July 28th 2024.
I had a rough time recently while wearing this top. Three times in just five minutes, I was subjected to harassment from complete strangers. It's not a pleasant experience, to say the least. It's almost like they were offended by my outfit - a pink corset crop top. The first encounter was with a middle-aged man who sneered at me and pointed at my breasts, telling me to cover up. But then, in a confusing twist, he yelled at me to take it off. I assume he was referring to my body, or rather, what I was wearing. Shortly after, another man walked past and exclaimed "wowee!" while staring at my chest. I don't mind being looked at, it's human nature after all. What bothers me is when people feel the need to verbally or physically harass me, for no reason at all.
After hearing those comments, I couldn't help but wonder if things would be any different if I dressed more modestly. Would it make a difference, or would "pretty privilege" still make me a target for their unwanted opinions? To find out, I decided to conduct an experiment. For a week, I covered up all my favorite "revealing" outfits to see what would happen.
On Monday, I turned a mini dress into a casual work outfit. I wore a nude, skin-tight mini dress, which I had bought from H&M last year to update my summer wardrobe. I love how simple yet flattering it is. However, this time, I wore a blazer on top and tucked it into my jeans, making it less revealing. Immediately, I felt invisible and honestly, I hated the look. It felt like all the personality from the outfit had been sucked away. Throughout the day, nobody paid any attention to me. While it was a relief to not have so many eyes on me, it didn't make me feel any safer. Years of being catcalled and groped have taught me that the fear doesn't go away just because I changed my outfit. One thing I did notice, however, was that two men politely let me get on the bus first, even though I had arrived at the bus stop last. It left me wondering if that was "pretty privilege" or just basic manners. I couldn't be sure.
The next day, I put on a blue mini dress that I usually reserve for clubbing. It makes me feel confident and sexy, with its unique waist slit that always gets compliments from my friends. But this time, I dressed it down with a blazer and jeans, just like the day before. I still didn't feel much different from the previous day, except for one flirty look I got from a man in the elevator. It was unusual for men not to speak to me, but I guess my outfit made me seem unapproachable.
On Wednesday, I decided to cover up a cover-up. I had previously worn this bikini cover-up on a beach in Spain, but this time, I paired it with baggy linen trousers and turned it into a top. I actually loved the look and felt hot and stylish. The downside was that I still didn't feel safe enough to walk home from the Tube station, so I took an Uber instead. It made me realize that no matter what I wore, I still felt like a target.
Thursday was the day I dreaded the most. I put on my infamous pink corset, the same one that got me harassed three times in five minutes. But this time, I covered it up with a baggy statement tee and a maxi skirt. I have to admit, I felt much more comfortable than when I had visibly worn the corset. I wasn't constantly checking over my shoulder and my only thought wasn't "I hope I don't get harassed." I also walked on the same road where I had received the comments, and no one said a word. It was a pleasant experience and a relief, but it also made me angry. Why did I have to cover up my body to feel this way?
Friday was my day off work, so I didn't do much except go to the gym. My workout outfit is usually considered "scandalous" - a sports bra and tight cycling shorts. Surprisingly, I've never had an uncomfortable experience at the gym, even when I left nothing to the imagination. But according to a report, 56% of women have experienced harassment at the gym. So for the sake of the experiment, I covered up with a baggy t-shirt and long trousers. I felt unremarkable, just like I had all week. It made me feel like the color grey - boring, dull, and lifeless. I should have been relieved to not have been harassed, but clothes are the way I express myself, and by covering up, I couldn't be who I truly am.
Finally, on Saturday, I went out for some fresh air and decided to wear the pink version of the same outfit I wore on Thursday - a jazzy maxi skirt and a top over my corset. I had to cover up again, but this time, it was too hot to wear the corset under the top. It made me realize that no matter what I did, there would always be someone who felt the need to comment on my body. But at least for today, I felt like myself again.
As I walked down the street, I couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious. It was a hot day, and I had chosen to wear a pink corset crop top. I love this top, it makes me feel confident and beautiful. But not everyone seemed to agree. In the span of just five minutes, I was harassed three times by strangers who felt the need to comment on my appearance.
One man sneered at me and told me to cover up, while another yelled at me to take my top off. It was confusing and frustrating to be objectified and shamed in such a short amount of time. It made me wonder, is it my body that they have a problem with, or is it just what I'm wearing? Unfortunately, this wasn't the first time I had experienced this kind of harassment, and it's something that I never get used to.
I don't mind being looked at, it's human nature after all. What bothers me is when people feel the need to verbally or physically harass me, as if my body is up for public commentary. It's unnecessary and it's a violation of my personal space. These comments left me wondering, if I dressed more modestly, would it make a difference? Or would I still be a target for their comments regardless, thanks to the "pretty privilege" that society seems to give certain individuals?
To find out, I decided to conduct an experiment. For one week, I would cover up all of my favorite "revealing" outfits and see what happens. On Monday, I turned a skin-tight minidress into a more casual work outfit by adding a blazer and tucking it into my jeans. Immediately, I felt invisible. It was as if all the personality and confidence from my outfit had been sucked away. While I was grateful to not be the target of any unwanted attention, I still didn't feel safe. Years of being catcalled and groped have taught me that the fear doesn't go away just because I changed my outfit.
Surprisingly, a couple of men even ushered me to get on the bus first, even though I arrived at the bus stop last. It made me wonder, was this "pretty privilege" at work, or were they just being polite? I couldn't be sure. The next day, I put on a blue minidress that I usually reserve for clubbing. I love the unique slit at the waist and how confident it makes me feel. But for this experiment, I added a blazer and jeans. While I didn't feel as invisible as the day before, I did receive a flirty look from a man in the elevator. It made me wonder if my outfit made me unapproachable.
On Wednesday, I covered up a bikini cover-up by pairing it with baggy linen trousers. To my surprise, I loved the look and felt hot and stylish. However, I still didn't feel safe and opted to take an Uber home instead of walking from the Tube to my house. It made me realize that no matter what I wear, I still feel like a target. The next day, I put on a baggy statement tee over my pink corset and paired it with a maxi skirt. I felt more comfortable and wasn't constantly checking over my shoulder, but it also made me angry. Why do I have to cover up my body to feel safe?
On Friday, I decided to cover up my "scandalous" gym outfit, even though I've never had an uncomfortable experience at the gym. It made me feel like the color grey: boring and unremarkable. While I was relieved to not be harassed, I also felt like I couldn't be myself. Finally, on Saturday, I went out wearing the same outfit as Thursday, but in pink. It was too hot to wear a corset under a top, so I opted for a jazzy maxi skirt instead. It felt like a compromise between my love for fashion and my desire to feel safe.
In the end, this experiment taught me that no matter what I wear, I will still be subjected to harassment. It's not about what I'm wearing, it's about the toxic culture that allows this kind of behavior to continue. I shouldn't have to cover up my body to feel safe, and I shouldn't have to sacrifice my personal style to avoid unwanted attention. It's time for society to stop objectifying and shaming women for their clothing choices and start holding those responsible for harassment accountable for their actions.
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