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<title> "Equal rights for women to wear lounge suits" </title>
Ladies, how many times do you not cry over the horror of picking something appropriate to wear? Gentlemen, don't you find yourself lucky, or incredible tired, as you watch your lady friend(s) run about like crazy chickens before a party to assemble a suitable get-up they dare to wear? Men have their suits, lounge suits, dress suits and tail dress coats... Women have fancy dresses, ball gowns and evening dresses; all made in a million styles and of different standards. -It is all tradition. Is it not in time for us, in the new millennia and all, to widen the possibilities? Bring forth equal rights (for women) to wear lounge suits at fancy parties!

Why would women want to dress like a man -in a suit? Most likely most women wouldn't want to dress in a suit the same way men does. In our rapidly changing society the sexual roles and definitions of the sex is becoming more and more loose and in many groups women already wear suits like any man would. Yet, your average female would most likely tell you that wear a suit like a man (and so more or less 'be a man') is not something to seek for; but to wear a suit like a woman... is a whole different matter and might be something to look into. 

	Since the so-called Victorian age we have the dark suit as a symbol of a 'man in proper dress'. The suit is always stylish and always in fashion. "Women loves a man in a uniform" -as the saying goes- and the suit is without doubt the uniform of the gentleman, the businessman, and the man experienced in the ways of the world. I think it is safe to say women have no counterpart in names of clothing.

	For the last two decades at least, women have been wearing suit jackets and suit-styled business dresses so why would there even be a need to argue about this -isn't women already wearing suits? -Not really. The women's business suit is a piece of clothing adapted from the male suit into an every-day business clothing for women, originating from the movement to equal men and women in positions on the formerly (and still) mainly man-dominated jobs markets. The women's suit is seldom seen as a fancy dress wear in the same way we view a male dress suit, for example. 

	The advantages of a formal wear like a suit (and likeness') is clear -it is a kind of uniform; there is little to question over how to wear it. You might argue that the suit, just like any traditional female eveningwear comes in many different shapes and sizes and standards. However, a suit is still a suit and always has a standard and 'classics' look which is never out of date. One well fitting suit properly taken care of may last for years and years without loosing its touch or shaming its owner. Beside the suit itself there is its additional pieces of clothing that is required of course; such as shirts, ties, shoes and so on. This very important but still additional clothing is used to bring forth the styles of the suit and give it a personal feel. A man unsure of his style may of course fuss over these additional choices like any women before deciding what to wear. Still, once chosen and bought he doesn't have to worry about feeling shame or insecurity over turning up at a party dressed in the same suit, shirt and bow several times in a row. A fresh looking shirt or two, a pair of nice shoes, a suit, and maybe a tie or two as well -and a man has his evening styles in working order. Very few women have the courage and strength to wear the same dress or eveningwear too many times and can always worry of over-dress or under-dress the requirements. Of course, many women just don't have the budget to keep an up-to-date wardrobe diverse enough to supply a need that includes wear for many dinners or fancy dress parties, and is more or less forced to manage them troubles anyway.

	Money is something deeply connected with fancy dressing. One can't overlook the fact that most suits cost a small fortune these days -especially if you want one of decent quality. Women's dresses usually come cheaper, but then there it is again -the fact that you can make due just fine with one suit only, but hardly with just one dress. That is, if you plan to attend more than one party or dinner with a dress code in a shorter period of time. A suit is much like an investment when you think about it that way. 

	The difference between the dress codes and styles of men and women is strong and a part of the charms of fancy dressing, -is it really desirable to remove it? To remove it, is a strong term and in the name of the human trait of love and fascination of tradition I dare say it wouldn't be something to desire. Many women love dressing like they always have, wouldn't feel comfortable in anything else, and wouldn't trade it in even for the relieved psychological and financial pressure of a suit. Many women also wouldn't feel comfortable in anything like a suit. Still, I dare to keep saying that a lounge suit for women -is something both desirable and about time, too.

	A lounge suit is the key word. The right to wear something in said fashion is what it is all about. What is needed is a lounge suit for women! -An eveningwear that is not just another fancier dress, but a standard for a formal female dress/suit. Such a choice for dressing would open the option for women of a "fancy dress uniform" with variations, but first we need the right for women to wear anything like this merged into our terminology for dress codes. Moreover, the already cramped fashion industry would most likely love the idea of such a new dress code option for women -imagine the possibilities of the designs on such a female version of the lounge suit and it's likeness'... 

	However, for us to get this desirable right or option for women to dress, no legislation or simple change of term meaning would do the trick. What would be needed would be for women to start to dare to challenge the ideals of the dress codes and to crave additions and changes in what the market has to offer. A revolution never starts with an official change after all.
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