For some reason, Old Oligarch more often than not sends me into rant mode. Not sure why, just must be talent. Usually I just mutter to myself, but this time I must call BULLSHIT!

Old Oligarch talks about women and modest dress, and specifically mentions women’s bathing suits. Don’t get me wrong—I’m not necessarily disagreeing with him on the state of women’s clothing. I work in a university; I know precisely how bad things can get.

However.

The female body is no more evil or dangerous than the male body. Modesty in dress should be important to females AND to males. If you think that the female chest should be covered, then you should also believe that the male chest should be covered. If Daisy Dukes are immodest, then so are men’s running shorts. If one sees the human body as something that should be treated respectfully with modest dress, than such treatment should apply equally to men and women.

Let me say one more time: Women’s bodies are not inherently dangerous. Women’s bodies are not inherently evil. If we believe that women’s bodies should be covered, then we must also believe that men’s bodies should be covered.

If most women look ridiculous wearing cropped tops and short shorts, men look no less foolish in running shorts and a bare chest.

As far as swimwear goes, my thoughts are this: If you’re in the water swimming, it doesn’t much matter what you’re wearing, as long as it’s comfortable and doesn’t hinder you. I own a one piece swimsuit, and when I wear it I’m seen as I walk to the pool, and as I walk from the pool. The rest of the time I’m in the water swimming laps, and you can’t tell what I’m wearing. So I’d say the problem is as much why we are wearing as what we’re wearing.

However.

I strongly believe modest dress is a matter of choice. I think that many people today dress atrociously. Hideously. I often wish I had a camera so I could show people precisely how they look, because I’m pretty sure they don’t really know.

But that is their choice. I do wish that people would learn how to dress in a flattering manner, and that fashion styles would take such things into consideration. No one fashion looks good on every person, but you’ll never hear that from the fashion industry. But people have the right to look terrible if they choose. (If nothing else it provides hours of entertainment for me and my co-workers.)

I suppose it comes down to why we dress the way we do: the deep-down honest reasons. If you dress in a way that makes you feel good about yourself, and allows you to feel comfortable, then you’re dressed correctly. But if you’re dressing solely to impress other people, to get their attention, then you’re doing it wrong.