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Feeling Feminine?[hmmm]

(227 Posts)
Atqui Sat 16-Aug-14 10:43:51

On woman's hour thee was a discussion about heels - on shoes. One of the high profile women said she wore them because it made her feel feminine. it made me think...er.... I don't think I've ever consciously wanted to 'feel feminine'. I'm a woman .I think I feel like a woman. Wearing frilly clothes would make me feel silly and uncomfortable . BTW I love the look of high heeled shoes even though I can't wear them. Do most women want to "feel feminine"??

thatbags Mon 18-Aug-14 19:08:38

three more pics one, two, three.

thatbags Mon 18-Aug-14 19:06:02

Regardless of the whys and wherefores, the whats and whos, these women are not and do not look unfeminine even though they are wearing what I believe are called 'combats' (or is it fatigues?).

thatbags Mon 18-Aug-14 18:52:53

Likewise. I'm the hedge cutter and chain saw wielder in our household too but I don't regard those as unfeminine jobs. Nor do I think femininity depends on my clothes or shoes or make-up. It exists independently of those things and of what work I do.

Nonnie Mon 18-Aug-14 16:04:06

petra me too. Was planning a chain saw massacre this afternoon (only a hedge trimmer really) but the rain put paid to that. I'll tackle most jobs but love to dress up too.

thatbags Mon 18-Aug-14 15:56:21

One doesn't have to be glamorous to be feminine either. How do I know this? Let's just put it down to experience.

thatbags Mon 18-Aug-14 15:42:18

And my point, nonnie, was that dowdiness is irrelevant. I don't expect many people will agree with that smile

petra Mon 18-Aug-14 15:32:50

Palliser65. You say that "Some of us are for display and some of us are for doing"
At this moment in time I have on the go: 3 wooden doors that I've burnt off down to the bare wood. Taking off all the Laquer on an old cane suite ( alternating between the 2 because of the rain)
When OH has put the Bathroom back together I will be painting the ceiling.
I do all my gardening.
But I can assure you that when it's dress up time I do the whole shebang.
My close friend (who is painting a 120ft barge at the moment) is even more glam than me.

Nonnie Mon 18-Aug-14 14:43:48

Yes Bags agreed but my post was in response to others about femininity in cross dressers and transgenders. I thought he made himself look 20 years older!

Lona Mon 18-Aug-14 13:45:06

We do have a transgender member on this forum,although I won't name her just in case I've got it wrong, but I don't think I have.
Maybe she will give us her view of femininity if she reads this thread.

HollyDaze Mon 18-Aug-14 12:35:49

Forum Member

janeainsworth Mon 18-Aug-14 12:34:59

Hollydaze some FMs actually read what is written

What's an FM?

HollyDaze Mon 18-Aug-14 12:33:14

"killer heels" are also known as "f**k me" shoes

Only by the delusional wink

thatbags Mon 18-Aug-14 12:30:06

Females can be dowdy too, nonnie.

Another thing that can't be changed is bone structure, particularly the hips. Went to a great show in Kuala Lumpur once by the Thai Lady Boys. They were stunning as women but they walked from the shoulder like men. Women walk from the hip. I expect there's a proper way to express this but that's how I think of it. Do some people watching and you'll see smile

HollyDaze Mon 18-Aug-14 12:29:57

She was obviously referring to foot problems caused by shoes, which is why I don't understand Galen's apparent anger.

Thank you Ana - it's reassuring to see that some FMs actually read what is written (shouldn't it be a pre-requisite on a forum ...).

HollyDaze Mon 18-Aug-14 12:24:50

Gagagran

Wow! What would you have been required to do Holly? Show your perfect feet off to the clients? Can't imagine what they had in mind for you!!

It probably would have just looked like they were resonsible for my decent feet Gagagran - as to what they had in mind, I have no idea as I didn't take the job; I happily took the compliment though - in fact, I take them where I can get them with no questions asked grin

janeainsworth Mon 18-Aug-14 11:08:43

Yes Elegran Fascinating Aida are great, aren't they. We saw them in Alnwick last year and I think Dillie Keane was a bit dismayed to see a thirteen-year-old boy two rows from the front with his mum and dad. Not exactly family entertainment.
I would never have guessed that about the tall one whose name escapes me. She was certainly striking and very elegant.
They are all very good musicians and very clever.

Elegran Mon 18-Aug-14 10:57:21

I recently went to see Fascinating Aida at the Festival. (Brilliant, by the way)

One of the group is transexual (They had even written a song about it to include in the programme) and she is tall, rather angular, and has strong features. She looked great in a red draped dress.

But in an interview in January she said - "I have no interest in fashion, as Dillie and Liza will attest. I know how to dress, but, when you tour a lot, there’s no point is getting dressed up, just to sit in a vehicle taking you to the next town for the next show. I do have some great pieces in my wardrobe, though. I look good in trouser suits (preferably with long jackets), with boots. And the chance to wear a full length dress is always welcome. For years I wore nothing but black and white, but now I’ll wear practically any colour, other than yellow and lime green."

MiniMouse Mon 18-Aug-14 10:55:37

Here's a link to someone from our area. She/he is actually stunning in 'real life' and we know people who had no idea that 'she' was a 'he' awaiting surgery.

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2506211/Meet-transgender-model-star-Ideal-Homes-lingerie-catwalk.html

Nonnie Mon 18-Aug-14 10:45:16

One of my son's teachers decided he was a woman and we went back for a school fete while he was in the process of changing. He wasn't the least bit feminine, he was positively dowdy!

whenim64 Mon 18-Aug-14 10:32:47

I worked with a smashing woman who had been born male, had a family, then changed gender in her forties. She was female to all intents and purposes, dressed 'normally' and rarely wore makeup. She did raise a few eyebrows when her garage roof was leaking and she nipped up the ladder in her skirt to fix it. She said it took her quite a few years to think herself into certain 'female' behaviour, which most women would flout if they felt like it.

janeainsworth Mon 18-Aug-14 10:27:55

There are certain anatomical features that are hard to disguise elegran, like the size and shape of hands and the supra-orbital ridges(the bone above the eye-lids).
Perhaps some people who have had gender reassignment overcompensate with their clothes because of this.

Elegran Mon 18-Aug-14 10:20:37

I don't have that wide an acquaintance of transgender and cross-dresser people either, Nonnie!

I suspect it is a bit like the "Converts are the most devout" impression that you sometimes get in religion. Those who were brought up in a faith just accept it, and get on with their lives with all the observances and dogma fitting in with the rest. New converts have just learnt it all and feel they have to do everything o the limit.

Nonnie Mon 18-Aug-14 10:07:35

Crumbs, must have led a sheltered life as I can only think of ever seeing one cross dresser apart from on TV.

Oldgreymare Mon 18-Aug-14 09:48:35

Elegran.... I totally agree.
Contrast the portrait of Jan Morris looking 'natural' with the over-worked appearance of a transgender lorry driver seen on T.V. last week. What surprised me most (apart from the fact that I was watching a prog I don't normally watch, but DIL was in control of the remote!) was that this obviously male character felt he was in the wrong body..... it looked his right body to me..... and his frantic effort to look 'feminine' was more like a Punch cartoon!
P.S. I admire Jan Morris who has never espoused this look.

janeainsworth Mon 18-Aug-14 09:29:37

Absent I do sometimes wish there was a 'Like' button on Gransnet smile