Sundresses are among the many clothing items that have gained massive popularity on the internet over the past few years. These dresses are lightweight and made from breathable material, making them a perfect match for the sunny days of summer. That said, a majority of interest in these dresses doesn’t come from the women who wear them, but from men.
On social media sites like TikTok and Instagram, young men are the largest audience in various sundress trends that have popped up. While some might just like how these dresses look, a large amount of this interest seems to reflect the ever-changing societal gender and political norms in society.
Since the rise of feminism and the MeToo movement, women’s fashion has begun shifting away from being centered around the male gaze. While some still often dress with others in mind, it’s more common for women to dress for themselves. The interest in sundresses from men seems to be an echo of the rising interest in traditional values and a byproduct of the tradwife and cottagecore fashion movements. These movements have evolved to promote a more conservative and traditionalist attire that is nostalgic of mid-20th-century fashion.
Additionally, to these men, seeing the sundress on women is less about appreciating the fashion and more about getting sexual pleasure from women’s bodies. There is nothing wrong with finding a particular clothing item attractive to a person. However, when trends like these promote the idea that every woman should dress, it becomes a problem.
