The Playboy Logo As Girly Fashion Accessory

[mke]

A few months ago I read an article somewhere about how Playboy is rebranding its logo and targeting clothes and accessories towards teenagers and women. From what I can see, it's working pretty well. Hell, just today I got a catalogue for a relatively staid discount random-stuff store that's selling a Playboy-logo'd bedspread. I have no idea who would want to sleep with the logo, or why. With no playmates involved.

More importantly, I was wondering why girls and young women are so attracted to the bunny. On a visual level, it's a cute, great logo. But are they unaware of its porn origins? Do they know, but not care? Do they know and approve?

I've seen plenty of Pornstar brand t-shirts, but never worn by girls. I'm genuinely puzzled.

[jazzy mary]

I just looked at the "pornstar" shirts--no wonder they are all on sale!!

I can't imagine any woman in her right mind wearing such shirts.

Yesterday I was at Bendels, and at the make-up counter I saw all these cosmetics with the Playboy logo on them. I didn't look at them.

The Playboy logo is near & dear to me. I read my dad's Playboy magazines religiously when I was a kid. I was amazed by it all. I liked the interviews too--really!

Now, when I look back at the Playboy stuff, I can see it's pretty tacky--but I was really fascinated by it when I was a kid. Still am, in a way, but in a *good* way.


Oh, but to answer your questions--I think wearing anything w/ the Playboy logo would be in bad taste.

[mke]

But beyond bad taste, I'm wondering what kind of message girls/young women think they are projecting. And they definitely intend to project a message, since fashion-concious women don't dress at random. I just can't figure out which one(s).

[jazzy mary]

I guess a sexy, trashy image? Also, maybe a tongue in cheek, turn the tables kindof irony. Doesn't work, imho.

[kedoane]

I think that wearing anything with the Playboy logo will be in bad taste. I wouldn't wear it.

[GoodSpeak]

I dunno.

Not all Playboy logo use is bad...

[John L]

Originally Posted by jazzy mary

I guess a sexy, trashy image? Also, maybe a tongue in cheek, turn the tables kindof irony. Doesn't work, imho.

Hey, wait a minute. My daughter wears the Playboy logo sometimes!

[mke]

Originally Posted by John L

Hey, wait a minute. My daughter wears the Playboy logo sometimes!

What does she think of it?

[Rob C]

There's a Family Guy episode where uncool teen Meg is shopping with her mom, Lois, who is trying to help her pick out some new clothes to improve her image:

Lois: Oh, what about this, Meg? A pink baby-tee that says "Little Slut." That seems pretty hip.

Meg: I don't know if that's really me, Mom.

Lois: Well, they've got one that says "Porn Star" and another that says "Sperm Dumpster." And they're all written in glitter.

Meg: All right, all right. Give me "Sperm Dumpster."

Lois: That's the spirit!

If I had a daughter[God forbid...Heaven help me..] and she wore the logo I'd kick her ass/restrict her til she's 30. Anyhow I suspect that most young girls and women have a secret desire to do porn, for whatever reason; plus it's the ultimate rebellious act.

[claude]

Originally Posted by jazzbluescat

Anyhow I suspect that most young girls and women have a secret desire to do porn

That sounds like more than a little bit of wishful thinking

[Doc Martin]

Originally Posted by John L

Hey, wait a minute. My daughter wears the Playboy logo sometimes!

Mine too! (her mother is French )

[Doc Martin]

Originally Posted by claude

That sounds like more than a little bit of wishful thinking

To me, it sounds like a masturbatory mentality, kind of sad.

[jaka]

Referring to JBC's #10:

Originally Posted by Doc Martin

To me, it sounds like a masturbatory mentality, kind of sad.

To me, it sounds like one of the dumbest statements I've heard/read in a long time. And I'm French...

[jazzy mary]

Originally Posted by jazzbluescat

If I had a daughter[God forbid...Heaven help me..] and she wore the logo I'd kick her ass/restrict her til she's 30. Anyhow I suspect that most young girls and women have a secret desire to do porn, for whatever reason; plus it's the ultimate rebellious act.

uh, jazzbluescat. I think doing porn is probably one of the last things/desires in a girl (gross) or women's mind. Most women don't harbor a secret wish to be objectified and on view like that.

The women in porn come from some of the saddest backgrounds and are exploited (or at least were more so earlier in the "industry") terribly.

[cookie]

Originally Posted by jazzy mary

Most women don't harbor a secret wish to be objectified and on view like that.

The women in porn come from some of the saddest backgrounds and are exploited (or at least were more so earlier in the "industry") terribly.

I would agree with the "most" part, however, I think that more and more women are embracing the objectification of their bodies and sexual power. And sex is powerful. Yes, many poor young things turn to porn or prostitution to get by, but don't forget that there is an increasing market in upscale porn and prostitution. There are an increasing number of women who *want* to capitolize on their bodies and "free" attitudes toward sex. Some of it is ka-ching for the bling bling, but some of it is just the more permissive attitude toward sex in pop-culture. The growing popularity of strip clubs is evidence. Hell, they even have videos and stuff in which porn stars and strippers explain to middle-aged white women (the demographic buying the stuff) how to use milder sex-industry moves to keep their partner's attention fresh.

I don't think all women think that all porn is degrading. I still think "most" women want to be "solid citizens", but an increasing number of them see no confict between "solid citizen" and "sex worker."

I can imagine that there are probably a couple of cute Cornell engineering majors who have Playboy bunny jammies. Might their message be, "Despite my brains and my Ivy League education, I still embrace my joy in sex and my own sexiness."? Mmmmm.....dunno and I'm just imagining anyway.

Stuff like this make me glad I'm raising boys---not that they don't come with challenges all their own.

If I had a girl, I wouldn't buy the stuff for her and wouldn't allow it worn while she was living in my house and/or underaged. After she's an adult and on her own, it would be her decision replete with whatever consequences resulted.

The genie is out of the bottle and though the fundies try hard, it ain't going back.

[jazzy mary]

Thank God my girls don't like that stuff. My younger dresses like a cross between John Frusciante & Anthony Kiedes and my older has her Catholic school girl uniform or she wears skirts ( a wee too short, imho) or jeans. None of this midriff baring stuff or anything.

Actually, I don't think the girls who wear the Playboy logo are "embracing their sexuality" or whatever. It seems a bit too obvious to me. The sexiest women don't necessarily dress provocatively but they do have a vibe.

[jaka]

Originally Posted by cookie

There are an increasing number of women who *want* to capitolize on their bodies and "free" attitudes toward sex.

(...)

Might their message be, "Despite my brains and my Ivy League education, I still embrace my joy in sex and my own sexiness."? Mmmmm.....dunno and I'm just imagining anyway.

Cookie,

Great interesting post, but there's a world between the above and a "secret desire to do porn".
I do hope that most (or more and more) women embrace their joy in sex, and are proud of their looking for a richer, more rewarding (call it what you want) sex life, but that doesn't make them long for working in the porn industry.

[Doc Martin]

Originally Posted by jaka

Cookie,

Great interesting post, but there's a world between the above and a "secret desire to do porn".
I do hope that most (or more and more) women embrace their joy in sex, and are proud of their looking for a richer, more rewarding (call it what you want) sex life, but that doesn't make them long for working in the porn industry.

That’s very true. Many women entertain a rape fantasy, this of course in no way means they actually want to be raped.

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by jazzy mary

My younger dresses like a cross between John Frusciante & Anthony Kiedes

Are those familiar names?

[jazzy mary]

Jaka, I agree. Doc., I'm not sure if women are really having a "rape" fantasy. As rape is really an assaultive crime that scares the hell out of women because they are afraid they may be killed..but more likely, the rape fantasy is a fantasy of being "taken" by a man or "forced" to succumb and well...uh, let me see..you know gently coaxed to do something or have something done to them. Or whatever....

[jazzy mary]

Originally Posted by Pete C

Are those familiar names?

Goddam, Pete! You are not hip to the Red Hot Chili Peppers?! Their new album is "Stadium Arcadium". They are on the cover of this month's Rolling Stone--they are the greatest rock band around and most importantly, my daughter's Liz's idols! And now they're her "friends". Please immediately go to my Alley thread "JM's Night w/ the Red Hot Chili Peppers"!! Thank you.

[cookie]

The "rape" fantasy is not universal. I think it's more about being completely swept away and physically dominated. That physical domination doesn't require the male to be coercive necessarily, but does require that the woman completely lose control of any initial resistance. I don't think that (most)women fantasize about being brutally assaulted, but I think some women fantasize about being overpowered by a man's sheer, insistent, sexual need and by being the "object" he *must* have,have now, and but passionately---even if now ain't a good time. In the end, it's not even so much about the male's domination, but about the woman's desire to surrender. JMO.

[jazzy mary]

There ya go, cookie! That's what I'm talking about. Hmmmm...

[Jimmy Cantiello]

Originally Posted by cookie

The "rape" fantasy is not universal. I think it's more about being completely swept away and physically dominated. That physical domination doesn't require the male to be coercive necessarily, but does require that the woman completely lose control of any initial resistance. I don't think that (most)women fantasize about being brutally assaulted, but I think some women fantasize about being overpowered by a man's sheer, insistent, sexual need and by being the "object" he *must* have,have now, and but passionately---even if now ain't a good time. In the end, it's not even so much about the male's domination, but about the woman's desire to surrender. JMO.

pant, pant, pant ,pant ,pant................

[Doc Martin]

Originally Posted by cookie

The "rape" fantasy is not universal. I think it's more about being completely swept away and physically dominated. That physical domination doesn't require the male to be coercive necessarily, but does require that the woman completely lose control of any initial resistance. I don't think that (most)women fantasize about being brutally assaulted, but I think some women fantasize about being overpowered by a man's sheer, insistent, sexual need and by being the "object" he *must* have,have now, and but passionately---even if now ain't a good time. In the end, it's not even so much about the male's domination, but about the woman's desire to surrender. JMO.

I agree. However, I also think it might have something to do with young females being told “good girls don’t”, with a rape fantasy there’s sexual gratification, and afterwards you remain a “good girl”, with nothing to feel guilty about…..”The poor girl was raped, for Christ sakes!”. Again as I pointed out earlier, and cannot emphasize this enough; women do not actually want to be raped

[jazzy mary]

Yeah, I have that "Good Catholic girl" thing and I would just love to bust on out of it.

[Pete C]

Originally Posted by jazzy mary

Yeah, I have that "Good Catholic girl" thing and I would just love to bust on out of it.

[cookie]

Originally Posted by Doc Martin

I agree. However, I also think it might have something to do with young females being told “good girls don’t”, with a rape fantasy there’s sexual gratification, and afterwards you remain a “good girl”, with nothing to feel guilty about…..”The poor girl was raped, for Christ sakes!”. Again as I pointed out earlier, and cannot emphasize this enough; women do not actually want to be raped

But also consider that in many fundamentalist societies, a rape-victim is not necessarily perceived as blameless. That's wrong of course, but is one reason rape-victims have historically under-reported rapes. Rape (even in fantasy)*isn't* necessarily an "excuse". In fact, there are many rape victims who question their OWN actions and blame themselves and need therapy to understand that their skimpy outfit didn't warrant their rape.

I have rape fantasies, but in those fantasies I kill the motherfucker rapist with my bare hands---BEFORE he does the deed. I guess they're more attempted-rape fantasies.

[jazzy mary]

Originally Posted by Pete C

Pete, I am so unhappy because your pic, on my computer, is just a square w/ a red x inside!