Does sexiness have to be defined?
How can women redefine their power through fashion in an age where’sexy’ is equated with pandering?
Rosie Huntington Whiteley redefined “sexiness”, with a waist-exposed shirt and a high slit skirt, at the Costes Party during Paris Fashion Week 2025. In an age where sexiness has been reduced to “exposure”, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley’s look is not only a visual treat, but also a conversation about identity and power.
- In 2024 searches for waist-baring styles increased by 87% on an annual basis, while sales of high slit skirts increased 62% on the luxury market.
Rosie’s styling department revealed that this top was inspired the “New Minimalism”, which was popular in the 1990s. However, the combination of waist-baring with high slits added a modern edge.
Rosie’s waist baring top is more than just a visual statement. It also challenges traditional gender roles. When women no longer “just “be seen”, but instead define the rules for “being seen”, fashion becomes a quiet struggle.
From parties to the streets: Why is her look a cultural phenomenon today?
Fashion critics called Rosie’s look at the Costes party “a symbol for women’s strength in the post-epidemic age”;
- Her stylist revealed that it took six months to design this look, and the waist-baring portion alone was adjusted 18 different times just to find a balance between “both power and softerness”;
