For whom do you dress?

Two days ago in class I mentioned when a girl goes out to the bars, she tends to wear her "come take me home tonight" blouse and jeans. After the comment, the professor leaned back against his desk and asked, "How many of you wear your 'come take home' outfits when you go out?" All of the girls looked around and no one raised a hand, including myself. Simultaneously a football player looked around and said "Liars."\nLiars indeed!\nBy "come take me home tonight," I mean the low-cut camisole with lace, and dark booty jeans and heels. It could even be more extreme and involve a skirt and legs opening underneath a table. The point is that the sexuality is revealed, but inconspicuously. \nSpeaking for the female sex, I know what men like. If women didn't, the population wouldn't be so out of control. As a woman, I also know fashion has great power when it comes to hanging out with the girls at the bars. If women dressed solely for guys, I don't think fashion would be such a consideration as much as color, individuality and sexiness.\nSo for whom do women dress? Going out to the bars is very social and women tend to go with other women. So the dress is sexy, but not too sexy. When a girl is going to meet a beau or go to an event, she will change to cute girl from a hyper-sexualized version of herself. In my case, when I am with a guy as his companion of some sort, I like to look as feminine as possible. All women know men are highly visual creatures, and as much as we hate to admit it, we like this knowledge because it gives us power. \nOn the other hand, no one wants to be the slut within the girl circle -- or the outcast. Unfortunately, women also use fashion to tear into each other. Fashionista and fashion writer Dena Downham lives by the rule that women should shop alone. Friends can be more than critical of what one woman picks out. You could pick out a champagne brocade skirt and look totally hot, but your friends or mother will say you won't. They will encourage you to buy something that reflects their taste more than your own. More times than not, you look crazy. The embroidered skirt is out the window, but military green pants are hot. Not the heel, but the ballerina flat. Most people who know if you are going to buy clothes for me, it would be wise to give me the money so I can buy them myself. \nShopping alone gives women the liberty to pick out something they genuinely like and makes them feel confident. I would rather dress for men and me. I love fashion, so I dress how I like it. I like men, so low-cut shirts in sparkly colors are also in my closet. As much as I like hanging out with the girls, I love being able to express my independence through dress. I believe there is power and dress, and women should accept that power and use their resources.