opressiveness of our clothing

So I was in an Internet discussion on how opressive wearing muslim dresses was for muslim women, when it got me thinking of the rest of us. Isn't all clothing somehow opressive? I love women in uncomfortable clothes? Just the fact that women make such an effort to be pretty, and suffer through all kinds of shit, is half the joy of seeing them.

And myself. I don't spend as much time shopping for clothes like I used to, (wearing trendy stuff was important for my job then) but I spend a fair time being pretty. Also eating right and working out.

I wouldn't say that any of this makes me suffer but I'm lazy at heart. If I could get everything this brings me anyway I would stop in an instant.

I'm not defending muslim clothing, because I think they look like shit, and I have a sneaking suspicion that getting appreciated for their looks is important for girls, (and boys) everywhere. I think we need to be flirted with for our mental well being, which is inherantly linked to how you dress and look.

Anyway. I don't have any clear opinions on this. I'm just opening up my skull here and scooping my thoughts out.

Would you dress differently if you could wear anything at any time? Do you like the oppresiveness of dresscodes, (which I must say I do to a extent)? Is worrying about looks only distressing and painful? Is being dressed like god intended us to be, (ie naked) any less opressive? Are we just hiding our bodies with clothing, or making them prettier?

Thoughts on this?

Hrm... interesting topic.

I dislike clothing -- In fact, less is best.
I'd rather see someone spend the money they spend on clothing and accessorizing to putting that money towards more learning even if to be self taught than to appear as some king of fake prince/cess.

I have an open policy in my home when son and daughters are not there for holidays and such. no clothing. If any sparse and revealing.

Personally, I think one should dress for comfort in public not for style.
Dresscodes.. well... there's noone to enforce such on me. Luckily for me, I've never had a job where that was important.
Most often I am in a t-shirt, jeans ( often cut short for summer) and sandals year round. I have a favorite crushable Boner hat I wear. LOL. very comfortable. friendly even.

I think the various remarks that will be posted will be interesting.
A lot of vanity will shine through in this thread.

I have to admit if I have a choice I am more apt to go for jeans/shorts or at least comfy pants and a nice t-shirt. In that same category though I VERY seldom go out in just sweatpants and a sweatshirt as to me they look (or better yet how I look in them) is just messy.

And make up and hair are not as important to me... make up for special occasions (or when my face really decides it wants to break out!) and my hair in a pony tail to keep it out of my way is the norm.

Now, if I have someone to dress for, who appreciates the effort and the suffering that is a different story. Basically at that point I almost become an entirely different person.... because there is a REASON to suffer. Just as Tom enjoys seeing women in uncomfortable clothing I am more willing to tolerate the stockings, heels, extra daily time for hair and make-up for I know it will be appreciated and not just overlooked.

I don't necessarily feel that makes me vain... just makes me want to please who I am with!

I'm vain. I care about how I look. Am I detecting some cultural stigma against admitting this?

I'm a slacks and t shirt kind on bloke... Jeans just arnt comfortable for me anymore... having worn slacks everyday for the last 2years at the different jobs I've been in.

Also.. The Muslim clothing... The full body wrap is indicitive of Strict Shuria Law... I'm a fan..*fan meaning they get me ALL SORTS OF AROUSED* Of Muslim headscarfs... I dont know what it is about them.. but... RAWR!

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Originally Posted by TomOfSweden

I'm vain. I care about how I look. Am I detecting some cultural stigma against admitting this?

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Doesn't seem that there is a cultural stigma going on... just a few sharing their opinions on how they prefer to dress...

I love when a woman makes her pretty for me. I love skirts and stockings and heels and all that. Personally I do try and look my best cause it makes ME feel good about myself but some days I just like to lounge about in cargopants and a hoodie or something like that. (+ I look good in blue jeans and a tshirt :))
There are days for both styles.

btw. isnt there a story called something like "second wedding" or something about a burka in leather or something like that?
that sure sounds alluring :D

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Originally Posted by TomOfSweden

Would you dress differently if you could wear anything at any time? Do you like the oppresiveness of dresscodes, (which I must say I do to a extent)? Is worrying about looks only distressing and painful? Is being dressed like god intended us to be, (ie naked) any less opressive? Are we just hiding our bodies with clothing, or making them prettier?
Thoughts on this?

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Well to start off - uh huh, I'm hiding my body with clothing. *giggles

I guess because I'm a free spirit, I feel dresscodes are oppressive. And while I run around in sweats and jeans, I love getting "dressed-up" so that I feel pretty. I just don't like to be forced to dress a certain way.

It doesn't matter to me what others think; however, receiving compliments is always nice, especially from other women. I mostly dress to please myself, because I don't have to prove anything to anyone. And I'd venture to say if I were suddenly thrown into a Muslim society, I'd probably be beheaded.

I think one has to look at the two prime and diametically opposed motivations.

On one are fundamentalist religions, (in whole or part.) Jews wear yamulkas (sp) and head covering scarves, dull colors and the orthodox wear black. Muslims also cover up, especially their women. Here in the US, fundamentalist denounce short skirts and tight fitting clothing, make-up, and even pierced ears.

On the other side is fashion. Fashion accentuates sexuality. From bustles to corsets to accentuate the female form, to bright colors, exposing skin, and soft 'touch-me' fabrics and furs, fashion has been about the laws of attraction.

So I disagree with the basic concept that all clothing is oppressive. We men might like some of the fashions because we perceive them as constricting... but the women (imo) love anything that makes them attractive.

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Originally Posted by TomOfSweden

I'm vain. I care about how I look. Am I detecting some cultural stigma against admitting this?

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I don't think so... I think people sitting around their computers tend to be in their 'relaxation' mode... Put them in a scene or send them out for dinner, theater, dancing; and they will go into their 'let's dress up' mode.

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Originally Posted by Ozme52

but the women (imo) love anything that makes them attractive.

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Well, some women are attractive in nothing more than a moisturizing lotion. *winks

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Originally Posted by blythespirit

Well, some women are attractive in nothing more than a moisturizing lotion. *winks

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True... but will the authoritee' let you out and about in nothing more?

Sadly... no. LOL.

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Originally Posted by TomOfSweden

So I was in an Internet discussion on how opressive wearing muslim dresses was for muslim women, when it got me thinking of the rest of us. Isn't all clothing somehow opressive? I love women in uncomfortable clothes? Just the fact that women make such an effort to be pretty, and suffer through all kinds of shit, is half the joy of seeing them.

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You just like making women uncomfortable, Tom. In many ways. :cool:

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Would you dress differently if you could wear anything at any time?

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Yes I would. I'd always dress in whatever way I chose on any given day.

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Do you like the oppresiveness of dresscodes, (which I must say I do to a extent)?

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Yuck.

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Is worrying about looks only distressing and painful?

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I think this depends on your perspective. If you only think about the parts of your physical self you don't like, then yes.

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Is being dressed like god intended us to be, (ie naked) any less opressive? Are we just hiding our bodies with clothing, or making them prettier?

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Yes! I love to be naked! And we are both hiding our bodies and making them prettier - all at the same time.

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Originally Posted by jeanne

Yes! I love to be naked! And we are both hiding our bodies and making them prettier - all at the same time.

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Jeanne...after seeing the pic Fox took, i vote you be naked as often as possible

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Originally Posted by newby

Jeanne...after seeing the pic Fox took, i vote you be naked as often as possible

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You are too sweet! And I am naked as often as possible - and as soon as I get these teenagers out of the house, it'll be possible a lot more often! :)

I like dressing up, especially when my husband or gf is around to appreciate it. Personally, I'm a big fan of clothes that restrict and re-shape the body, like corsets, push-up bra, high heels, etc. It's exciting to feel like I'm transforming myself for the person I love.

And just to be pedantic, the full head-to-toe coverings that people think of as "traditional Muslim dress" are by no means an essential part of Islam. The Koran says to dress modestly and to cover the hair and the bosom, and throughout the history of Islam different cultures have interpreted that in different ways. The full burqa is associated with the Wahabbi sect, which was born as recently as the 18th century and is much harder on women than traditional Islam. Unfortunately, due to its connection to the wealthy and powerful al-Saud royal family, wahabbism has become extremely widespread in recent years and has smothered many local traditions in the Muslim world, including many more liberal interpretations of the rules for women's dress.

I am a nudist and wear clothes when I have to. Now that means because of social reasons or weather conditions.

I also know that I can use clothes to change my outward bearing. If you see me dressed casually or for daily business you have the basic me, the same guy when I am naked. But if I am negotiating and you see me in a 3 piece suit and a pair of dress boots look out I am going to eat your lunch if I can.

My point is that clothing can set your mental stage for you to be the you that you want for a given situation. I have some tell me that my dress code for my sub/slaves are degrading but I find that they do allow their sub/slave to grow and help them with giving me their power.

I'm in PJ bottoms and nekked on top right now..

I feel great.

yay.

I usually dress for the occasion, for a funeral, wedding, or formal situation I have one suit to where, most of the time in the summer it's shorts and a comfortable sure, for work it's usually scrubs, in the winter, it's usually jeans and a comfortable shirt, one thing you will never see me wearing is a long shirt.
wingsofanangel, just the thought of you wearing pajama bottoms, with your red hair hanging down over your breasts drives me crazy :icon176:

would it completley destroy that image if I said I changed my hair color and its in a ponytail ?

hehe..

I'll prob. go back to my natural reddish hair soon.. just needed a change... now its like a dark chocolate cherry color... like dark dark brown with a hint of red in the light.


enough of my thread hijacking.

I'm not comfortable naked, probably because I'm very self concious. I love clothing and don't consider much of it restrictive. I ususally dress for comfort rather than style, but being naked isn't one of my favorite things. Sometimes it can be nice, during scenes, sex and what not, but I don't think I could go around for an entire day wearing absolutely nothing.

I like to make myself up with makeup and jewelry, cute shoes and all of that, but I do it for me and for special occasions. There are days where I want to look pretty, and days where I just feel like I can go around the whole day in my pajamas.

Clothes can be restrictive, but I think it depends on your personality as to whether you consider them such.

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Originally Posted by wingsofanangel

would it completley destroy that image if I said I changed my hair color and its in a ponytail ?

hehe..

I'll prob. go back to my natural reddish hair soon.. just needed a change... now its like a dark chocolate cherry color... like dark dark brown with a hint of red in the light.


enough of my thread hijacking.

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No it would not completely destroy the image, and even though your hair is in a pony tail it could always be taken out, and I'm glad you are going to return to your original red, some people say that blondes are the most beautiful women, but I think redheads are.

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Originally Posted by midnite

No it would not completely destroy the image, and even though your hair is in a pony tail it could always be taken out, and I'm glad you are going to return to your original red, some people say that blondes are the most beautiful women, but I think redheads are.

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Amen about the redheads!

I'm going to put in a vote for brunettes, if that's the direction the thread is taking. Although I have been seeing a lady with dark red hair lately and it is quite stunning.