Is it hypocritical of females to dress sexy and expect guys to not look at them as being sex objects?

Yes, but I think some girls think of it as being stylish not sexy. They dress the latest style without realizing the implications of what the style really represents.

I don’t think the female who dresses sexy (as described by a man) sees her style of dress as sexy to herself.

CONVERSELY, we’ve seen women who think they look sexy in what they wore yet everyone else thinks they look terrible.

Well, if I’m walking around with my tits & ass hanging out; I don’t expect you to be noticing my beautiful eyes. However, dressing sexy doesn’t give someone the right to treat a woman disrespectfully, or assume she’s a slut (your word).

GA bythebay!

Sometimes women like to dress nicely because they like looking nice. This is not an open invitation for men to act like asses.

I agree, @EmpressPixie, and add that it’s not an open invitation for other women to act like asses, either.

But there are many different ways to look nice. The woman who dresses in a black sheath dress with a fine lace shawl around her shoulders is saying something very different than the woman who dresses in a leather jacket, denim miniskirt and fishnet stockings.

Both can be sexy, but one is more likely to be the recipient of catcalls than the other. It seems foolish to me to blame the disparity of responses entirely on men—or to be offended when dressing sexy is met with a response calibrated to the style of sexy.

@MacBean: Verrry true.

@cwilbur: I think you can make it clear that someone looks sexy when dressed in leather, denim, and fishnet without making an ass of yourself. But it’s your choice.

There’s sexy and then there’s SEXY.

If the outfit consists of stilletos, a micro skirt, and enough cleavage to park a Buick in, you’re going to receive different responses than if you’re wearing something else.

I agree that the sexiness of most outfits is subjective and may not be seen the same way by the wearer and the watcher.

However, if you’re dressed in the latest form fitting number from Fredericks and you’re offended by the visual and/or verbal attention you’re getting -then your expectations are very skewed.

And yes, there is no excuse for rudeness by either party.

@cprevite: Fair enough.
Which is apparently secret language for Great Answer, because it is. I just agree with it at a “fair enough” level.

In a sense. I think that a woman’s demeanor plays a larger role in whether or not she is viewed as a “sex object”.

The way a woman dresses does not make her a slut. However, a woman must have a basic understanding of appropriate clothing selection.
I would not wear a mini skirt and stilletos to the grocery store, and I would not wear jeans and a hooded sweatshirt to the club. Most women who insist on wearing revealing clothing regardless of the setting are insecure and think that being stared at is a form of positive attention.

i think dave chappelle said it best: if you went up to a guy, dressed in a police uniform and started to report a crime, you’d be shocked if he said “What? Why you bothering me? I’m not a cop – i just like to dress this way!”

If a woman is dressed a certain way, it portrays her a certain way. She may not want such a response, and certainly doesn’t deserve crude remarks, but her clothing is what people see and what they’ll base their opinions/behavior on.

@Ender
lurve for a thought provoking question.

I think some top-heavy women, unfortunately, are perceived as sex objects regardless of what they’re wearing. But overall, I agree that there’s a time and place for every outfit and that how a person carries themselves can influence how they’re perceived by others.

@aprilsimnel Indeed, and as such a woman, it’s been a struggle to have people (yes, men and women) look at my eyes and not my chest during a conversation.

Men will make sex objects out of anything. Since I have prominent female features, It doesn’t matter if I’m wearing sweats and a big t-shirt (which I wouldn’t wear) or a “sexy” ensemble, they’re still going to get riled up.

Woman have a right to dress any way they want!

Absolutely. If your boobs are hanging out, or your ass is hanging out… men are just going to look. They can’t help it. Therefore, if you don’t want to be gawked at, cover up.

I’ll duck in preparation for the reaming I’m sure I’m about to get.

GA BTB!

If I dress sexy, I know people will look. It is asking for attention, not physical attention, but usually it means you want people to notice you.

@essieness
I agree. When a woman decides to dress up as a street walker, she should anticipate being treated like one, and think before acting all naive about it. I prefer a woman wear decently humble clothes in public. It leaves some room for the imagination.

The default position would be it is. If you are in a nation such as the US which has a PMS problem (Power, Money, & Sex) anything form-fitting, or sh0owing skin, in the right places if you have the right body, men (and even some women these days) will get excited. However, it might be no different in unwanted attention as a woman getting a tattoo on her boobs, bum, high thigh, etc. you are by default inviting people to look. If the woman only wanted the lucky bloke who got into her bedroom to see it then she should not wear fashion exposing it. Miniskirts, booty shorts, halter tops etc. only make it easier for some men to view them as sex objects, but a woman in a crisp white button up shirt, and skintight black leather slacks in stilettos can be just as sexy to some. What is sexy might have a broad common denominator, but it is far from the gold standard. Now, mind you, a woman can wear whatever she pleases, but if she wears what traditionally is seen as sexy or get people thinking of having sex with her and get upset, it makes about as much sense as if I put on fancy large gold necklaces, a diamond encrusted watch, and large gold rings and go walking through the hood at 12:30am and get upset because I got mugged and ripped off of all my valuables.