Summer’s creeping up again, and you know what that means—it’s time for the yearly debate on how women should dress. Yep, the heat’s rising, and so is the commentary. Yes, pun fully intended. 🔥
Now, if you’ve read my blogs before, you know I’m big on letting people be who they are—as long as it’s legal and you’re not forcing your choices on someone who didn’t sign up for them. 🙅🏾♀️ Live and let live, right?
That said, just like I believe in health prevention, I believe in wardrobe preparation. That’s how I try to live—plan ahead, dress appropriately, keep it cute and covered… most of the time. 💁🏾♀️
But sometimes? I’m just tired. Tired of society’s rules, tired of spandex, tired of what I call “the upper body straitjacket”—aka the bra. (Maybe we should rename it: the Boob Binder 3000, The Chest Wrangler, or The Tatas Trap—open to suggestions. 😅) And so, every now and then, I let the girls fly free. 🕊️
Do I layer t-shirts and do my best to camouflage it? Of course. Do I know it still doesn’t look the same? Yep. Do I care? Not always. I’m just running to grab some almond milk—why am I suiting up like I’m heading into battle? 🛒🥴
And let’s talk about the whole “too much skin” debate. I’ve heard the arguments: skin sticking to seats, hygiene, modesty, all that. I get it—it doesn’t sound cute. 😬 But what gets me is how we’ve collectively decided that bikinis are perfectly fine at the beach 🏖️, but if a woman wears a crop top and shorts to the mall, suddenly she’s being “inappropriate.” Same skin, different setting.
And here’s the kicker: it always comes back to women needing to protect themselves from predators. “Don’t dress like that.” “Be careful what you wear.” “Cover up so you’re not a target.” 🙄
It’s not that safety isn’t important—it is. But are we actually addressing the core issue? Because last I checked, predators don’t clock out at sundown or vanish because someone’s in a turtleneck. And why is it that men can go bare-chested without controversy? 🧍🏾♂️ Are they not at risk too? Or do we only believe that happens in prison documentaries? 📺
Picture this: a 10-year-old boy running around shirtless in the neighborhood during summer. Normal, right? Now picture a grown woman in a tank top and shorts doing the same. Cue the judgmental stares. 👀
We already deal with so many layers—literal and metaphorical. Layers of expectations, discomfort, and judgment. So, when some women say “enough” and decide to dress for comfort instead of approval, can you blame them?
And let’s not act like modesty has ever been a foolproof shield. History is full of stories—ancient to modern—of women who were covered and still disrespected, harassed, or harmed. So maybe the issue isn’t how much we wear. Maybe the issue is how much we’re expected to shrink, hide, and adjust to avoid discomforting others. 🧠💭
💬 Call to Action:
What do you think—should comfort be king (or queen 👑) in summer, or do dress codes have a place in public spaces? Sound off in the comments and let’s have a real convo. 👇🏾 Let’s support each other’s freedom to just be—one tank top at a time. ✨💪🏾
