Changing Fashion: Building An Erotic Capital

Quick and Easy Illustrations by Mai Manaloto

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Fashion at its core is change. These changes dictate the trends that come to be. Fashion’s responsibility is to identify the new 'it' clothing silhouette that stimulates the interest to a particular body part. This specific body part now becomes the erogenous zone.

Gone are the days when fashion was simply just about beautiful garments. What if I tell you that fashion is power? Whether it be for personal or organizational endeavor.  In this blog post, I want to discuss what really the lure in fashion is.

In this discourse I am guided by the 'shifting erogenous zone' theory by James Laver who is an art and fashion historian and critic.

He stated "the erogenous zone is always shifting and it is the business of fashion to pursue it without ever catching up" (1993[1937]:383).

The idea behind his theory is about how certain parts of the body are considered erotic or stimulating and how fashion, in turn, finds a way to enhance the lure towards that particular body part through the means of clothing. However, as time passes the appeal of that part fades due to over exposure. Therefore, another body part must be hailed as the new erogenous zone.

To give you an example, I’ve observed that garments that show off the shoulder lines are very prevalent today. Off-shoulder styles can be found in just about any outlet out there in the Philippines. This trend gives emphasis to the neckline until the upper chest line and therefore creates interest towards these body parts.

But once the thrill of seeing the neck and chest area is gone, a new body part such as the legs or back may perhaps become the new erogenous zone. Therefore bottoms such as skirts and shorts will be in trend as well as tops with back details because these garments highlight such erogenous zones.

As I posted in my previous blog, fashion builds curiosity through the simple process of concealment. The excitement this creates forms an 'erotic capital' for the wearer as it has the ability to maintain interest.

Clothing has the power to conceal and reveal the body concurrently and thus, it has the ability to appear erotic and moral altogether. Fashions’ capacity to have both opposing concepts working harmoniously is power, which is why the interest in the industry keeps growing. It creates a sense of uniqueness and conformity that appeal to a lot of people. And that is why, ladies and gentlemen, fashion is here to stay.