Brostek 5
Emily Brostek
Professor Lotier
English 137H
October 30 th
, 2012
The Erogenous Shift of Fashion
In the world of fashion, Heidi Klum tells us “One day you are in and the next day you are out.” This famous saying from Klum’s show “Project Runway” accurately portrays the shift in fashion throughout the past century. Fashion is a direct reflection of the culture of the time period. The atmosphere of the time period, be it a time of war or economic boom, places a standard on the use of sex appeal in clothing. The gradual shift of emphasis on sex appeal has shaped and formed style over the past century. The present day trend of exposure in most clothing suggests a high placement of a woman’s allure and attraction in everyday life. Fashion dictates the ideal sex appeal for body type as well as style choice of the time. The shift from wearing covered clothing to wearing no clothes at all is a “fashion statement” that is the result of a slow progression of the different views of sex appeal throughout history.
The Seduction Principle is defined as the manufacturing of clothes with a “sexconscious” appeal in women’s clothing (Worsnop 4). The idea focuses on the highlighting feminine silhouettes that are seen as alluring and attractive during that time period. The
Seduction Principle is used throughout each decade of the 20 th
century and is key in the manipulation of fashion trends in the United States. This principle is evident throughout fashion history and executed in the style of all women’s clothing in cut, material, and color. “Fashion designers keep eroticism alive, numerous psychologists have pointed out, by continually altering

Brostek 5 the emphasis accorded to various parts of the female body. This alteration of emphasis is sometimes called ‘the shifting erogenous zone’” (Worsnop 4). This “shifting erogenous zone” in fashion guides trends in each decade of fashion.
During the “Roaring Twenties”, the shift in the United States’ lifestyle gave new liberation in clothing. The short “flapper” dress was introduced and it characterized the party atmosphere that surged in America after World War I.
“The skimpy, unfettered female attire of the 1920s was regarded as symbolic of woman's social and political emancipation” (Shaffer 5).
With this new liberation came a sex appeal focused on a woman’s legs, which before this time rarely had been a focal point of the female attraction. As a result of this erogenous shift, “It was during this period that the silk stocking, the high heel, and the colored slipper became necessities” (Shaffer 6). Each of these statements in fashion drew strong attention to the sex appeal in legs. Bright colors, fringe, and excessive jewelry also became crucial in fashion because they represented a sign of wealth or “new money”. In the 1920s, money was the most appealing quality and it was important to emphasize your wealth and class in your outfit (Shaffer
6).
Sex appeal shifted in the thirties with the outbreak of the Great Depression. The use of flashy colors and clothing immediately plummeted from style as a result of the economic turmoil. The use of color in clothing was too reflective of the times of the twenties which were marked as a successful time (Worsnop 5). The shift to darker colors was a direct response to the turmoil of the Great Depression. Fashion trends were not as pronounced during this decade because few Americans could afford it. Sex appeal however still managed to shape the way clothing was fitted and cut. The new style focused around elongating clothing to reflect the more serious tone of the depression. Since showing legs was no longer the trend, “the back became the

Brostek 5 new focus of erotic appeal” (Worsnop 5). The back of a dress involved a large “V” shape gap between a woman’s shoulders ending just at her waist. This style lasted minimally throughout the time period since the “elegance” of the back was viewed as an upper class trend that most middle class Americans could not wear during the depression. Fashion during the period was downplayed and not as successful because sex appeal was not as highly sought out during a time of such trouble in America.
Throughout the late 40s and 50s, the “housewife” style was made to idealize women as a perfect form of elegance in the comfort of their own home. The new form of sex appeal for this type of woman was seen in the narrowed waist (Shaffer 8). Dresses modeled a synched middle to make the bust appear larger as well as compliment a slim figure. This style was a modern interpretation of a silhouette modeled in the late 1800s; “The dominant look for women was the
“S-curve,” a corseted style that thrust the chest out in one direction and the buttocks out in the other” (Benenson 6). This new curved style dress reflected the attitude of the time in which
World War II had ended and the United States searched for a return to “normalcy”. “Normalcy” consisted of a modest, toned down sex appeal in clothing. The erogenous shift from showing the backless dresses to hourglass shaped dresses shows how the sex appeal of the time dictates the fashion of the public.
The 60s brought about the modest look of Jackie Kennedy and the elegance of her fashion choices (Benenson 8). The signature look of an upper class woman was seen in tall hats, short veils, and business dress attire. However, the youth of the 60s and 70s focused on the rebellion against the modest lifestyle and family life of the generations before them. Sex appeal was a “ground breaking” part of the fashion revolution during this time. Blue jeans became the ultimate symbol of the youth and a new type of depiction for attractive legs. “Worn skintight, a

Brostek 5 style adopted from the disco scene, these pants were treated more like couture than casual wear”
(Benenson 8). The erogenous shift of the 60s and 70s moved from the back or waist to legs.
Jeans accentuated a woman’s hips and legs as well as symbolized the overall liberation of the woman wearing them. Wearing jeans immediately sent a message of the woman as a free spirit individual, which was alluring and desirable during this time.
The 80s and 90s sex appeal brought about a high use of loud color and individuality. Sex appeal had never been more prominent in clothing before these two decades. “With the growth of the ready-to-wear industry and the freedom of women to earn their own living, almost every woman now has enough cash to adorn herself with at least a minimum of fashionable clothing”
(Shaffer 6). As a result of increased female involvement in the work place, fashion became a more prominent statement to a broader spectrum of women. The hemlines of skirts dropped drastically making miniskirts for business as well as casual a popular theme. Legs remained the focal point of attention and attraction in fashion. As a result of this erogenous focal point, fashion tights and leggings became a style trend that modeled the slim figure of a woman and allowed for skirts to be short without coming off as class-less (Shaffer 6).
The current fashion of today shows a fluctuation of high waist shorts and bandeau bras, used to highlight large chests, slim stomachs, and tone legs. The erogenous shift of today focuses so many parts of the female body that clothing is made to show more skin than ever before.
Even the materials of our clothing are based on showing the ideal slim waistline through the use of transparent fabrics. Tight spandex material is also used to tighten the body and conform to the ideal skinny figure. Legs are still highlighted as important use of sex appeal in fashion and are accentuated with the use of new platform heels. This takes the platform of the 70s and morphs it

Brostek 5 into a more attractive way to elongate the leg (Shaffer 9). A large chest is idealized in modern society and fashion uses cropped shirts to accentuate a woman’s curves.
Sex appeal has determined the past and present fashion concepts in United States history.
The erogenous shift of attraction to female body parts has molded by the time period and exemplified in clothing style. Throughout history this shift has brought back styles and modified them to accurately progress the idea of sex appeal in clothing. I predict that the future of fashion will continue to focus on different parts of a feminine figure to base clothes around. Following the patterns of the past, the future of fashion will shed light on the alluring and daring new looks showing more skin on women.

Brostek 5
Works Cited
Benenson, R. (1985). The world of fashion. Editorial research reports 1985 (Vol. I). Washington,
DC: CQ Press. Retrieved from http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre1985032200
Shaffer, H. B. (1958). Business of fashion. Editorial research reports 1958 (Vol. II). Washington,
DC: CQ Press. Retrieved from http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre1958080600
Worsnop, R. L. (1971). Fashion world. Editorial research reports 1971 (Vol. I). Washington,
DC:CQ Press. Retrieved from http://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre1971041400