Who Do You Dress To Impress? - women comment on how they dress

Marie Claire, Dec, 2001 by Leah Paulos

Everyone dresses for someone: It could be your fashionista girlfriends or the guy in the next office. Here, seven women show off their personal styles and explain whether they dress for men, women--or themselves

* Clothes have a big impact on my self-esteem. When I'm well put-together, I feel powerful and strong. That confidence gives me a desirable, sexy glow that men really respond to. For me, dressing for guys isn't about squeezing myself into revealing outfits. It's about feeling good in my skin and having men appreciate that. For a recent date, I dressed casually in low-cut Gap jeans, a fitted camouflage top, and a belt with a silver buckle. The outfit showed off my toned waist and slim bips, and I felt great. When my date came to the door, he stood still for a minute and looked me up and down. Then he said, "Just give me a minute to take you in." My confidence skyrocketed.

I never feel pressure to wear designer labels, because, unlike women, men aren't label-conscious. Most men are attracted to a woman--or not--based on her overall look and her self-assuredness. I like to mix modern, minimalist looks from small urban designers, like Parallel and Vivienne Tam, with classic basics from the Gap and Maxstudio.com. I also wear lots of pretty, fitted Nanette Lepore dresses and capri pants with sweater sets. I never dress as if I'm someone I'm not. I've found that my style makes many men want to get to know me in a more profound way-and lets them see that I'm witty and engaging.

"I aim to get a reaction from women--appreciation or envy."

* I love to be fashionable, and other women recognize that. My fun, hip sense of style emerged in college, when I realized that clothes are just another way of communicating. When I dress, I aim to get a reaction from women--whether it's appreciation or envy. I feel most attractive in halter tops and skirts from Club Monaco, bebe, and Institut.

A recent ex--whose fashion sense began and ended at the Gap--objected to my some of my bolder outfits. But I explained that my look is about exuding confidence. For example, I own a pair of cream and red high-heel bowling shoes. They are very funky, not at all like the classic stilettos men find so alluring. Every woman I meet compliments my shoes, but my male friends find them just plain odd.

It's harder to get women to notice your style. They're not aroused by a glimpse of thigh; they care more about the fabric, the cut, the color. Dressing for women is like dressing for myself.

"Guys like it when a woman shows some leg."

* I like to think I always look "bam!" I love to dress up, and 90 percent of the time, I do it for men. I'm single, and it's a no-brainer that sexy clothing attracts them. Guys appreciate it when a woman shows some leg, and my legs go on for days. I always wear items that accentuate my gym-toned body, like dresses with slits up the sides and sexy stilettos. But don't get me wrong: I don't wear hoochie-mama clothing. In fact, once I meet man and we make a date, I dress casually sexy, in a pair of Levi's, a cute halter top, and heels.

I'm sure some women are jealous of my style. I've noticed them look me over and then cut their eyes away. A lot of people think I'm a model, because I'm tall and slim. Once, I was stopped on the street and photographed for a newspaper's style story. I was wearing dark shades and a black spandex dress I sewed myself; I was the epitome of cool.

The only drawback to the way I dress is that though plenty of men approach me, many are surprised to find that I'm also quite intelligent. But I have never felt misrepresented--the men who are secure enough to keep talking to me are the only ones I'm interested in, anyway.

"I want to be visible next to my girlfriends."

* I dress to impress my trendy, fashion-conscious female friends. My friend Jenny has been my fashion guru for years--ever since one of our friends hosted a "purge-n-swap." A group of us got together and traded clothes we no longer wanted for items we liked better. One woman held up a frumpy oxford shirt and dark blue slacks and said, "This looks like Sophfronia." My heart sank, because I knew it was true: My style was dull. I turned to Jenny and said, "I want to dress dangerously."

From that day on, I started shopping for tighter, brighter clothes at high-end department stores and hip boutiques. For basics, I go to inexpensive stores, like Express. When choosing an outfit, I consider what my girlfriends would think of it. I want them to see how far I've come--and I also want to be visible next to them. I like impressing them with my new Diane von Furstenberg tank dress and my well-fitting Frankie B. pants.

My husband appreciates my clothing, too, but all he sees is his attractive, stylish wife. He doesn't notice the details, like the designer labels or the way I incorporate the season's hottest looks into my existing wardrobe. My friends do. In fact, one of my friends recently told me that I always look stunning. It was the best compliment.