A viral video shared to Instagram has sparked conversations after a woman showed how she changes her outfit choice, depending on whom she is dressing for.
Richelle Zhang showed viewers two separate dresses, which, while both stunning, gave off completely different vibes. The poster said that one was aimed toward the male gaze, while the other was styled under the female one.
While, to the untrained eye, both looks may simply be a girl in a dress, the cuts, shapes, colors and patterns all appeal differently to different genders. The video, shared to her Instagram @richelle_zh last week, gained over 7.5 million views and more than 410,000 likes as viewers descended onto the comments section to share their opinions on her two contrasting looks.
The first dress, tailored toward the male gaze, features a plunging neckline, figure-hugging fit and uses a bright red color, symbolizing passion and love, as well as danger and aggression.
Her second option was chosen for its appeal under the female gaze, with tight and constricting fabrics ditched in favor of a soft, open neckline and full and flowing skirt. It's not just the style that is softer, but also the colors, with calming whites and blues used on in the fabric's feminine floral print.
NIFT stylist Marion Perles told Newsweek: "Dressing for a gaze means selecting your outfit with primary consideration of how it will be perceived from either a male or female perspective. In other words, do you dress to impress a man or a woman?
"There is a common stereotype that, to please the male gaze, one must wear more revealing clothes, while women might appreciate trendy, sometimes oversized outfits. A woman dressing for the female gaze is thought to focus more on fashion trends rather than aiming to look sexy."
While altering your outfit choice depended on the gaze you are hoping to catch is common, there is one other gaze the fashion stylist thinks is overlooked: your own.
Perles said: "The primary goal of styling an outfit should be to dress for yourself. While receiving compliments from both men and women is always nice, everyone is different. You can feel sexy in baggy trousers or a mini skirt, and you should never feel obligated to dress to satisfy a specific gaze."
What Do the Comments Say?
There was a clear divide in the comments between different genders' preferences, but some went against the grain when it came to their preferred style.
"First I was like 'that dress looks so good on her'. But when I saw the 2nd one.....I screamed internally, because, yes you look fantastic and yes I want that dress," wrote one woman.
"Am i the only woman who prefers the first dress?" asked a second.
One woman who preferred the first option posted: "Oh nah I'm no better then a man then."
Newsweek reached out to Zhang for comment via Instagram.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Lollie is Newsweek's Beauty and Self Care Reporter based in London, U.K. In her role, she covers a range of ... Read more
