Dress for Occasion and Self-respect

John T. Molloy, the guru of the popular "Dress for Success" fames, shows over and over how both experience and research proves what, if we're honest, we already know-that how we dress and how we present ourselves affects how we look at ourselves, our self-confidence, and how others respond.

What we wear says something not as much about fashion and style, but about our self-confidence and how we feel about who we are and who we want to be. We're wired to respond to what we see, and we make judgments accordingly. Fashion styles about clothes are a good example.

What fashion styles are advertised for women-especially young women? Many stores fill their racks with clothing fashion styles that mimic those worn by such entertainment sirens as Brittany Spears, Christina Aguilera and others. The clothing fashion styles of celebrities is often meant to entice and seduce. Fashion style clothing is often cut low on top and high from the bottom, and little is left to the imagination. While some may see this as a boost to self-confidence, the results instead often just makes them feel cheap and manipulative.

Unfortunately, celebrity fashion styles have spawned a host of wannabee teens and pre-teens, many who have no idea of the seductive power and danger of those fashion styles. Now, even very young girls parade in tube tops and barely there skirts that they think are appropriate fashion style clothing. As for swimsuits, why, just looking at the scraps called swimwear is embarrassing. Finding something that covers appropriately is an almost impossible fashion assignment, unless you are willing to look in other departments, such as sportswear.

Each of us is responsible for choices we make, both good and bad. This includes fashion style clothing choices for ourselves and our families. Our choices either encourages self-confidence or strips it away.

No one has the right to assault another regardless of his or her choice of clothing. Barely-there fashion style clothing is never an excuse for an assault! Nonetheless, we need to deal in reality and teach our children that the clothing styles they wear do make a difference, both in how they view themselves and in how others see them. It makes all the difference in lasting or fleeting self-confidence. In certain situations, fashion style choice could even make a difference between life and death, though most of the time, such choices are not so dramatic.

How we dress, the clothing style we choose, sends subtle and not so subtle messages. I don't want clothing chosen for myself for those I care about to evoke inappropriate ideas in the thoughts of those to whom we come in contact. Nor do I want this clothing fashion style to further entice someone who may have some rather perverted things in mind. I want to dress, and those I care about-like children dress, in a way that boosts self-confidence, looks great and is age appropriate

Too many of today's fashion clothing selections-even for the very young-are nothing less than clothing designed to seduce. Should we be surprised that they succeed all too well?

It is time we stop pandering to the marketers whose goal is simply money, not our safety or well being. It is time we let them know we won't be swayed by their choices and make the effort to find suitable styles that flatter, not seduce. Most of all, we need to stand firm when our teenage darling claims, "But everyone dresses like this!"

Leave the dressing to seduce to the entertainer. I'd rather dress in a way that says I respect myself. It's a whole lot safer, and, at the end of the day, I like myself a whole lot better.