— Ciara (@ciara) January 12, 2016
I couldn’t care less about football, but I do care about fashion. And I care about petty misogyny, which this story has in spades. On Monday night, Ciara sang the National Anthem at the 2016 College Football Playoff National Championship Game in Arizona between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Clemson Tigers. Ciara took the task seriously, and she wore this knockout gown, as you can see in these photos. She also posted social media photos and videos and told her fans about how proud she was to sing the National Anthem:
Grateful. What A Special Moment. #NationalChampionship #BamavsClem pic.twitter.com/LJgFdF4RfO
— Ciara (@ciara) January 12, 2016
So, what’s the problem? Some people decided that Ciara-cleavage was inappropriate. Because children are watching grown men play one of the most violent sports in the world for hours, but a little cleavage might destroy a child’s mind. ESPN’s Bonnie Bernstein got the ball rolling when she tweeted this:
Dear Ciara. You're stunning. But this is a National Championship Game. Kids are watching. Cover up.
— Bonnie Bernstein (@BonnieBernstein) January 12, 2016
Other sports writers/columnists got in the act too, like this dude named Jason Whitlock. When some people were like, “Why are you guys bashing Ciara for showing a little cleavage when the cheerleaders are basically wearing bikinis?” the arguing back and forth just got stupid. Whitlock wrote: “You dress for the job. National Anthem different job than cheerleading. Model dresses different from cameraperson. National Anthem should be about the song/voice, not the body. #respect Cleavage is for halftime show, cheerleaders.” Whitlock also called it a “thirsty look” for Ciara. This gown. Thirsty? Seriously?
All of this… because she showed a little cleavage. If this dress was worn on a red carpet, most of us would consider it modest, right? Are these people so sheltered about fashion that they get this pearl-clutchy over what is a totally normal dress that nearly any woman would wear with pride?
Photos courtesy of Getty.
Ciara looks beautiful. I have no clue who Bonnie Bernstein is, but I have decided she is an idiot
I agree. And she was covered up; the dress just had a sheer layer to it
When I was young, I remember clearly being aware that there was a difference between a woman with her body parts hanging out and a woman wearing a shapely dress with some part of her cleavage visible. This is the second kind of look. I think she looks pretty elegant to be honest.
you see more flesh watching the women’s matches at Wimbledon
Isn’t there also an army of cheerleaders present at these games? Don’t they sport even less clothing than Ciara did?
Also don’t children attend and watch swimming competitions. Have they seen the speedos that Michael Phelps wear. It doesn’t leave much to the imagination, that’s for sure.
On a superficial note. Ciara is so pretty and that body is just wow. I don’t know how Russell Wilson sustain.
It wasn’t so much about the cleavage as it was with the nipple showing, which you see a little bit here.
That being said, Ciara is known for showing up overdressed to an envelope opening. She IS a try-hard and IS thirsty. None of that has anything to do with sexism or any other ism. It’s ok to say the woman was trying too hard for a song she clearly could not sing.
@mcraw: I’m not so sure if that’s completely true. Some women (and people in general) are genuinely into experimemting with costumes/fashion/glamor and love an excuse to dress up. Being a celebrity is definitely a nice outlet for those kinds of people.
It’s not automatically sexist to say someone is thirsty or try hard. BUT, there are people with their own little “control them wimmenz and their physical appearances” agendas who automatically label any and every woman who dresses in a way that is more “feminine”, “immodest”, or different from what they want. Sometimes just the makeup or shoes a woman is wearing can get those people started. A lot of these people are conservative, libertarian, or mra type dudes who take a woman presenting as anything but a conventionally attractive, modestly dressed plain Jane as some sort of attack on males. Which isn’t surprising since they think everything women do is all about them and that they’re entitled to control over womens bodies. Then you have entitled “radfem” and “return to modesty” female types with the same agenda who also see other women not dressing in a way that they’re ok with as an attack on them. Judging by his past comments on women, I think sexism is involved.
Whitlock’s an idiot too-he’s the same guy who said that men would be allowed mistresses because the women’s movement has created a lot of temptation at the workplace now that they work alongside men. Complete idiot, singing the national anthem and cheering your team on are only considered completely different when you have a total virgin-whore complex.
+1 to your whole comment. When you don’t have that virgin whore complex (which is definitely a part of society) there’s no need for that divide.
I 100% agree with everything you said
She’s pretty and her body is insane. I don’t get what difference it makes what she had on.
They asked her to sing.
She like that dress.
She wore it.
She sang.
So what?
That’s all I got.
All I heard was OMG BOOBS and I tuned out of whatever this debate was. I clicked on an article to see the dress in question and was so confused as to what the issue was. lord its a nonissue. Next
@snazzy you are right! She looked amazing & sounded great. I worry about people when a dress upsets their sensibilities. Besides the cheerleaders (college age students) were wearing far less
Ah, bitchers will bitch, especially about stuff that shouldn’t be bitched about…the real bitch worthy stuff goes unnoticed. Pretty commonplace nowadays. Yet the 99% keeps getting poorer, inflation goes higher, presidents say stupid crap on live TV and we don’t bitch about it. So, what’s new?
Where was all this hysteria about “the children!” when LeBron James showed his penis during a playoff game last year?
You mean James dressed that way on purpose?
That was an accident and many people complained and contacted FTC.
Ciara looks fine she is wearing more than the cheerleaders.
Oh, come on. He didn’t show it deliberately.
I don’t have a problem with the dress, and I hate football, and the mothers who let their children watch this violent sport with a background of bikini clad women jumping up and down on the sidelines are a little late to the worry party, but I disagree with the idea that the dress is modest. It’s very revealing. I think you’ve been looking at too many pictures of women in completely sheer gowns with strategically placed embroidery. You have spent too long in the monkey cage, as Tim Gunn would say. You’re perception is skewed. In real life, this dress is not modest.
And this is why I love you GNAT😍😍😍. Agree completely with every word. I wear body con dresses, I am far from prudish, but the dress is not modest. Now, the hoopla is stupid.
Yeah, I don’t have a problem with her wearing the dress at all, they’re just breasts after all. But it’s not ‘modest’. That’s a very deep V. The only women I know who would wear a dress like this are completely flat chested and thus wouldn’t be showing any cleavage at all.
I wear dresses that show a little cleavage all the time, but when the V is so deep you can’t possibly wear a bra and you have to tape your breasts instead, it’s more revealing than is normal for 99% of women.
Agree. Am I the only one who thinks this dress is sheer? Am I seeing something beyond her cleavage? Because it looks like we can see underneath as well…or is it just the picture/lighting etc?
I think it depends on the lighting but in some views her aureolae are visible through the dress. I completely agree with GNAT, not a modest dress. But also not a big deal.
I mean, it’s the world of sports. Compared to the WWF? Hell, compared to some ice skaters or even gymnasts? Sure. It’s modest enough. Not for waking down the street for a casual dinner, no. But for both sports and entertainment, it’s hardly worth remark.
Ugh, I’m so irritated by this story.
How many men’s sports actually integrate women in a way that doesn’t objectify them? I can’t think of any, really. And yet they’re crying because Ciara, who isn’t on the sidelines, dared to show cleavage? The double standard alone…UGH.
+1 on all of it, GNAT
Perfect comment GNAT.
I just need to add that Jason Whitlock is a top-notch idiot so anything he says can be completely disregarded.
I think as soon as a woman shows serious cleavage, modest is not the word I’d use. It’s sexy. But as Greenieweenie pointed out, really? In the world of sports??? Lots of kids watch underage girls do split handstands during gymnastics competitions. Anyone wanna talk about beach volleyball? And the women don’t dress like that to show off, there are actual rules telling them how skimpy their bikini bottoms have to be. So while this dress could be considered rather daring and revealing to some, they all need to shelve the faux outrage. It’s ridiculous.
Bingo.
She looked beautiful, but that dress is NOT modest by any stretch of the imagination, and it’s sheer enough that you can see her nipples.
I think this is a beautiful dress to wear on the Red carpet but a little over the top to wear to a football game.
It is modest. Please. It has a sheer top and you can see some cleavage. It is a floor length gown for crying out loud. Let’s dress all women in dresses up to their necks and covering their arms to their wrists while we are at it.
A dress is modest if you would wear it to court or to church. This dress is not modest. That said the outrage about it is ridiculous. Especially since the cheerleaders nearby wear far less.
Let’s talk about how she could barely hit some of the notes… Shouldn’t that be the real story?
NIc919 this is a a modest ball gown which is fine. She wouldn’t wear this to court or to church since those are two different venues than the one she was at. She was 100 percent covered up and had a sheer cover at the bodice. People are acting like she was wearing pasties and that they could see them.
Whatevers, a very low cut dress that is sheer enough that you can see her nipples is not “modest.” There might have been a sheer cover, but it didn’t cover her breasts completely. This dress was inappropriate for the venue.
In most shots you can see the full breast, nipples, outline and everything. I’m sorry, but it’s a very sexy dress. In a sport of cheerleaders, I guess it’s moot, but please, that dress was not thought out very well. Or was it? This is a two sided argument- let’s just be honest and call it a naked dress.
Different people have different ideas about what modest dressing is. To a lot of people a dress like this that shows a lot of ONE body part but covers everything else is still modest. To others, if your back or shoulders are bare or if anything below the collarbone or more than 2 inches above the knee is not modest. I don’t think this dress is modest or that it even needs to be modest. But I don’t see it as skimpy, daring or edgy either. It’s just an elegant gown that looks good on her. @Iso I don’t view it as a naked dress because most of her is covered.
It’s revealing. But it’s not like they asked Ciara to sing the anthem because she has an awesome voice, either.
Amen and thank you!
I liked the dress just fine, would it had been for the Golden Globes then yeah it would be modest. But also for the halftime show they had Beyonce, Madonna & Katy Perry. All of them wearing far more revealing clothes.
It’s gorgeous (so is she), but the dress wasn’t modest. These pics are modest shots of it, though. During the actual performance, I saw nips. Everyone I was watching with was collectively like “whoa.” Friends immediately posted on social media things like: “Ciara’s boobs just sang the national anthem,” and “that was just as intentional as Janet Jackson’s ‘malfunction.'” It was pretty obvious.
Also, college cheerleaders are much more covered than NFL. That’s what people are having an issue with.
I agree that the dress isn’t modest, but I don’t think it’s trashy either or worth the pearl clutching. My definition of modest is appropriate for church, court, or meeting the in-laws, and that dress does not fall into that category. But for a college football game? Um, yeah, because football is the last bastion of modesty and wholesomeness….. not. As someone pointed out, saying it’s okay for the cheerleaders to wear almost nothing but not okay for the singer to show some cleavage is extremely madonna-whore mentality.
But it sure does fit with American morality. “Deplorable violence on TV is okay, as long as nobody says any naughty words!” Or nudity.
I’m with you, GNAT. It’s a beautiful dress, but it’s NOT modest. And I don’t care.
First of all she Looks Like an Angel, Second of all shade her for her “singing” not her clothes, Thirdly: This is rich Coming for her when the NFL is rife with *sshole, woman beaters, cheaters and all garden variety snakes and every other commercial is about Liquor tits and Gambling: BYE FELICIA
YES, to all you said but especially the commercials. My sons are sports fans and I have always been bothered by the TV ads more than anything, it’s crazy. And even though it was a college football game, the shady factor is just as strong as in the NFL, imo.
Yassss, NFL, plz tell us more about how women should look. Plz mansplain appropriate behavior. Plz comment on how women appear, rather than how players act. Plz. This world needs more mansplainy voices from the rich, corrupt and powerful.
QQ.THANK YOU! oh yes.let’s go after gasp boobs and not rapists abusers and animal Murderer bastards.ok I see cleavage.But oh…look over there ! Gyrating cheerleaders and concussions all around.
Yeeeuuuusss. I ended up at a college bowl game on New Years Eve, and the language and sentiments you hear in the stands are thousands of times more offensive than this dress. Give me a f*cking break.
Plus, “cheerleaders are allowed to be scantily clad because that’s their job?”
I weep.
Let’s not even talk about the Viagra commercials running every five, they gave up the ghost on fronting like it is “to Make love to your old yet still sexy lady wife” and straight up have young tender practically saying ” Don’t you wanna be ready for me? *wink wink*”But this chick is the bridge too far??? Mmmkay
Once again, dear QQ, your comment is on point.
Ummm…..this was not an NFL game.
Yes, because college somehow means it’s more wholesome football? I’ve watched college games on TV, they don’t run any less beer, tits, and “man problem” pills commercials just because it’s a college game. On holidays, no less, when it’s pretty much guaranteed there will be kids watching.
This!
Word, QQ. Perfect post.
Hmmm….. How about we compare what Ciara is wearing with what the cheerleaders wore? I have seen cheerleaders wearing a lot less. Ciara looks rather elegant.
What about the football players? Those tights leave nothing to the imagination. Sluts.
Lol! I’m with you, they’re such sluts!
Olympic divers! They may as well be naked.
Why do you think I really watch football, it’s for those tights. They even have a position on the team called “tight end” and boy they weren’t lying.
lilacflowers, lol. My sons are involved with swimming and diving and let me tell you those Speedos leave nothing to the imagination. Both of them were mortified when they realized the high school teams wear the tiny ones, vs the longer bike shorts type. But they’re used to them now and parade around in them quite freely. One mom told me her middle school daughters pearl-clutchingly refuse to come to any more meets, they are so mortified by the boys’ attire.
Lol Naya. Those slutty power football players
@Esmom
haha, that’s funny. I’m European. I grew up with speedos on the beach. I just can’t wrap my head around the board short thing. you go in the water, they get all balloon-y and when you come out of the water anything that’s in the shorts is highlighted cuz it’s all sticking to your legs and all.
Ciara’s dress is quite revealing but come on…those pearl clutching mothers who think it’s ok for small kids to watch violent sports – nfl, wwf etc..just take a seat..or better yet..take a hike together with your kids..don’t raise couch potatoes. go outside
This is just absolutely ridiculous. These same people probably don’t bat an eyelash when a commercial for an ED drug comes on (I can see it now…”Mommy, what’s an erection and why would it be 4 hours long?”) but heaven forfend that I woman should show an inch of skin! Gasp! Clutch the pearls! Alert the media!
If anything, I’d say that gown is too stunning to wear at a college football game, championship or not.
Funny story: My mom used to watch kids and one day a viagra commercial came on and the little girl asked my mom what it was and why people needed it. My mom, calm as could be, told her it was for old men with muscle problems. My mom is a genius.
Agreed. The gown is stunning and I’m not concerned about the cleavage, especially considering all that is wrong with football. But the dress is much more appropriate – in style and formality – for a red carpet than a college football game.
Let’s not forget the Hardee’s commercials during the game. Bikinis while straddling cars the are appropriate way to eat a burger. Sparkly costume with cleavage only showing is inappropriate way for a performer to sing on the stage.
I’m also confused by the “IT WILL HARM THE CHILDREN” comments. Um, my children have seen me FULL NAKED guess they are scarred for life. Also it’s adults that project things onto nudity that make it inappropriate NOT children. Children do not care! Unless by children they mean tweens/teens. In which case, good luck censoring them from nudity. Might as well start building that shack in the woods out of range of any wireless internet services.
Thank you! That’s why the old “These women must dress modestly for the young generation” argument that gets thrown around regularly has never seemed like a logical argument to me. Any child who has been to a beach, pool, amusement park, sex Ed class, or just seen how family dresses indoors have seen this and more. Children are not going to be traumatized by seeing ciaras boobs in an evening gown. I wish that the “Think of the children” crowd would be honest and admit what we all know their female dress code moral panics are really about instead of pretending it’s about protecting children from the scarring trauma of seeing a breasts and curves in a woman.
I meant on, not in.
I don’t care about the controversy. But we tend to dress according to places and events we attend, correct?!
The gown is fantastic and Ciara looks stunning. That being said, I don’t think this was the dress for the occasion.
Edit: i cannot stand the cheerleaders clothes.
That was more my issue. I didn’t get the ball gown for a football game. And let’s not pretend that this dress was modest. It was lovely, nothing a thing wrong with it, but I think people are going way too far to pretend that it is modest.
I agree. The dress is gorgeous and she’s gorgeous in it, but it is not modest. It’s true the cheerleaders are dressed like hooches and the commercials are super suggestive, HOWEVER, she was there to sing the national anthem. She is not in one of the commercials and she is not one of the cheerleaders. I don’t think kids think her cleavage is a big deal. I simply think it’s disrespectful to wear revealing clothes when singing the National Anthem anywhere for any event.
A little cleavage?
Nooo you guys, cheerleaders are supposed to be sexy *sarcasm* Ciara is a woman who is supposed to have “respect” for herself and therefor not show any skin. The world doesn’t need to know she has breasts.
*sarcasm all over everything*
Right?! If the anthem should be about the singing, shouldn’t cheerleading be about… oh, I don’t know… the cheerleading? But no, if female dancers are paid to perform on the sidelines throughout the game, objectification is mandatory and cleavage is good. If a famous female singer shows some cleavage* during a two-minute performance before the show? HAVE SOME RESPECT.
*through a semi-sheer panel, at that! Her arms/neck/face were actually the only exposed body parts. But that’s not the point at all.
I don’t entirely agree that it’s a “totally normal dress that nearly any woman would wear, happily and proudly.” But it IS a gorgeous gown. And the point about cheerleaders is spot on. Tell THEM to cover up because kids are watching! Ha ha!
I don’t see the a problem with the dress other being overdressesed. It’s a very pretty dress. It’s LOL that Berstein wanted to protect the kids. It was a late night game so odds were most weren’t even watching. Violent football is fine but cleavage that anybody could see just watching the commercials for the game or even walking down the street is obscene. As pointed out nobody had a problem with the cheerleaders who were wearing a lot less
Yes, Bonnie. How will you tell your children that women have breasts? And sometimes you’ll see skin if you’re not wearing a turtleneck at all times? What a horrible conversation to have! The horror!
She’s stunning but I don’t know if it’s appropriate or not.
Not. The dress didn’t fit the venue.
Eh it was a college game so cheerleaders weren’t really scantily dressed in this one, but that’s besides the point. Stupid that people are commenting on her dress, but it would have been better if she was wearing a bama shirt. Roll Tide!
Enh, I was at the game, and there were plenty of scantily clad dancers for both teams (sparkly orange bikinis on Clemson’s side, sparkly red bikinis on Alabama’s). Ciara’s outfit didn’t seem at all out of place to me, honestly.
Totally forgot about the dancers! She was modest compared to them lol. So jealous you were at the game. I was close to going, hope you’re a bama fan 🙂
She is showing a tiny bit of cleavage incased in sheer fabric. I’ve seen more skin shown by the bride and bridal parties at weddings. Hell, I’ve seen more boobage by other singers of the national anthem and half time super bowl performers. This is ridiculous.
There are half-naked cheeleaders at some point of the game. Does it mean that kids will be sent elsewhere when they get on or will their little souls only be scarred by seeing half-naked woman at the wrong occasion (like the nation anthem)?
I don’t think that her dress is shoing too much cleavage, she looks rather elegant.
First off, she look stunning and a perfect choice for the Oscars! Secondly, isn’t this the same game last year where the male analyst kept discussing how hot the girlfriend of the quarterback was and the camera guy kept going back to her? Um, double standard?
Dear Bonnie Bernstein,
While you are protecting children, please notify every single pitcher in major league baseball that it is inappropriate to adjust their crotches after every single pitch. Also, please go after the NBA about scantily clad women twerking on the jumbotron. Thank you.
Pitchers and batters!
The only this upsetting is that those morons Jason and Bonnie got attention. It was non controversy cteated by two idiots who should not be allowed to call themselves joutnalist, especially Jason.
Ciara looked stunning and she sang beautifullly. I am very proudof her and hope she does well in her music in the future.
Cover up? Don’t tell a grown-ass woman to cover up. Not in a field with cheerleaders in a sport run by an organization that has repeatedly demonstrated it does not respect women. Cover up, my ass. I know Ciara doesn’t want to go the way of Janet Jackson but damn. I would publicly shut that down.
It was the wrong dress for the event.
That is a beautiful dress, but I don’t think I would ever call it modest nor do I think it was the right choice for this event – it’s just way too fancy for a football game.
Fully agree this argument is ridiculous when you look at the costumes cheerleaders wear, and all of the commercials that air during these games.
I agree that it was too fancy for the event. I think she was trying to take her job very seriously and it’s too bad the media ruined her anthem moment.
Pretty much. Let’s face it if you don’t take the anthem seriously then you suddenly hate America. She took it seriously, she dressed to the 9’s, she sang her heart out and now we’re focusing on that sheer lace panel?
I actually like to concept of the dress but not execution. I think the cut outs in middle look odd around chest.
She could have shown the cleavage at top and it would have drawn less attention.
Hypocrisy! Hypocrisy everywhere!
I think she looks beautiful, but agree that the see-through dress showing the nipples and that much cleavage is a bit too risque for singing the national anthem. Had she covered just a bit of the cleavage and had an undergarment of some sort, it would sit with me better.
As for being a woman who would want to show that much cleavage and have on a see-through dress which would show my nipples to the world – no thank you.
I’m from a generation where today’s cheerleader outfits would be only for the beach. (When I was a cheerleader, showing ones abdomen was taboo, and we couldn’t do certain moves while dancing.) I understand that showing almost the entirety of your breasts is the “norm” these days, but I prefer to keep my cleavage showing for myself and my boyfriend. I say to each their own, but I do get the point that the naysayers are making.
Gimme a break. Taylor Swift could baptise babies in that dress and people would proclaim it classy. Theres a subtextual narrative going on here about some WoCs bodies and how they’re perceived more often than not as more threatening or less “classical”, even if that wasn’t the intention.
I also can’t help but suspect that if it wasn’t the dress it would be something else.
+1. TS can wear a skirt that barely covers her butt cheeks and be considered modest because she isn’t showing her belly button TOO. Just the upper third of her ribcage, teehee, being all red-lipped and classic!
Thank you. If Tay had worn this no one would have batted an eyelash at her. There was subtext all over the dang place on Twitter about this. If she wasn’t black I doubt anyone would have said wow this is sexy. That said it’s a fancy ball gown and I doubt I would have worn it to sing the national anthem in.
Boom, and yes even Taylor Swift knows what she’s doing with her ‘tight little skirts’.
+1
Do people have nothing better to do then to get all pearl clutchy over this??? But the cameraman shooting gratuitous shots of the cheerleaders is okay for the kids to watch? The fights that oftentimes break out on the field is okay? Football is an extremely violent sport but it’s “family” oriented?? You would have thought she was wearing booty shorts and a halter top!
I think she was over dressed – trade the gown for a suit next time 💟 She is truly one of the most beautiful women in the planet though!!!
Agree, she’s not showing any more skin than cheerleaders but why the hell would she wear an evening gown to a football game? It’s beautiful but she looks ridiculous in that setting. Also, Bonnie Bernstein is one of those sideline reporters with full make-up, fake lashes, & hair extensions who thinks she’s a serious journalists.
This gown is not modest and the thirsty comments come because it looks like she wants attention, chearleaders wear the standard uniform and are not individually looking for attention. Maybe she just though the gown was beautiful (it is) but she might also try for get maximum attention. Of course children do not become traumatized but it should not become a habit of women to wear sexy gowns for events where there a kids. This gown is still fine but it could lead to sexy outfits for women to become the norm in events like this.
Not that this is a big deal or that I would have bothered to say anything but still the gown would have been better with less cleavage.
I’ll let others cover the dress and just say Roll, Tide!!
I’m bored of the deep V dresses. It’s been years of barely nip covering gowns. Its boring at this point, I’d be shocked if another silhouette was worn.
That said, there’s nothing that will scar children here. Seriously? How? Ugh. She looks great.
“National Anthem should be about the song/voice, not the body.”
Ciara was singing her ass off. It WAS about the voice. If you weren’t paying attention, that’s not on Ciara.
Oh hush!!!!! The cleavage is fine. This is good though for Ciara, it upped her profile.
Ciara looks lovely and this comment is not about her; women in Hollywood dress poorly and it’s undermining their respectability. The GG clothing choices were atrocious, just novelty and exhibitionism for the most part, poor taste and very removed from function.
It only “undermines their respectability” in the minds of people who are only willing to respect the Audrey Hepburn/Annette Funicello image of womanhood.
I think there’s a little too much focus on the venue (Football! Violence! Cheerleaders!) when what I think the actual issue is the song. If she had worn this dress to the Oscars, or to perform at the Grammys, Lincoln Center, etc noone would bat an eye. I do think she looks beautiful (altho I woudn’t consider that dress to be ‘modest). I just find the dress to not be the appropriate attire for singing our National Anthem. I think perhaps because many people only hear the Anthem before sporting events (and usually sung poorly) that it doesn’t hold the same meaning for everyone. But I was a military musician for 15yrs, and have witnessed time and again how…sacred and meaningful the National Anthem is for so many people. Personally, I also eyeroll at the people who come out to sing the Anthem in jeans, or who half-ass their performance. Take it seriously, but also understand that it’s not about YOU.
Ciara wanted to bring her A game because she was given the opportunity to sing the National Anthem at the championship game. That is huge. I think if she had worn jeans and a shirt there still would have been someone to complain.
So basically women can only wear what is deemed appropriate by others? Hmmm. No.
“Listen ladies , you can be hoochies and show those “temptation from the devil” parts BUT only when WE tell you so. Those cheerleaders that are almost naked over there- they are our only eye candy for today, please think of the children”
I swear there should be a special island for stupid people. If You don’t like women looking sexual or revealing, that’s fine. But you better hold that belief across the board, not just when you deem it to be appropriate for you. You can’t have half naked women jumping up and down for your entertainment then shame a woman who dares to show cleavage. Get out of here.
It’s a beautiful gown and she looks stunning, but I don’t think the issue is “boobs” for me. It’s more that she overdressed for the occasion?
Let’s talk about the cheer leader get-ups and the fact that their moves aren’t to inspire you to root for the team anymore but to show off stripper dance moves to the public ….yes, children are watching! Smh
I’d rather my kids watch a woman in a dress she picked out sing than watch the fighting in football OR the cheerleaders. Something about the cheerleaders makes me very uncomfortable. And m not uncomfortable with nudity, sexuality. It is what they stand for that bothers me. When I’ve gone to my in law’s Super Bowl parties some of the men ogle the cheerleaders as if they are there to be objectified. And they are. They’re there for the male gaze and any argument to the contrary just doesn’t hold up for me. and it just makes me think of football as this misogynistic man’s club. How dare they get offended by cleavage! Like women’s breasts are a shameful thing unless they’re being put on display for objectification.
Not a fan of the dress. Overkill. I’m not sure if it’s too much but spot on comments re mostly naked cheerleaders! I don’t think this is her best look by a long shot. I gather she’s a born again virgin or some nonsense so is this is her hot/not moment?
I’d be mortified if my daughter wore that to sing the national anthem at a game. Yes it’s completely inappropriate for the task at hand.
Are you f?ing kidding me? I live in Florida and I can’t tell you how many times these little dunba?as rednecks come from the bordering states for vacation. Wearing bikini tops, shorts with their butt hanging out, driving in their truck with the Confederate flag flying. And theyve got the nerve to say something about her outfit? I see more cleavage than that from the women at work. But its OK for the white cheerleaders to prance around with nothing on. She looked beautiful, sang beautifully, there is nothing wrong with her outfit. I’d rather see her overdressed in that oufit, than see the cheerleaders who are wearing a lot less.
She is beautiful that’s for sure! I’m not a fan of the squished boob look it just looks uncomfortable like the tape will come off or something.
What is the point of a cheerleader – it’s demeaning.
“Cover up” is just one of the many ways women are asked to disappear in our society. Either we need to be silent, covered up, or emaciated to please the status quo. No thanks, RISE UP ladies!
Yep. It all goes back to that meek, mild, and modest ideal.
These journalists are throwing bombs just to get their own names out there. I’m white and it looks like simpleminded race-baiting to me, a way to start a debate with the Fox pundits and grab some attention.
As people have said, the cheerleaders are in far skimpier outfits and are overtly sexual. This woman sang beautifully and was a class-act. Her dress was revealing, but she carried herself with grace. My bet is that she looked far better than this Bonnie person could ever dream and so Bonnie unleashed some venom and hypocrisy.
Ooh but if not for that sheer panel people might have been able to CLEARLY see Ciara’s breasts? Then what would poor Bonnie have told her children??
This whole thing is too dumb for words. Ciara’s dress is fine, the logic is painfully flawed (in that case let’s make sure there are NO tight dresses, won’t want to put any emphasis on a woman’s body at all), and I suspect Bonnie is the worst cliche of the suburban mother.
Yeah, you can’t argue, “Think of the children!” when the cheerleaders are half-naked. That’s obvious nonsense.
In other news, that really is a glorious dress, and she looks stunning in it.
It’s a pretty dress. Some people need to grow up.
I have no problem with the cleavage, and I think the dress is gorgeous…..
I just dont think its right for a football game.
Agree on all counts.
Did she sing something? All I heard was boobs. I’m not a prude but can we just stop every now and then with the in your face cleavage? I hate how everyone’s boobs are always hanging out these days. She’s a few centimeters away from a wardrobe malfunction.
Don’t like it, cover you cleavage. 🙂 And for the love of all things wholesome, can Gandy, Bieber, Legend, Tatum, and Jonas please keep their shirts on?
This is RIDICULOUS. I cannot believe this comment was made in 2016.
Misogynistic and racist.
Her gown was classy! She looks elegant and beautiful.
I haven’t read any comments but wanted to say Ciara looked gorgeous and yes the cheerleaders wear much less and I can’t believe Jason Whitlock still has a job. I stopped reading anything he writes years ago because he’s a complete doosh.
She looked gorgeous. This was not just any game; it was the national championship, watched by millions. The game didn’t even start until 8:30 EST, so I’m wondering how many little children were upset by seeing the sheer top/some visible cleavage that late on a school night.
Woman has breasts… Shocker, right…
Its a gorgeous gown, but I think it too fancy for the occasion.
This dress is far from “modest.” I’ve seen women wear dresses like this to work showing their cleavage and that is bothersome and by many standards unprofessional. This woman gets a moment to sang a great anthem and decides to show her cleavage through a sheer dress and call this fashion. This is very unprofessional and yes there are alot of people watching not just people who like her music but people who don’t even freakin’ know her are watching. So how about dress appropriately by covering her chest and be more conservative and respectful.
Outside of Donald Trump, that is the dumbest thing I’ve heard all day. Totally sexist and possibly racist. It’s a beautiful dress on a beautiful woman singing a beautiful song. How do people manage to find a problem with that? Like the sight of cleavage will destroy a child smh I’m sure both of my sons see cleavage every day. They know boobs exist and women have them, and you’re welcome for using mine to feed you when you were babies. RESPECT the boobs lol!
Wow. I can’t believe that there are any other comments on here other than the FACT that she looked absolutely angelic and breath taking. Ciara could do no wrong; sang the anthem beautifully and did her nation proud and I’m Canadian. It is a violent sport anyway!!! And who the hell is Bonnie? Some ill fashioned shrew? End of rant. Love to all!
I was a little surprised at how sheer it was in photos (you could literally see the silhouette of her legs in a few shots), but that might have been an issue where they didn’t realize how see through it would be under stage lighting. Nothing exactly scandalous though. Some of the people on here need to check their bias where female sexuality is concerned. If we live in a world where Sports Illustrated can put a bikini special on display on the supermarket and Viagra commercials on daytime television, we can’t create arbitrary definitions of inappropriate for applications of female sexual expression.