Notorious Wardrobe Malfunctions: Fashion Sense and Common Sense (Part 1 of a 2-part series)

Fashion is a multi-billion dollar industry.  

From New York to Los Angeles, from Paris to Milan, every fashion designer is vying for the buyer’s attention. Fashion designers, their models and the marketing teams work around the clock to create an all-encompassing campaign to appeal to all of our senses: visual, hearing, palate, olfactory, touch; and seek new ways to infiltrate our subconscious mind. And most, if not all, of their campaigns are highly successful.

Fashion impacts every product, service and industry in the global marketplace.

The ultimate goal for any designer is to create bespoke pieces and have an A-list celebrity or high-profile person wear their latest collection or market their product.

Regardless of the fashion industry and the media’s relentless marketing bombardment, we all have to use common sense in selecting the best designs for our physique, the occasion, and the environment. My personal fashion convictions include timeless and classic pieces that flow from season to season.

Many celebrities spend thousands of dollars on one outfit and accessories for a single occasion.

The average working American may spend that much on their entire wardrobe over several years.

In spite of the money spent and the texture of the fabric, there is still an occasional “wardrobe malfunction” or the lack of fashion sense.

During Super Bowl XXXVIII, Janet Jackson performed in the halftime show with Justin Timberlake. She was dressed in a pair of black, loose-fitting pants, black leather boots that laced up in the front, a black bustier with silver studs and red lace trimmed along the breast line. She topped it with a ¾-length, soft black leather duster decorated with silver studs as well.

At the end of the performance, Timberlake ripped a piece of the bustier off, exposing Jackson’s right breast and a “nipple guard” to millions of viewers.  The incident, referred to as “Nipplegate” in some forums, sparked national and international commentary from dozens of pundits, the music industry, the fashion industry and religious organizations worldwide.

Days after the performance, the Federal Communications Commission levied a $550,000 fine against CBS and Jackson for the exposure. It was later regarded as a “wardrobe malfunction.”

While promoting her latest CD in Germany during a live TV interview, Jennifer Lopez (J.Lo) adorned a long, flowing beige and black dress with a matching head band.  A strong wind started blowing and so did her dress.

Close save—nothing was exposed on the bottom. However, at some point during the interview, unbeknownst to her, her breast was exposed to the show’s host and millions of viewers.

Recently, Deshon Marman, 20, who is on a full athletic scholarship at the University of New Mexico, was asked by an airline official to pull up his pants before boarding US Airways flight 488 on June 15. Marman’s pants sagged below his buttocks exposing his underwear or pajama pants (reports vary).

After an adversarial conversation with airline officials and San Francisco authorities, Marman was de-planed and arrested for trespassing, battery and resisting arrest. Charges are pending.

A 65-year old Phoenix man, who enjoys wearing women’s clothing, boarded a US Airways flight on June 9.

He was dressed in a royal blue two-piece bikini set. He wore jet-black thigh-highs with an elastic lace band, and 3-inch patent leather heels. He accented his ensemble with a choker necklace and a white, sheer sweater with ¾-length sleeves. According to reports (www.sfgate.com), the scantily-clad man has worn women’s clothing for years, as he was able to board planes. At times, airline officials have asked him to cover up and at other times, they have not asked.

We communicate every day in every way by the way we dress, walk, smile, talk, smell and how we greet people. What we want to say will depend on what we are wearing. I have learned (and still learning) that people will treat us according to how we are dressed.

Our fashion sense, or the lack of it, speaks loud and clear without us uttering a word.

With the advent of technology and social media (FaceBook, Twitter, Twitter Deck, YouTube, online news publications and blogs) we must be attentive in what we are saying (writing) and wearing. Within minutes of any bad hair day or fashion faux pas, our fashion selections or flesh exposure may go viral!

Until then … exercise fashion sense and common sense simultaneously!