s a good way

for her to express herself,” Valentin said while pinning a piece of fabric to a mannequin in his

apartment in Jersey City.

All these misconceptions and stereotypes can lead to more serious issues. Women

tend be sexualized and objectified based on how they dress. These views are even perpetuated

by popular media in advertisement by famous companies. American Apparel created a large

controversy with their “back-to-school” line in 2014 by publishing a picture of a female model

showing underwear while advertising a short pleaded skirt.

A woman’s fashion sense can change in a split second; watching a TV show may help

alter this decision, being on a fashion website or being present in a shopping outlet. For those

who do dress provocatively, the judgment is split. Unfortunately, there are many who feel that a

woman’s clothing choices may put her in tricky situations.

Journalism major, Arnold Stevens believes that, “The girls who are dressing

[provocatively] are asking for attention. If we are in a club and she is basically naked, then yeah,

I would think that she looks ‘easy.’

Because of the continuous objectification, people ignore women’s potential based on

how they dress and only their physical attributes are favored. The problem with this is that ideas

such as “rape culture” and “blaming the victim” situations are more prominent. In many cases of

sexual abuse women are afraid to speak up in fear that they might be blamed simply because of

what outfit they were wearing.

Valentin admits to playing the role of devil’s advocate, but also explains why he feels

sadly towards men who objectify women.

“Men surely should not be objectifying women. They are not objects. However, women

who look down other[s] for dressing provocatively, may not be as comfortable with their own

bodies,” he said.

Not only do these views create stereotypes, but they also perpetuate the ideas of women

as sexual objects. Women are more than what they choose to wear.

-Crystal Davis, Editor in Chief, contributed to this piece.