Contributing Writer
With the rise in popularity of shows like Max’s Euphoria and Sex and the City, FX’s Pose and Sean Baker’s new film Anora, it’s hard to not notice the fashion scene that’s been influenced by the sex work scene and those who keep it alive. Their embodiment of sexual desire and pleasure can be easily expressed through clothes and accessories. This is a visual concept that has influenced fashion since the 1970s. Yet, due to popular luxury brands and designers like Sinéad O’Dwyer and Marc Jacobs, this scene has been replicated in fashion and applied to modern society. Here are a few trends, their origins and how they’ve transformed American style.
High Heels and Knee-Highs
In the height of the 2010s and into the 2020s, high heels and knee high shoes have become extremely commercialized. They can be seen on stage by your favorite pop artists such as Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter. Grande embraced this style as she embarked on her solo music journey, being spotted in them since 2015. It’s clear Carpenter took some inspiration from Ariana; finishing up the U.S. leg of her “Short ‘n Sweet Tour,” she can be seen wearing glittery silver platform heels with heart cutouts on the sides. Little did you know, that style you see on stage was appropriated from sex worker culture. The heels are seen as a powerful entity in order to accentuate lines that came from photographs taken of individual workers.
Crop Tops
Today, crop tops are normalized and worn by all shapes, sizes and gender identities. This trend began as a cultural phenomenon in the late 1960s and 1970s dominating America as sexual liberation and self-expression were running rampant. Even though they were seen as raunchy and exploratory, men started challenging gender norms by wearing them cut at different lengths for the same reason as women. Nowadays in American society, they’re worn by teens in a more casual manner due to their ease, practicality and versatility. However, it was the 2010s that solidified their placement in society. Having influencers, celebrities and designers reimagining them by styling and designing them to be loose and flowy or structured and more form fitting. This allowed for numerous individuals being introduced and accustomed to the fashion of the modern age.
Corsets
Although they trace back to around 1000 BC by the Minoan people of Crete, corsets didn’t start to become a staple in fashion until the Victorian era. Instead of ensuring modesty, originally they were all about highlighting the curvaceousness of the female figure through the boning structure. What once was a supportive undergarment has now shifted into a focal piece for numerous styles and outfits of all shapes and sizes. Bella Hadid was photographed leaving a New York Fashion Week event wearing a vintage Vivienne Westwood archival corset top, from her fall-winter 1993 collection. The piece completed with a kiss between Hercules and Omphale on the front. Although it may seem like corsets are for smaller and skinnier frames, Lizzo has been breaking the fashion mold for bigger bodies. She arrived at the 2022 Met Gala in a black Thom Browne cutout corset dress which perfectly fit the “Gilded Glamour” theme. The theme was intended to highlight the Met Costume Institute’s “In America: An Anthology of Fashion” exhibition. Lizzo’s corseted statement pieces have expanded the universe of fashion for all bodies; showcasing the versatility of fashion trends and clothing for everyone.
Latex Dresses
Fetishistic by nature and origin, latex and rubber dresses have been embraced by pop culture and have also made their way out of the dungeon. Just like corsets, the job performed by latex and rubber dresses is to define the natural body in a futuristic, new light. It’s seen as one of the most sensual fabrics out there and I couldn’t agree more. The goal is to attract attention and to push the limits that were previously held within the fashion industry. Designers utilizing the latex more and challenging the norms back then are one of the primary reasons for the destigmatization of latex dresses from its affiliation to sex worker culture. Moreover, style icon celebrities like Beyoncé and Halle Bailey have catapulted the material as a fierce and powerful statement within fashion as well. All eyes were on Beyoncé in 2016 when she arrived at the Met Gala wearing an embellished latex dress by Givenchy while taking a short break from her “Formation Tour.” Succeeding her mentor at the 2024 BET Awards, Halle Bailey showcased a backless black latex dress by Avellano. With latex dresses coming into the limelight increasingly every year, it’s important to note something. While the material is eye-catching and draws attention to the person fitted in it, it’s ultimately about how you feel about yourself wearing it. It symbolizes power, control and confidence, and I feel if you don’t embody one of those symbols then the piece won’t be presented in the same manner.