Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Public display of flesh

Backless cholis, off-shoulder dresses. Strappy tops with straps slipping off, mini skirts ending inches above mid-thigh. Plunging necklines reaching almost to the belly button, slits ending at the belt.
A cocktail party? A lounge bar? The Oscars? No! The Annual Concert of my son's pre-school.

One would have thought the mothers and other assorted female relatives would have gone there to cheer the kids performing on stage, but it seemed like most of them were actually there to show off their designer togs.

Was the conspicocous display of flesh incongruous and in bad taste? I definitely thought so. Call me old fashioned if you like, but I think there are places where you can flash skin and places where you should not, and a School Concert is definitely not a place where you should.

But even more than the attire being inappropriate for the situation was the fact that most of the women just did not have the figures to carry it off. Except a few, the women were all grossly overweight, and what we were subject to was a public display of adipose struggling to burst out of skin. There were backs so fat you could not even make out the shoulder blades. There were wobbly arms thicker than my legs, there were stomachs that looked several months pregnant. In their place, I would have tried to conceal the extra folds I was carrying around with me- I really don't know what they hoped to achieve by squeezing them into clothes that only accentuated parts that were best left hidden.

While I personally stay away from clothes cut too low or too high, or too tight, I love women who can carry off revealing numbers. But for that, you need a good body- not a size zero one, but a toned one. What women achieve by flaunting clothes that only draw attention to features best left hidden I will never understand!

9 comments:

Ann Elle Altman said...

I'm with you on that and your children are young. I don't know what's getting in to these mom's heads.

ann

Ron said...

How true. Just yesterday I was confronted with the sight of this woman with an enormous backside wearing tigggggghhhtttttt pants with a tank top. The effect on my eyes and brains was NOT GOOD *shudder*

Elizabeth Spann Craig said...

I have to wonder if they own a mirror.... :)

Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder

dipali said...

Ditto ditto ditto.
I cringe at the very thought:(

Anonymous said...

but you have to admit, Rayna had the best fun putting all that into her first para - I laughed so I couldn't stop. Thanks R

Natasha said...

@ Ann - absolutely bonkers! Is it inappropriate or what?

@ Ron - must have been quite a sight. There was this lady standing in front of me in a backless sundress, and I had to stare at her fat (and hairy) back for nearly ten minutes. Sheer torture -the only thing that kept me going was mentally writing out this post.

@ Elizabeth - if they do, they need to get their eyes checked.

@ diapli - totally. Wish schools would ban it!

@ Marian - that I do not deny. Writing out that paragraph was the only thing that kept me going that day.

Patricia Stoltey said...

Your descriptions made me laugh. I have pounds to lose (again), and I do my best to keep them covered. I'd never have the nerve to let it all hang out.

Anonymous said...

I think these kinds of women are universal and can be seen everywhere. I blame the media for making women think that this is how they have to dress: for others, rather than for themselves.

Natasha said...

@ Patricia - I am no size zero model either, but I hope I have the sense not to wear midriff revealing clothes that draw attention to the spare tyres.

@ Fiona - while in fact, if they really wanted to dress for others, they would think twice before inflicting the sight of their extra flesh on us.

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