The Stepford Wives Dressing Page |
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| Most women dress to please each other, hoping to garner approval based on the latest trend and an unwritten code for style. The charm of a Stepford wife is in how she dresses to please her husband. While she should aim for a balance between feminine modesty and an excitement in the male gaze, the home is a perfect place to dress as one's husband pleases, far from the prying eyes of the public. A misconception about the "uniform" of the Stepford wife was propagated by director Bryan Forbes in his 1975 movie version of Ira Levin's book. While the original Stepford wives dressed in tight sweaters and skirts, Forbes reformulated the wardrobe into frumpy Victorian-style frocks in order to hide his wife, actress Nanette Newman's figure. Nowadays, dressing like a Stepford wife conjures up images of homely women in flower-print shapeless dresses that go all the way to the floor. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Remember that the essence of a Stepford wife, first and foremost, is to appear pleasing to the male gaze. Therefore, a good physique, wrapped expertly, becomes a gift waiting to be opened behind the privacy of closed doors. So before you continue, remember the golden rule: Diet constantly, as the rewards of a frail body will not only accentuate the feminine helplessness, but also the fashion sketch lines in the silhouette that men love. The Stepford Bow
The bow blouse (or in more traditional 1950s style, the bowed suit) combined with a suit, or worn alone is a signature piece in the Stepford wardrobe. Not to be confused with the "pussy bow" blouse, which has an unusually large bow and was characteristically worn during the 1980s, the Stepford bow consists of a neat bow, tied specifically as one would a traditional ribbon bow on a present. The signature Stepford bow should be preferably white or solid light colors, worn with modest daywear styles that cover up your body when out and about. This simultaneously hints that we are gifts that await to be unwrapped, but only in the privacy of our homes, behind close doors, at the disposal only, of our husbands. Furthermore, the bow enhances the Stepford wife's role as one that is purely decorative: to complete a man's look at the side of his arm but otherwise, utterly useless when away from the home. Garter Belts (Dressing Sexy at Bedtime)
Ever wondered why the most lavish lingerie is bought and worn (only once) for a wedding's honeymoon night? Sure, it may last for several weeks, but eventually couples fall into practicality, opting for comfort and a good night's sleep versus the high maintenance of dressing sexy at bedtime. Men are limited in what they can wear to bed, but not so, for the diligent Stepford wife. While it is true that bedtime is a time for night creams, leave-in conditioners, and assorted skin improvement practices, a Stepford wife should always dress sexy to welcome her man to bed. While any place any time is the mantra of the unceasingly available Stepford wife, she should make sure that the bedroom is especially inviting to her man after a day out in the harsh world. The girdle was around since the early 20th century. Garter belts, a shortening of the girdle design came around the 20s. It was a lingerie that was worn by girls who were in better shape. Because they did not need the body-flattering enhancement offered by the girdle, the garter belt was the primary domain of women who were fit. Needless to say, women in shape and in garter belts soon took imagination of men by storm. They were featured on pinups, calendars, posters, and on the sides of American bombers and fighter planes. The garter belt is essentially associated with the male fantasy, even though girls-on-the-go initially wore it as a less constricting alternative to the girdle. Today, the garter belt continues to be featured on spreads and photos in male magazines such as FHM and Maxim. Therefore, if there's one indispensable piece in a Stepford wife's bedroom wardrobe, it should undoubtedly be the garter belt. Wear yours with a non-elastic top thigh hi stockings (many modern thigh hi stockings have a sure-grip band at the top, making them difficult to use with a garter belt's fasteners) such as the ones in the vintage era. You can wear them comfortably to bed with matching panties. The Stepford Wives Organization recommends you try wearing them without panties occasionally, to entice your husband to help himself if he's in need and you happen to be asleep. It's also fun to wear a full garter belt ensemble and greet your hubbie at the door with a martini at the end of his workday. Stepfordwives.org recommends you to switch between lingerie styles, always remembering to keep it tasteful and never stray into gaudiness. Whatever you decide on, just make sure that allure always take priority over comfort. Pleasing our men should be our first concern, and there's no better place to do it than in the bedroom.
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This site was last updated on February 26, 2010 8:45pm.
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