Is it subtle or blatant? It is blatant when you understand what you are looking at and why it’s portrayed that way. From its own home page, Amazon’s fashion sexism is plainly visible.
Take a look at how men and women are portrayed differently in adverting, especially in the fashion industry. This screen grab from Amazon’s home page is a perfect example.
The woman’s face is partially obscured. She is not allowed to look at you and is forced to look down. She is off balance and vulnerable. The men are fully visible. They look straight at you. They are firmly planted and confident. The woman is passive and alone. The men are active and in solidarity.
This type of portrayal is found throughout the corporate media–in advertising, fashion, entertainment, even so-called news. Women are predominantly shown as weak and demure. Men are predominantly shown as strong and forceful. Keep an eye open for it and you will really be amazed how hidden in plain sight are these instances of fashion sexism.
Everywhere we see such sexist denigration of women in the name of fashion.