Naomi Wolf, in, "The Beauty Myth,"

says:

"In a world in which women have real choices,
the choices we make about our appearance will
be taken at last for what they really are:
no big deal.
Women will be able thoughlessly to adorn
themselves with pretty objects when there
is no question that "we" are not objects.
Women will be free..when we can choose to
use our faces and clothes and bodies as simply
one form of self-expression out of a full range
of others..."

and:

"A woman-loving definition of beauty...admits
radiance: light coming out of the face and
the body, rather than a spotlight on the body,
dimming the self. It is sexual, various, and
surprising. We will be able to see it in others
and not be frightened and be able to see it in
ourselves.

A generation ago, Germaine Greer, wondered about
women: 'What will you do?' ...as individual
women, as women together, and as tenants of our
bodies and this planet, depends now on what we decide
to see when we look in the mirror."

What will we see? In this day and age, the choice is
ours to make. There are no rules.Fashion can dictate
what it wants - we can accept what suits us and reject
the rest. So it's perfectly ok to love high fashion
(if we can afford it - or save up for it), or not.
My most recent splurge has been on Prada glasses, and
a Carla Zampati winter coat (divine), and "Oh what a
feeling!" ...

Veronika, Thank you for your reply to my post, you have asked some good questions about the fashion industry. Is the fashion industry influenced by what society wants or is it the other way around; does the fashion industry influence society?

I don't think they are quite as interested in the sexuality of their models as they are interested in the way their clothes hang on a skinny body. They are also aware that although men may prefer women with more meat on their bones they'll basically take anything in a skirt from skinny to slightly plump if they are given the offer. They know too, that models that are TOO overweight, will lack the attractiveness,(sex appeal) that will sell to both men and women. Hence they are prepared to go pretty far in the skinny direction. They are not prepared to go in the fat direction as they will loose sales.

Someone who is stylish without appearing to be using sexuality in what gives their outfit its standout style may be using a bright blue scarf that highlights their vividly alluring blue sexy eyes or something. I do think there is always an element of understated sexuality Or classy sexuality in things that look stylish.
Clothes are about how good you look in them, not about how good the clothes look.

I think the magazines do overpromote sexuality to young girls though. In fact I read somewhere recently "that men have seen more arse and tits in the name of women's liberation than they ever saw before,"

The beauty industry is much worse than the fashion industry in terms of fake claims,dubious ingredients,and mass overpricing of useless products. Anyone else in any other field of retail would be heavily penalised for such criminal information and claims.
I have just finished reading a book by Paula Gedoun who researched hundreds of cosmetic creams and lotions and often found ingredients like VitE were barely there in some products. Cant the goverment regulate to make cosmetics companies give the percentage of the claimed ingredients in things? Like say 10% vit E etc.