Burlap! It's so the new pashmina!
I've come to realize something interesting since I've had longer hair. It's now just past my shoulders, shapeless, and straight. It looks okay when I wear it down, and I'm getting used to it the more I do so.
One thing I've realized though, is that guys notice me more when my hair is down as opposed to wearing it up, or having it cut short. Like, yesterday morning, I was sitting in my car at a red light on my way to work. The sun was just coming up, and was shining through my side windows. And I was wearing my hair down.
A guy standing at the corner, waiting to cross the street - he was younger, possibly my age, maybe younger than that - took a glance at me, then he thoroughly looked. I'm rarely checked out, so I usually notice when it's happening, which also means that I've noticed that I tend to get noticed when I'm wearing my hair down.
It's the same idea around why we wear makeup at all. Yes, sometimes it is to make us as women feel better about stepping outside the house - I know I feel a little more confident going out when I'm quite sure that the circles under my eyes are properly concealed.
I just looked up some facts about the evolution of makeup, and there's one certain thing about it. It's main purpose throughout history (aside from perhaps the Egyptian period) was concealment. Women would try to look pale, as it was a sign of wealth. (That simply amuses the hell out of me because now we're all trying to be toasty.) It was also used to make an ill person appear healthy to the public at large. That, of course, was when everyone was ill from one epidemic or another.
There was always something to be hidden. However, originally, and this is my point, back in the Egyptian times, women would darken their eyes, and lashes, and men would respond to it. In a word, it made them more noticeable to the male eye. That's why prostitutes were so apt to wear it as well. It's kind of harsh, but true.
And that's how we use it now. Everything about makeup (unless you're attempting to make an artistic statement of one sort or another) is made to enhance the features. To make the eyes look larger, the eye color more vibrant, the skin smoother, and so on.
Why?
So we can make it easier for those whom we want to notice us. And I think that's the problem. I think women are making it too easy for men. I'm all for the Victorian ages when makeup was frowned upon (unless you were a prostitute or actress...or both) and men were made to WORK a little harder.
Now, with our hair product, our fashion magazines and trends, and our multibillion dollar cosmetic lines, we're doing all of the work for them.
Unfortunately, I'm not saying that all of us women should chop all of our hair of, wash our faces, and start running around barefoot in potato sacks. Although that would also cause us to be noticed, I think it would give the wrong impression.
I'm also not planning a large revolution myself on the idea, by going around barefaced, with a shaved head, wearing flip flops and growing out my armpit hair. I plan to continue to wear makeup, and look for nice clothes and shoes that flatter the excuse I have for a figure.
Why?
Because I'm single, I'm in my mid twenties, and if I ran barefoot around in a potato sack, I'm pretty sure that my statement would be lost upon those onlookers who are calling the police.
The fact is that I'm still trying to be noticed, and even though not having to fix my hair, or do up my face in the morning sounds appealing, it would be pointless because now, men are not used to working that hard. It's just a fact and the fault lies on both sides, I think.
One morning, I was going over to the parents' house to help with something or other. I brought all of my girl stuff with me because I was going to work on whatever it was, and then take a shower and do myself up normally.
Well, I came in the door, washed face, but no makeup, hair tied back messily, and my brother (who is twenty two) looked at me and said, "You look terrible."
You see my point?
Thank you, you shallow, insensitive, douche.
So yes, I'll continue to wear my hair down when it doesn't bug the crap out of me, and I'll keep wearing my Neutrogena Rose colored lipstick (it smells good!), because that's what is done, and it can't be helped.
This is not what I originally intended to write, but oh well. And this may not all be entirely accurate (The history stuff is though! I just looked it up!) but it is only my personal opinion.
One thing I've realized though, is that guys notice me more when my hair is down as opposed to wearing it up, or having it cut short. Like, yesterday morning, I was sitting in my car at a red light on my way to work. The sun was just coming up, and was shining through my side windows. And I was wearing my hair down.
A guy standing at the corner, waiting to cross the street - he was younger, possibly my age, maybe younger than that - took a glance at me, then he thoroughly looked. I'm rarely checked out, so I usually notice when it's happening, which also means that I've noticed that I tend to get noticed when I'm wearing my hair down.
It's the same idea around why we wear makeup at all. Yes, sometimes it is to make us as women feel better about stepping outside the house - I know I feel a little more confident going out when I'm quite sure that the circles under my eyes are properly concealed.
I just looked up some facts about the evolution of makeup, and there's one certain thing about it. It's main purpose throughout history (aside from perhaps the Egyptian period) was concealment. Women would try to look pale, as it was a sign of wealth. (That simply amuses the hell out of me because now we're all trying to be toasty.) It was also used to make an ill person appear healthy to the public at large. That, of course, was when everyone was ill from one epidemic or another.
There was always something to be hidden. However, originally, and this is my point, back in the Egyptian times, women would darken their eyes, and lashes, and men would respond to it. In a word, it made them more noticeable to the male eye. That's why prostitutes were so apt to wear it as well. It's kind of harsh, but true.
And that's how we use it now. Everything about makeup (unless you're attempting to make an artistic statement of one sort or another) is made to enhance the features. To make the eyes look larger, the eye color more vibrant, the skin smoother, and so on.
Why?
So we can make it easier for those whom we want to notice us. And I think that's the problem. I think women are making it too easy for men. I'm all for the Victorian ages when makeup was frowned upon (unless you were a prostitute or actress...or both) and men were made to WORK a little harder.
Now, with our hair product, our fashion magazines and trends, and our multibillion dollar cosmetic lines, we're doing all of the work for them.
Unfortunately, I'm not saying that all of us women should chop all of our hair of, wash our faces, and start running around barefoot in potato sacks. Although that would also cause us to be noticed, I think it would give the wrong impression.
I'm also not planning a large revolution myself on the idea, by going around barefaced, with a shaved head, wearing flip flops and growing out my armpit hair. I plan to continue to wear makeup, and look for nice clothes and shoes that flatter the excuse I have for a figure.
Why?
Because I'm single, I'm in my mid twenties, and if I ran barefoot around in a potato sack, I'm pretty sure that my statement would be lost upon those onlookers who are calling the police.
The fact is that I'm still trying to be noticed, and even though not having to fix my hair, or do up my face in the morning sounds appealing, it would be pointless because now, men are not used to working that hard. It's just a fact and the fault lies on both sides, I think.
One morning, I was going over to the parents' house to help with something or other. I brought all of my girl stuff with me because I was going to work on whatever it was, and then take a shower and do myself up normally.
Well, I came in the door, washed face, but no makeup, hair tied back messily, and my brother (who is twenty two) looked at me and said, "You look terrible."
You see my point?
Thank you, you shallow, insensitive, douche.
So yes, I'll continue to wear my hair down when it doesn't bug the crap out of me, and I'll keep wearing my Neutrogena Rose colored lipstick (it smells good!), because that's what is done, and it can't be helped.
This is not what I originally intended to write, but oh well. And this may not all be entirely accurate (The history stuff is though! I just looked it up!) but it is only my personal opinion.