The Blue Orchid

2023, Shirts, corset, harness, hand embroidered
1- yes I'm playing an instrument
2- this outfit empowers me
3- it's not my fault if you can't name any girl band
4- my outfit is not meant to amuse you

I see and hear comments about what a female musician is wearing on stage almost every day, especially if they use to wear some kind of provocative clothing or they are half naked. This doesn't happen with males. As a female musician I use to wear clothes on stage that I wouldn't wear in the "normal life" and if I would play in big stages or big festivals I probably would wear what it's commonly considered "provocative", as many women does.
And that choice wouldn't be determined by the will to provoke someone, but only because I love that kind of clothes and because that outfit gives me self confidence and makes me feel powerful. And it's important to feel that way when you are on stage.
I don't know how other women choose their stage outfits, but I'm sure that what they wear is what makes them feel the most self confident possible. And if they also wants to provoke you, what's the problem? If provoking the audience makes them feel powerful on stage, what's the problem?
Then I see the problem that a female musician wearing something provocative is seen as "a provocative woman" and after that as a musician : if she is wearing something extreme is just for appearance, not because she is a " real musician".. Or I hear something like "she is a great musician, she doesn't need to dress like that", and I found this sentence very annoying, because for the outfit she's not taken seriously.
I always choose my outfit with a lot of attention before going on stage, and I assure you that it's never because I want to entertain, provoke, amuse the audience, but only because I feel empowered with those clothes and I feel more myself.

​There would be also the fact about female nudity and male nudity .. And which of them is commonly seen as provocative and what is not (or less). Can you guess what it is? The answer is male gaze, and women on stage and their appearance are always seen with the male gaze. Is she wearing only a bra while playing guitar? "surely she did it to get your attention.." is she wearing nothing at all? "what a b****"
You never ask to yourself that maybe what she is wearing (or what she is not wearing) it's not for you but only for her.
'Cause clothes have a great power, and so do bodies, and so does self confidence, and probably what she is wearing it's only because she feels empowered with that.