British Girls Wear Less: Why?

Thighs bare, a bit of tummy exposed and feeling the full bite of the night’s chill as we hobble towards the club in towering stilettos. Looks like the vodka shots during pre-drinks weren’t quite enough to shield from the cold air and the already blistering feet.

It’s a standard procedure for a girls’ night out in the cities of Britain; we seem to assume that dressing to impress means wearing less when it comes to hitting the bars and clubs.

Indeed, what would be deemed a totally unacceptable and inappropriate outfit when worn during the day becomes customary clothing for a night out on the town. There’s daywear and there’s nightwear; that tends to be how a British girl’s wardrobe works.

But take a look across the channel, and things are quite different. French girls are rarely seen in garments that reveal such an extensive amount of skin when out at a soirée.

On the contrary, mademoiselles will go out for drinks and a dance in jeans and a stylish yet suitable top, not to mention a classy but comfortable pair of shoes that they can comfortably walk in without the support of a tottering friend.

And what does this disparity say about British and French girls? One would assume it is obvious; that British young ladies are more willing, more available, more, dare I say it, slutty.

But no, I don’t think it’s quite that simple.

Some well-travelled French guys I recently spoke to revealed an interesting observation with regards to this topic. They told me, very assuredly, that while British girls wear a lot less, they are by no means more ‘easy’ than French girls. In fact, they claimed that they are, if anything, more difficult to chat up.

My informants explained that although British girls’ clothing would suggest that they are ‘up for it’, cleavage on show and bottoms nearly out, they often in fact hold reservations when approached by a guy.

While they may be flattered by the compliment, and may even remain chatting to the suitor for a few minutes, the encounter will often end in the girl denying a dance and walking back to her friends.

I was told that French girls, on the other hand, will generally be happy to remain conversing with the new admirer if there is a mutual attraction.

This ironic discovery came as a surprise to the French lads, but allow me to offer a feasible explanation…

In fact, one could say that the revealing clothes worn by British girls are what creates this barrier against approaching men. If we have everything on show, how can we ever know if the male-interest is genuine, or simply driven by the sight of the flesh we exhibit?

Meanwhile, ladies who sport more modest attire (like so many of the French) are not so plagued by this issue of uncertainty about the motives of advancing men.

If they are not outwardly provoking attention and flaunting themselves, what is there to suggest to a man that they can make shallow advances? Nothing.

So why, I ask, do we Brits do it? If it is not because of some inherent tendency to be more ‘slutty’, and ultimately only creates a constant distrust towards anyone of the opposite sex, it’s hard to justify the reason we put ourselves through the biting cold and discomfort when we go out.

Indeed, as a British girl myself, I am a self-confessed crop top and denim hotpant wearer. However, a few months in Paris has driven me to question myself and the population of young females I’ve left behind in Britain…

While provocative clothing on nights out may have simply become the popular British ‘style’, all the tiny garments and lofty heels essentially do is reduce our trust in men, make us look like tarts and give us colds and blisters the next day. A worthy get-up? I think not.

What do you think is the main reason behind this huge cultural difference behind two countries which are, from a global perspective, not that different? Let us know in comments.