Fashion And Comfort.

Maxi has this fascinating post on English language for the LBC Friday routine.

armpit vaginasI however have a sneaking feeling that even she will find this appalling.  Right at the end of the article, you can see how much women will be expected to spend in India to get rid of the unappealing look!  Ganesha save them.

Why are women making their lives increasingly uncomfortable for themselves by obsessing about their looks, their clothes, their make up and so on?

drainpipesI got my first official employment when I was eighteen and was attached to a veteran supervisor who gave me, among many other great tips, one which I have never ignored. This was way back in 1961 when trousers which were called drain pipes and shoes with pointed toes were in fashion and all young people wore them. I was young too!

The old vet took one look at my trousers and shoes and said, “young man, if you want to succeed as a salesman, get into some comfortable clothes in which you can last a ten to twelve hour shift of moving about, traveling by public transport, using public toilets etc”, and sent me home to change into what he specified, comfortable underwear and outerwear and no exceptions.  He said, that I could be fashionable in the evenings but I will not be effective during working hours in uncomfortable clothes. I had enough sense to obey him rather than rebel and have never regretted it.

I have passed on that piece of wisdom to many others and I think that it did a lot of good to a lot of people.

Can’t some veterans advise these young women?

After the post went live, I got a forward which I think is synchronicity working overtime for me.  Please patiently read this remarkable piece of writing.

29 thoughts on “Fashion And Comfort.”

  1. Unfortunately, for women comfort is never the number-one issue. The pressure is always to be attractive or sexy, and that requires uncomfortable or even painful clothing, unless you are self-assured enough to dress however you want and let everyone else go hang. Not many women are that self-assured.
    nick recently posted..A lick of paint

      1. That’s a very complex question, probably better answered by a woman. But women are taught to doubt themselves from a very early age – by other girls, by boys, by the media, by their family even. In all sorts of subtle (and not so subtle) ways they’re told that they’re lacking something.
        nick recently posted..A lick of paint

  2. we need more katharine hepburns in this world. kate the great!
    now there was a woman that never caved to the almighty judging norm.
    she was herself in all her glory. baggy trousers and flat shoes and all.
    and still she was considered a legendary beauty and actress.
    so sad that superficiality has become our norm. always always HOW one looks. rather than what’s in one’s heart or mind. has it always been this bad?
    i don’t know. but it does seem to be getting worse.
    i don’t think woman doll up and dress for men. they do it to impress other women. and the magazines just feed that.
    tammyj recently posted..hark!

  3. Not quite sure what the connection is between armpits and vagina. Will ask Julia Roberts next time I see her. Maybe she can enlighten me.

    I don’t see the problem. And, as so often, I think NIck terribly negative on all things woman. He makes us [women] out as some sort of malleable creatures, like soft wax. Frankly, I find that attitude belittling, patronizing and insulting to my intelligence.

    Maybe I have been very lucky by temperament, upbringing and my good genes. I have never felt any pressure as to my appearance. Beauty is appreciated: Fact of life.

    And, by the way, ‘style’ has nothing to do with ‘fashion’. Style is innate, fashion is for sheep.

    Another myth: That beautiful clothes have to be uncomfortable. Complete and utter nonsense. I have worn great clothes all my life. Not once have I been uncomfortable. Where does all that nonsense come from?

    As to the lament that women are under pressure to beautify themselves. It is so much rubbish I could cry. Do any of you ever go to any art gallery, the theatre, the opera, anywhere? From the caves we (and that includes men) have beautified ourselves (think Robespiere and his beautiful shirts to Johnny Depp and his mascara).

    Let me put it another way: Beauty and brains do not exclude each other. And I truly wish men would stop whining on women’s behalf. Let us get on with it in our own way.

    To summon up: Stop making women into victims. We aren’t.

    And, before I forget, after decades of stilettos my feet are still perfectly formed – and I have never ever felt an ache. The trick is to buy quality over quantity.

    U
    Ursula recently posted..Romans and countrymen

        1. Ursula, all I can say is that research shows over and over again that most women dislike many parts of their body and feel they aren’t attractive enough. If you’ve never felt that, you’re clearly very fortunate. I wouldn’t say I’m negative about all things woman either, quite the opposite. As you have yourself noted in the past, I’m much more negative about all things male.
          nick recently posted..Ow, that hurts

  5. Ramana, we were at a wedding reception in Delhi when evening temperature was 7 degrees C. This reception was a glittering page 3 event attended ministers, actors and social climbers. Almost all women between 22 & 60 years of age were dressed in backless and strapless upper wear and some even in dresses showing their legs, presumably under sheer stockings. I hoped these women got who or what they had set out to get and not pneumonia and or bronchitis. The women were also at work but I suppose their ideas & comfort zone were slightly different from you old fashioned ideas of baggy stuff you were made to change into. About time you changed your ideas, old man !

  6. Hi Rummy,

    Some women are losing it, unfortunately. “armpit vagina”, what is that? I mean, some celebrity says something silly (that probably reflects her life style) and immediately people make an issue out of it…anyway, if some women do not want to have creases in their armpits there are practical solutions to avoid it: physical exercise (yoga, Tai Chi, other kind of martial arts, healthy sex etc) and drinking plenty of water. I would also suggest that they lay off junk food and other unhealthy “delicatessens”.

    Loved the 10 reasons why Cosmo is NOT a Women’s magazine and I totally agree. This is why I don’t even bother buying such garbage.

    Cheers
    Max Coutinho recently posted..Ariel Sharon’s Point & President Obama’s Apology to Israel

  7. Women are surrounded by messages that they are never good enough and that they must go to any length to be sexy and desirable. And that is why I objected t that horrific chair that demeans and objectifies women.
    Secret Agent Woman recently posted..Nights on the town.

  8. Blame the constant assault of “you’re simply not good enough” on girls and women from MSM. It never stops. Men and boys, not so much.

    I wish to hell some women in the spotlight would stand up to it and say “enough”. The role models for girls, apart from Barbie types, are non-existent.

    XO
    WWW
    wisewebwoman recently posted..The Lonely Engineer – Part 2

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