World Decision Number One: I've recently wondered who in the world decided that it would be women who would shave their legs and underarms. Not that I find it attractive for women to be ape-like. Do we really believe that it was the woman who came up with the idea to spend the rest of her life keeping her legs & underarms smooth? Why didn't this person also think that the whole arms would look more attractive smooth? I wonder if the creator of this trend ever regretted starting this. I have to wonder -- was it even a woman who came up with this activity?
World Decision Number Two: Who came up with the idea that women would carry purses? When it came to making pants for men with pockets, why weren't dresses also made with these handy-dandy inventions? Was it a woman who first thought up the necessity of a purse? Did this woman look at everything she wanted to take with her and say "I think it is time for me to carry a small suitcase whenever I leave the house"? Think about what is kept in our purses today -- what do you think would have been in the purse of a woman from the 1700s & 1800s?
I don't know whether it was male or female who started these trends in America. I just know that these trends were started and I don't believe they will ever stop in my lifetime. Darn.
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2 comments:
ok, I had always heard a more sinister origin of where we got the torturous practice of leg shaving (essentially that it was encouraged as a form of self torture during victorian times), but turns out there are many theories as to where this practice originated, and they are all rather intriguing. I include the following link to snopes.com message boards. browse as you will.
my personal theory on purses is as women became more free to be involved with and occupied with things outside the home, ie kids, work, hobbies, running errands for forgetful husbands, it became necessary to carry more and more stuff with us to get things done. I've gone from backpack (in college) to large bag to small purse crammed full and extra bags to (currently)small purse, extra bags and laptop case... eventually the human race will evolve into a luggage cart.
:)
I'm not certain shaving legs was only self torture during victorian times. It's not exactly a blast having to do this today!:-)
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