Boys will be girls

Clippings from news sources involving fashion freedom and other gender equality issues.
Post Reply
User avatar
skirtingtoday
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 1518
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2011 1:28 pm
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland

Boys will be girls

Post by skirtingtoday »

Saw this article in the Sunday Herald (Scottish newspaper) on androgyny.

Not sure if you can view it but here is the link anyway:- http://www.heraldscotland.com/fashion/l ... s.25411811

It confirmed that whilst in the past, women raided men's wardrobes for almost any clothing but that the situation is now going the other way where many men are raiding their wife's/ girlfriends/partners wardrobe for their clothes - I think the figure was 45% !! It didn't mention skirts in particular but made general comments only and was very supportive of the losing of male/female distinction in clothing and becoming more unisex. It also stated that whilst such fashions were suggested in the past, this time it seemed much more positive.
"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on" - Winston Churchill.
"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it" - Joseph Goebbels
User avatar
crfriend
Master Barista
Posts: 14431
Joined: Fri Nov 19, 2004 9:52 pm
Location: New England (U.S.)
Contact:

Re: Boys will be girls

Post by crfriend »

skirtingtoday wrote:Saw this article in the Sunday Herald (Scottish newspaper) on androgyny.

Not sure if you can view it but here is the link anyway:- http://www.heraldscotland.com/fashion/l ... s.25411811
The article shows over here in the US, so it's likely viewable by anyone, which is good.

Unfortunately, it's the usual 90% droning on about how lopsided the situation is and it'd be interesting to know if anyone here finds either of the individuals in the accompanying photo even remotely attractive. (I didn't.)

As I've brought up before, "unisex" is altogether too frequently a term invoked by women who strive to be second-class men. Why not be first-class women instead? Similarly, if guys are to don clothes (supposedly) for women, why should we relegate ourselves to being second-class women instead of first-class men? ("Supermodels" notwithstanding.)

I agree with the hypothesis of dropping the gender distinctions when it comes to clothing, but seriously wonder whether that'll happen in my lifetime -- and, if it does, what form will it take? I do suspect, however, that if it dives into outright androgeny (as the photo in the article points up very effectively) I'll probably not be particularly thrilled by it. (And, no, I didn't like Bowie in his androgenous period.) The key is to be yourself, and not make an observer wonder, "WTF am I looking at?"
Retrocomputing -- It's not just a job, it's an adventure!
User avatar
skirtingtoday
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 1518
Joined: Wed Nov 30, 2011 1:28 pm
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland

Re: Boys will be girls

Post by skirtingtoday »

crfriend,
I think most people will be able to see the first 3 articles on the papers website (free) over a period of 4 weeks - thereafter, to see more than, that it is under a subscription charge £1 (UK) for the first month then £2.99 monthly (or more) thereafter.

The article seems to indicate that many blokes in David Bowie's heyday would rush to their girlfriends makeup bag but I didn't even consider it. Even today, I wouldn't consider using makeup (blusher, eye shadow, eye liner and the like) as a thing I had to do. The Bowie look was just a style that was "accepted" at the time as being "out there" but not as a style to imitate.

Ross
"A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on" - Winston Churchill.
"If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it" - Joseph Goebbels
STEVIE
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 4188
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2010 11:01 pm
Location: North East Scotland.

Re: Boys will be girls

Post by STEVIE »

Hi ST
My memories of those far off "Bowie" heydays may be a little hazy and somewhat rose tinted.
I do seem to remember though, that it was the girls who copied his look and style in the main.
Interesting to note how conservative his look is these days.
I had two envies, the LDV dancers' skirts and the Abba girls' tee shirt dresses.
As for skirts, the day wiil come when we can truly consider them genderless, not unisex, that's for jeans and trousers.
Steve.
P.S. the LDV dancers appeared in an advert?
User avatar
Sinned
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 5804
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2012 5:28 pm
Location: York, England

Re: Boys will be girls

Post by Sinned »

The trouble with the "rush" to androgyny is that I suspect that we will end up with the worst of the situation in loads of clothes for either sex that are the boring, boring,BORING black, blue or brown instead of propagating the range of colours all through. I can already see it sometimes in between the new season's arrivals. Not holding my breath for advancements in unisex fashion.
I believe in offering every assistance short of actual help but then mainly just want to be left to be myself in all my difference and uniqueness.
Grok
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 2804
Joined: Fri Aug 29, 2008 2:21 am

Re: Boys will be girls

Post by Grok »

For practical purposes, androgyny refers to women borrowing styles from men. At this point, the only thing left to borrow is the sheer dullness of male clothing.
partlyscot
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 908
Joined: Sun Dec 09, 2012 7:05 pm

Re: Boys will be girls

Post by partlyscot »

Hi STEVIE, what or who, was LDV?

I also admire the ABBA girl's clothing, but more for the way they filled them, rather than wanting to wear them. (Although I did have a thing about stretchy pants in my teens.)
ChrisM
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 468
Joined: Thu Mar 18, 2004 12:49 am
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Re: Boys will be girls

Post by ChrisM »

Good question. In my community LDV means Laser Doppler Velocimetry, but that doesn't well fit the context here.
User avatar
Sinned
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 5804
Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2012 5:28 pm
Location: York, England

Re: Boys will be girls

Post by Sinned »

In my youth LDV stood for Leyland Daf Vans. They produced panel vans, pickups and minibuses ( similar to the Transits and Mercedes vans ) mainly to large corporations such as Royal Mail and utility companies. Went the way of other vehicle manufacturers< I believe, due to lack of investment and sold to foreign investors. Don't really know if the mark is now defunct but it's years since I saw any of the vehicles.
I believe in offering every assistance short of actual help but then mainly just want to be left to be myself in all my difference and uniqueness.
User avatar
JohnH
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 1013
Joined: Wed Jun 23, 2010 12:46 am
Location: Irving, Texas USA

Re: Boys will be girls

Post by JohnH »

skirtingtoday wrote: The article seems to indicate that many blokes in David Bowie's heyday would rush to their girlfriends makeup bag but I didn't even consider it. Even today, I wouldn't consider using makeup (blusher, eye shadow, eye liner and the like) as a thing I had to do.

Ross
For business and church I use subdued lipstick and eye makeup (eyeshadow and mascara). I do not want to look like a drag queen - I simply want to enhance my appearance in a subtle way. I have good color in my face so I do not use foundation or blush.

John
User avatar
Kirbstone
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 5571
Joined: Sun Jun 06, 2010 7:55 pm
Location: Ireland

Re: Boys will be girls

Post by Kirbstone »

No they won't! My old dial stays how it is and if the people I meet every day don't like it, there are lots of prettier faces around.
I sometimes have to hide the odd shaving nick or cold sore with a flesh-coloured stick which does the trick.

I'll quote Percy French in the last verse of his song 'Mountains of Mourne'....

Now there's beautiful girls here*, but never you mind, (* in London)
With beautiful shapes Nature never designed,
And lovely complexions all roses and craeme,
Which O'Loughlin* remarked with regard to the same, (* a policeman)
That if at those roses you ventured to sip,
Shure the colours would all come away on your lip
I'll return to my Wild Rose who's waiting for me,
Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the Sea

..so he didn't think much of painted faces, 100+ years ago, either.

Tom.
Last edited by Kirbstone on Wed Oct 01, 2014 10:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Carpe Diem......Seize the Day !
STEVIE
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 4188
Joined: Fri Sep 17, 2010 11:01 pm
Location: North East Scotland.

Re: Boys will be girls

Post by STEVIE »

The "LDV" in this context were the Litter Defence Volunteers.
They appeared in a series of anti-littering public service T.V. adverts in the seventies.
I think the actual dance troupe may have been called The Young Generation but I'm not sure.
In the ads, the girls wore white tennis style skirts and I always fancied one. I'd have been early to mid teens at the time.
As for Abba, I never really liked any of their stage costumes except for those tees. That actually goes for the guys' stuff too. Loved the music though.
Steve.
User avatar
melsav
Member Extraordinaire
Posts: 431
Joined: Sat Feb 15, 2014 11:39 am
Location: Johannesburg South Africa

Re: Boys will be girls

Post by melsav »

In South Africa LDV stands for "light delivery vehicle" don't think that fits this context either, never seen any light delivery vehicles dancing around :laff:
Post Reply