Post #2: Ads and how they portray genders:

Throughout my dress practice interview I noticed a theme of mood with how one dresses. For example, Kevin stated that when he is not feeling that good, he’ll wear sweatpants or jeans; but if he is feeling good For this Calvin Klein ad, they are reintroducing one of their signature scents, from 1994 and attempting to show it to a new audience in 2018. This fragrance is considered a unisex scent, in order to put this message across each model is dressed gender neutrality. Through this ad they are enhancing the original idea of the fragrance and that is to blur the lines of gender boundaries and offer a type of freedom to this idea of gender. From what we wear everyday ultimately to what fragrance we chose to wear, gender is embedded in our everyday routines. It is like Kaiser says, “Gender becomes an everyday process of the body” (Kaiser, 2012, pg. 121), but Calvin Klein is attempting to make gender not a part of fragrances. Thinking about the garments in this ad and how they are enhancing the idea of gender neutrality, it is apparent to see that no one is over masculine or over feminine; but rather everyone is dressed rather similarly, this increasing the idea of a unisex fragrance. While Calvin Klein could have had the women in this ad pictured in more form fitting garments, they are placed in loose fitting clothes and boots, just like the men in the photo. The only person in the photo who is not dressed neutral is the man who has his shirt off. I believe by doing this it brings back the idea of gender, nonetheless I think it is interesting how they chose to do this to only one person.

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