The Perception of Prostitutes

In society, people are expected to act and dress a certain way depending on who they are and where they fit in terms of class. When someone does not do as they are expected, or tries to intermingle within another class, they are judged for it. This means that the lower class must dress in "poor people's clothing" and are to stay out of expensive places and refrain from mingling with the "rich folk". This also works for those with money. They are to dress like they come from money in classy attire and stay away from the poor who are seen as not good enough. But when these people cross the line, people cannot wrap their heads around the idea of someone with money dressing down, or someone without dressing and acting with class. In Pretty Woman, Vivian and Edward cross the lines, and are judged very harshly for it. Vivian is a prostitute, an Edward, a rich man, hires her for a week to be there for him and also to accompany him to high class affairs. To attend these high class events, Vivian must drop the look of prostitute and start to look like the date of a rich man. This means changing her entire look and act, starting with her wardrobe. How are low class citizens, particularly prostitutes, viewed by the other class in Pretty Woman, and what does this judgement do in the way that they are treated?

In this scene, Vivian dresses in her own outfit looking very immodest, but shopping with a lot of money and looking for expensive items of clothing to class up. When she is walking down the streets, she feels comfortable in her own skin and is having fun, excited by the idea of shopping. Upon walking into an expensive store, the woman working inside are repulsed by her look, and give an instant judgement. This judgement is that of a low class hooker that could not possibly afford the clothes they are selling. They start by asking if Vivian needs any help in the store, and if she is looking for anything in particular. When Vivian says she is looking for something conservative, the sales woman agrees and looks at her clothing with a look of distaste. Vivian is being very kind to these women, complementing their clothes and acting "like a lady". But when she asks for the price of something, this is not good enough for the sales women.
The sales women have already decided that Vivian does no belong in their store because of her look, and tell Vivian that this piece of clothing will not fit her. Vivian, having been treated like this before in her normal life, instantly recognizes what is going on. She tells the women that is not what she asked, and asks for the price again. When told it is very expensive, Vivian warns these women that she has a lot of money to spend in this store. The sales women do not listen to a word Vivian is saying, and proceed to kick her out of the store based on her ensemble.
Later, Vivian goes to a store with Edward, who was appalled at the way the women treated her. He gets the staff to wait on her hand and foot, like a woman from money. When she has completed her high class look, Vivian returns to the original store with a new wave of confidence. She walks in and blows of the first woman, as she was blown off before. She then goes up to the woman that kicked her out of the store and asks if she remembers her. When she says no, Vivian rubs it in her face how much commission she missed out on, and strolls out of the store with satisfaction after showing the women up. The women are taken aback and have no words while their jaws drop.

The way the sales women treat Vivian is a good representation for how other wealthy people treat her throughout the film when they either see her dressed in her own clothes or find out that she is a prostitute. She suddenly becomes less than human to them, and is treated as such. When she is dressed in fancy clothes and jewelry with her hair done, Vivian is seen for the fun loving and outgoing person she is, with no judgement passed on her by others. At one point in the movie, a man finds out she is a prostitute and tries to rape her. He sees this as a right because of what she does for a living, and that he deserves her body on the way she dresses for her job. Even when she says no and screams for him to get off, this has no effect on the man, and he hits her and continues with what he is trying to do. It is only when Edward gets the man off Vivian and kicks him out that Vivian is safe from the man. The way he sees Vivian is just a body for him to do with as he pleases. When she was a high class woman, he treated her with respect, but upon learning she is a prostitute, that all goes out the window.

By the end of the movie, Vivian is tired of being treated like a no class person, and leaves to return to her own life. She dresses in her own clothes, but much less revealing than before. She quits prostitution and decides to start a new life for herself. This is when Edward realizes he loves Vivian for the person that she is, and not for her class, rich or poor. Vivian stayed true to herself through all the makeovers and put downs. This was the only way that Edward could see her as more than a prostitute, and was able to treat her as such.

Vivian and Edward were the only characters in this movie to realize that those outside of their class were people too, and should be treated with all of the respect that one deserves. This idea took Edward a while to figure out, and even Vivian had an idea of what she thought rich people were like. But after getting to know the other based on qualities rather than status, the two were able to cross the boundaries of their social expectations and not only see the good the other class has to offer, but fall in love. This concept was not understood by the other wealthy people in the film, but was seen by Vivian's best friend, another prostitute. Prostitutes are people too, and have a right to their body, and the right to say no. Vivian never let these judgments affect her as a person, but certainly felt the sting from those passing it. The characters needed to learn what it was to be a person and earn respect, and the answer to that is to just be human. All of these characters were taught a lesson in not jumping to conclusions about people based on clothes and job choices, and hopefully will strive not to make the same mistakes again.

Word Count: 1200