Preserved Topic: no philosophy, just silly ness!

I was downtown this morning. Real early, as in 7h00 AM, as in for a job interview?wanted to beat the traffic going in?did too good a job of it. Oh well, what shall i do?

Serious time to kill while the city slowly wakes up. That's how I find myself standing at the corner of Walk and Don't Walk, just checking out the magnificent ladies. Ok, so I'm not single anymore - but just because I'm on a diet doesn't mean I can't look at the menu, right?

What I love most about downtown Montreal? - the women at the city core must be, arguably I'm sure, the most beautiful in the world?not all homegrown either, we're talking cosmopolitan - this town has a real international flair.

Major league girl watching as I sipped strong coffee and savored a croissant au beurre or two.
Well as the song goes:
Every kind of girl
There was long one's tall ones, short ones, brown ones,
Black ones, round ones, big ones, crazy ones

Then it hit me?the acrid,pungent, reeking smell of perfume, *cheap* perfume, lavishly overdone, from this women in her late 40's. And another, and another after that.

The male equivalent of the baby boomer's aqua velva or old spice?.take your pick.

Why do women do that? Is it a substitute for bathing?
Was there a 2 for 1 special at the WalMart? Talking about killing the moment.

I'll take "burying my face" in a women's freshly shampoo'd hair over cheap perfume
any time.




[This message has been edited by ShootingStar (edited 05-07-2002).]

Yup... Perfume, like make-up should be slathered on in small doses. Certainly a good candidate for the origins of the phrase, "Less is more..."

Witherin

P.S. - I really miss being able to sit back and relax in Michaels Baguette in downtown Toronto, enjoying coffe and a chocolate croissant, watching the city wake up. But life is change, and so I find myself enjoying coffee, a home made croissant and the crisp Alaskan spring air. All the while hoping the kids sleep in just a little bit longer...

Well, perfume originally was a substitute for bathing--but I hope that we have evolved beyond that. My mother never wore perfume because my father was allergic to most perfumes, so I never associated women with perfume when I was younger. For some reason, I also don't like makeup.

My wife doesn't wear perfume, which is fine by me.

Haveta agree with you there, nothing smells better than freshly washed hair...*snife* Ahhhh....

Tho sandlewood ain't bad, either...

I'm not allergic but i can't stand the smell
of perfume in magazines either. you try to flip
through and you're overwhelmed with the
fragrance du jour. scratch and sniff.

soap beats perfume in my vote
as for makeup, if not overdone, like Mimi on Drew Carey,
it's ok with me...but i do prefer the natural look

Do guys really prefer women to go for the soap, no make-up, au natural, hairy legs/arm-pits...?

I think not!

Unless the woman is so goddamned good looking that she could wear a bin-bag and still look drop-dead gorgeous?! Or, the uglier the woman, the more they *need* the extra make-up, perfume...???? Hence: maybe shes born with it or maybe its Maybeline!!! (tv. ad jingle thing)

OK, I'm going to be honest here. My wife wears make-up when she goes to work or has something important to do, but she doesn't otherwise. She doesn't use perfume, she doesn't shave her legs, and she only shaves her armpits during the summer. None of this bothers me in the least, and in my eyes my wife is beautiful.

Some of the stuff you mentioned--the shaving stuff in particular--is different from culture to culture. Most Asian girls are not hairy enough in the first place to need to shave their legs, and my wife falls into that category. As for the armpits--like I said, it doesn't bother me in the least.

So I guess it comes down to this. If you're sitting at a sidewalk cafe watching women walk by, maybe the whole done-up-like-a-doll thing is nice. But when it comes down to really being with someone, it's the woman that matters, not the packaging. At least that's the way I see it. My best friend used to have his girlfriend put on make-up, stockings, and high heels when they were intimate--that sort of stuff turns some people on.

As my father used to say (and probably still says): "'To each his own,' said the farmer as he kissed the cow."

Well, I agree with Suho1004 on this...my girlfriend doesn't shave her underarms or wear make-up...to be blunt, I don't really like women with make-up on. Why? Hmmm...well, I like honesty...and real people, I guess. That's one of the things I really like about my girlfriend...no games, or roles to play. Just a good, honest relationship between two people who can just be themselves. Very nice, really. And I don't have to wait hours to use the bathroom..

Guess it all depends on the person. Beauty from inside is all that counts in my book...never saw an 80+ year old that looked like one of those models...and I do intend on spending my life with this person. And of course, it costs a lot less...

For the fantasy (the perfect woman, sex partner, etc) that just doesn't exist...the media is full of this junk. Had enough, and I decided to change it, starting with myself. And my girlfriend doesn't like make-up, either...took awhile to 'throw-off' my typical American fascination with this complex...and now that I am free, I would like to believe that the quality of my relationships have improved...

I think we all agree that soap is a must. But as for the make up and shaving, I could care less if she shaves, my only request is that if she does, keep caught up. Stubble bugs guys as much as you ladies. As long as it is not obvious (a skill most people seem to lack) I don't really care.


To some up, beyond soap, I don't care. And you can't make me. No you can't! No! No! I am not kidding now.

DigitalUbiquity

I think the woman should at least shave her facial hair: beard, mustache etc.

And I don't think men should wear make-up, lipstick
just doesn't go well with men. nor should men wear
high heels and stockings..i don't mind it very macho.

but that's just my opinion

as for hairy armpits...i think the line is crossed
if her armpits look like the Jackson Five's afro during the 70s

quote:

---

And I don't think men should wear make-up, lipstick
just doesn't go well with men. nor should men wear
high heels and stockings..i don't mind it very macho.

---

I would have to agree with you there. Make-up is a pain in the neck to put on and then get off again, high heels are incredibly uncomfortable (like walking on your toes all day), and stockings tear too easily.

Um, not that I would know these things from personal experience or anything.

I dont think I'm trying to convince anyone of anything here... But I dont think its a stretch of the imagination to at least acknowledge that some people are: -

(a) more confident / less confident than others...

(b) therefore *looks* can improve confidence

If u look good and this is really open to interpretation - anything from simply looking *healthy* to using a bit of mascara! you will be more confident.

Obviously there are differences, extremes or whatever.. but without being too naive or vain, it can make a difference..

Kit

That's true kit. I have a friend who got breast implants (I tried my hardest to talk her out of it), and since the operation I have seen a remarkable difference in her self confidence (positive change). I think the prevailing thought here is that there is such a thing as too much though.

DigitalUbiquity

DigitalUbiquity: - yes! I totally agree... Too much and thats er, too much!!! To go under the scapel - is pretty extreme!? - though I guess its more acceptable now than ever, but just scares me...

But when I was talking about confidence, I just think about my friends, people who simply take care of themselves; are healthy, wear their clothes well and perhaps go that extra inch to look good.

~ doesnt ones own self-confidence *inspire* confidence in you from others? ~

Kit

Get a grip. Self-confidence comes from within, not from without...and I don't mean implants, either.

Makeup, smakeup
Q. What's the sexiest thing on a woman?
A. ME!

edit: can't even get a 1 word punchline right.

[This message has been edited by ShootingStar (edited 05-09-2002).]

Hey, I said all those things to her about implants not being the answer to all her problems too, but the fact of the matter is that she became more confident after the operaton. Now I don't know what to think about it.

DigitalUbiquity

Well, it's a case of 'false confidence', sort of that which a 'ripper' gets...immediate results build on a 'unstable' fundament...in the case of implants, they have to be 'regularly' checked (every ten years, or so...how do I know that? Well, my girlfriend works as an assistant to a Gynacologist, my younger sister is a registered Nurse, and my older sister is a Doctor...and they all have come back with the same answer...breast implants must be 'renewed' every ten years, or so...and the 'risks' are high, much higher than one is led to believe...). The confidence 'boost' is short lived...true self-confidence must start from inside...and, of course, in the case of implants, the skin of the breast is stretched, which means that with time, either a) one must get new implants, that are bigger, or b) one must remove some of the stretched skin surgically.

All that, just for a short-lived boost in self-confidence? Imho, that's insane...

Is this person in a job that requires 'perfect' looks? If not, then why the **** did they do this to their own body? It's sad, if you ask me...

WebShaman: - I agree things like breast enlargements - is more often than not a *false confidence* - and perhaps one day, this woman will look in the mirror and regret her decision, maybe during a check-up like you mentioned? or if something were to go wrong...? (icky!)

BUT! If you have confidence, you project that throughout your entire body... hence caring for yourself is an extension of that.... the person who mentioned using *soap* is right, as is using a *hair brush*, and a *tooth brush!* perhaps regular excersise.. the whole make-up/perfume thing ought, IMHO to be used in moderation...

But we all think we know what best looks good!?! - and we cant all have good tastes! Hence there are varying degrees as to how we are able to look after ourselves/abuse ourselves... each can be taken to extreme... each can boost, falsely or otherwise our confidence...

You can spin it either way, to say its a good healthy thing, or a bad, vain thing, or **whatever** depending on your POV...?


Kit

Yup. I think you nailed it on the head. It's mostly just a point of view. Other societies, other values.

Of course, a healthy, clean appearance is a sign of well-being, that normally comes from self-confidence...

Well, I guess I will have to make sure I am there for her fi and when she looses that false confidence. On the plus side she is seeing a shrink to work on the underlying problems too.

DigitalUbiquity