--- question ---
So what's a "pussy bow blouse" anyway?

Every link I found simply assumes I know what it means.
https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/pussy-bow-blouses---do-you-like-them
https://www.viktor-rolf.com/product/low-bow-pink
https://www.hawesandcurtis.com/navy-fitted-luxury-satin-blouse-pussy-bow-lupta001-g01
https://us.sandro-paris.com/en/womens/clothing/tops-shirts/pussy-bow-blouse/SFPCM00979.html

Sure, they have images.
But what's the pussy bow part?
It's just a bow.

What makes a bow a pussy bow?

--- cite ---

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/28/style/saint-laurent-dior-paris-fashion-week.html
"Breasts, Breasts, Everywhere
Saint Laurent and Dior offered two different versions of women's
liberation. Neither was convincing."

I'll list the first paragraph as it may be behind a paywall for some
(although it works for me without any NYT account).

By Vanessa Friedman
Reporting from Paris

Published Feb. 27, 2024
Updated Feb. 28, 2024, 8:00 a.m. GMT+1
Enough with the boobs.

That's all I could think when yet another Saint Laurent model appeared
wearing what was essentially a nylon stocking transformed into a dress. Or
a pussy bow blouse. Or a pencil skirt. Or a ruched halter - whatever it
was, it was skintight and see-through, often draped across the body and
always revealing not just nipples galore, but below the waist, briefs cut
to the hipbone like a 1980s aerobics leotard. Work it out, baby.

Of the 48 looks teetering out on needle-sharp stilettos in the Saint
Laurent show, only 12 didn't have breasts front and center (and of those
12, three were minidresses with their own built-in garter belts to attach
to the stockings below). The pictures can't even be shown in this family
newspaper.

Forget about the practicality of making a pantyhose dress, or the question
of who would want to wear it in the first place. At this stage in the 21st
century that much transparency seems like the tritest form of misogynistic
pretend-fashion provocation. One that is particularly misjudged given the
current politics of women's bodies. They are already being treated like
objects, do we really need more objectification?

On Thu, 29 Feb 2024 11:01:15 -0700, Ken Blake wrote:

> Or a pussy bow blouse. Or a pencil skirt. Or a ruched halter

Ah. Found it after changing search terms.

http://oystercoloredvelvet.com/?style=why-is-it-called-a-pussy-bow-blouse
"The term "pussy bow" formed in the 20th century as a euphemism for female
genitalia. In 30s the St. Petersburg Times created a pattern for an Anne
Adams dress that featured a convertible collar which could be worn in four
different ways, including as "an intriguingly feminine pussy cat bow tied
high under your chin. Essentially it was invented to be some type of
"girlie tie".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pussy_bow
"A lavalliere, also called a pussycat bow or pussybow, is a style of
neckwear worn with women's and girls' blouses and bodices. It is a bow tied
at the neck, which has been likened to those sometimes put on "pussy
cats"."

https://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2016/10/pussy-bow.html
The "pussy" in "pussy bow" is from the feline, not the genital, use of the
word. When the usage first showed up in fashion writing of the late 19th
century, the term was "pussycat bow."

https://craftworld.com/cms/the-history-of-the-pussy-bow-blouse/
"Named for its resemblance to the traditional bow that would be tied
around the neck of a kitten"

https://dressyourcolor.com/blogs/news/7-fascinating-facts-about-the-pussy-bow-that-will-make-you-love-the-style
"You may wonder why it is called a pussycat bow! Here's a purrfectly
delightful fact: back in the Edwardian and Modern Era, owners often tied
ribbons and trinkets around their pet kittens necks! It was the epitome of
cuteness! Since the pussy bow resembled this charming feline accessory, it
effortlessly earned its adorable name. Of course, the name only added to
the feminine appeal and won over the hearts of countless women."

Ken Blake wrote:

> --- question ---
> So what's a "pussy bow blouse" anyway?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pussy_bow

--
Bertel, Denmark