A discussion of women's fashion reminds me of a book I had read about many decades ago. I though the book was called Who Built the Jails, but I can't find any book, related to fashion, with that title.
Anyhow, the book was about how women are the ones that built their own misguided (at best), fashion expectations. I.e. women built their own jails! Women are the ones most critical of other women with regards to what is right-or-wrong with regards to fashion. Men, generally, don't give a hoot.
Of course, high-heel shoes were a topic in the book. A few weeks ago, The Economist had an article on high-heel shoes as it relates to France. Sales are way down, and most younger women are wearing flat black, boot-looking, shoes. Over 50% of the younger French women don't a pair of high-heel shoes, but almost all have those black shoes. Thus breaking the bars of those self-imposed fashion jails.
PS: watching Perry Mason last night and Perry, Paul and Della have to run to get away from some dogs defending a home. Della trips and hurts herself. Why? Because she was wearing high heel shoes!
She who knows not fashion
Re: She who knows not fashion
I don't need a book to tell me about the vicious cycle women go through about their appearance. Clothing is just one aspect of it.
It's the whole, "My looks are/aren't important, it means/doesn't mean any/every thing"
The truth of the matter is yes, your clothing visually tells others about you, who you are, what you value. It's subliminal and really matters most for first impressions, once someone knows & likes you, your appearance matters less.
Women know this, but take it to the EXTREME on a regular basis. It's one of the few things they can control about their looks. And the women who understand psychology more are the ones who obsess over it.
I just finished reading a fascinating book written by a woman who "became" a man with the help of a special effects make up artist and lived as a man for 18 months. The most revelatory chapter was when she took a job that required her to wear a suit. She was floored not only by how she felt wearing the suit, but how people looked at her and especially treated her with respect, unfamiliar to most women.
In my youth my hair was platinum blonde in front & natural brown in back. (yes I was a punk) Whenever my brown hair was hidden by a scarf or hat, I appeared to be a blonde. It was ASTOUNDING how differently strangers looked at me and especially how they treated me.
Costuming, hair, make up in movies is really an art. They help convey a charactor visually every minute you're watching.
It's the whole, "My looks are/aren't important, it means/doesn't mean any/every thing"
The truth of the matter is yes, your clothing visually tells others about you, who you are, what you value. It's subliminal and really matters most for first impressions, once someone knows & likes you, your appearance matters less.
Women know this, but take it to the EXTREME on a regular basis. It's one of the few things they can control about their looks. And the women who understand psychology more are the ones who obsess over it.
I just finished reading a fascinating book written by a woman who "became" a man with the help of a special effects make up artist and lived as a man for 18 months. The most revelatory chapter was when she took a job that required her to wear a suit. She was floored not only by how she felt wearing the suit, but how people looked at her and especially treated her with respect, unfamiliar to most women.
In my youth my hair was platinum blonde in front & natural brown in back. (yes I was a punk) Whenever my brown hair was hidden by a scarf or hat, I appeared to be a blonde. It was ASTOUNDING how differently strangers looked at me and especially how they treated me.
Costuming, hair, make up in movies is really an art. They help convey a charactor visually every minute you're watching.