Driving through the town recently on a cold, windy and wet day I noticed, however, that there were still a lot of young men with bare legs, shorts and short socks or just trainers. However, almost all the young women were wearing either lycra figure-hugging tights often with no 'skirt' or anything else to hide their nether regions. Few were showing any flesh. When I was a lad the girl's mini skirts might have been little more than a wide belt but at least they left something to the imagination.
I blame global warming, the permissive society, lack of parental control and, of course, Brexit.
Not sure what anything else is, tricky description for me to figure out.
ReplyDeleteFashion tanked years ago as far as appropriate attire coverage wise. To the waist necklines in womens fashions, I think, is suppose to make a statement. I missed what that is as well. As for men bare legs trend, much preferred over the be bare women's trend. A statement of sorts?
I think you're right Maywyn. Fashion seems a very fluid concept these days.
DeleteI don't mind the male bare leg trend, although I think some of them need to think about the sock / footwear combination a little more thoroughly.
ReplyDeleteWith regard to female lycra leggings, I was walking behind a very well filled out pair yesterday in the high street. It was a little unsettling as the - ahem - "bottom" section (at the top) was flesh coloured whilst the leg section was a dark swirly pattern. It gave the disconcerting illusion of bare buttocks.
JayCee, I don't mind it at although Doc Martins with shorts and hairy legs isn't my cup of tea. I've seen some very questionable ones as well and I'm surprised some children haven't been sent home from school but perhaps teachers are not allowed to do that these days.
DeleteI just want to be comfortable and cozy warm (now that it has gotten chilly)! I don't think anyone is looking at me so I can wear what I want. I think every generation has comments about the younger generations clothing!
ReplyDeleteEllen, warm is my absolute priority. I suspect that if I wore shorts in Stornoway I'd get some strange looks. I'm considered vaguely eccentric as it is because I wear neckties.
DeleteI think that shorts are ugly in the first place and unless you have a slim, athletic figure - male or female - they make you look dorky. When I see a policeman in shorts all his authority seems to evaporate in an instant. I am not now, nor have ever been a fan of shorts (I am the only member of my family that does not wear them) and I doubt that is going to change. Now as for beautiful young things in skin tight leotards, let me just say I am old but not dead!
ReplyDeleteDavid, I'm fortunate in never having seen a police officer is shorts except possibly in tropical uniform in Australia. I did wear shorts in the summer in New Zealand when it was very warm, particularly on the croquet lawn. I confirm that it was not a pretty sight because, although I am slim I am also rather bow legged.
DeleteI like your last reason Brexit! I noticed the same trend here only they wear a tuque. They can have it.
ReplyDeleteRed, there are some blame Brexit for everything fo I thought I might as well add it on for a laugh.
DeleteShorts make sense for couriers and posties, so long as they don't freeze.
ReplyDeleteAs for the lycra leggings, the trend to wear "active wear" all the time has been around for quite a while and shows no sign of abating. My daughters are great looking girls, fit and shapely and if anyone can wear leggings, it's them but they look even better in genuine clothes!
Kylie, that you for the term 'active wear' which is new to me. I'm afraid that many people are not good looking when it comes to active wear but it's their choice.
DeleteYes, it seems the guys are flashing the flesh these days and the girls like to cover up while showing it all in their active wear. If that attire were restricted to the active, it wouldn't be such a bad idea but it seems to me it's a long time since most wearers of active wear have been active. I've noticed that the young and trendy no longer wear shorts but a short, same with pants have no become pant. I suppose the logic is there's only one of them. Who knows? Not me.
ReplyDeletePauline, your comment made me realise that when I was in New Zealand I almost always wore shorts. Given the shape of my legs that must have been a less than attractive sight on occasion. I used to wonder why pants etc are referred to in the plural. It stems from the Victorian era when ladies wore pants etc in two halves to make life easier under all the skirt layers. Why men's are plural I have no idea.
DeleteIt was a nice warm sunny day here yesterday, so my shorts came out again. Shorts-wearing is quite popular down here; no-one bats an eye.
ReplyDeleteAh well, Cro, you may not have been wearing the up here. It's been warm but wet and windy and shorts for the average man wasn't perhaps the usual choice.
DeleteGraham after your years of living in NZ had you not grown accustomed to the 'shorts' all year round tradition? Maybe it was just in rural parts but you couldn't miss it when farmers came to town!
ReplyDeleteTigger, you have hit the nail right on the head. In New Zealand I wore shorts. Generally speaking not a pretty sight because although I'm slim I am bow-legged. But, hey ho, that's life.
DeleteI appreciate a well-shaped leg (male or female) any time, but I don't think showing too much of one's body in public is appropriate. Of course everyone has their own understanding of what is appropriate, and it is none of my business how others dress themselves - but I can't help noticing!
ReplyDeleteIf possible, I like my clothes to be right for the weather and the activity. Therefore, I will dress differently when I am just popping into town from when I am about to embark on a Black Forest hike.
Meike, unfortunately, although many postmen have good muscular legs mine are rather unattractive. I generally wore shorts in New Zealand but never in this country. I dress for what I am doing too and, although it is rare on Lewis, I also wear a collar and tie.
DeleteAt first glance, I thought it was some modern kind of Scottish kilt that postman in the picture was wearing!! Which reminded me that back in the heat of summer, I saw a man wearing a sort of denim kilt/skirt - that was unusual! Men in shorts is a common sight here in summer, even in the city. (Including postmen, I think.) In November they'd probably cause a raised eyebrow or two from the rest of us, though - at least if not engaged in an obviously sports-related activity like running.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the laugh. Yes, global warming must have something to do with it!
ReplyDeleteI blame Trump and Thatcher.
DeleteWhat's worse is that after a few days of Fife warming I am hearing ice warnings for Sunday. I've not purchased winter tyres, I'm going to be slippy slidey all over till Monday, maybe end upside down in a ditch. Not to worry I'll blame Greta the Doom Goblin. I'm learning not to take responsibility for anything.
I don't understand why anyone wears flesh colored lycra. At first glance, it's always a shock: your brain registers it as you're seeing someone who forgot their pants.
ReplyDeleteThe Sorting Office in our little town used to have a "last man standing" wager. Whoever was the last man (yes, it was always the blokes) to put long trousers on in the middle of a Cumbrian winter received whatever amount of cash had been put in a pot at the beginning of the season.
ReplyDeleteBloody bonkers, every last one of them . . . but also superb, proper "rural posties" who know where to leave things so they will not get wet or blown away and care enough to do so.
YES! I have been noticing, and it's amazing that you happened to fix on that at exactly the same time I was thinking of it. Only the thing that has been striking me wrong lately is not the below-the-knee bare leg thing... and I'm not a prude, by any means... it just sort of grosses me out to see anyone in short shorts out in public... why anyone wants to let complete strangers look at their bare flesh almost up to their "bits" is just kind of gross. And when I say "anyone" I don't mean people who model underwear for a living, because they and professional athletes are the only people who are literally *fit* for such visual consumption. The average slob being half naked in public - it's enough to put me off my lunch. Which is probably a good thing, since I need to lose some weight anyhow.
ReplyDeleteAs for the lycra / jogging pants craze, it doesn't amaze me that women wear them in public. When I was young, many very in-shape girls did this. But now, even the extremely overweight ladies are out there bouncing around in them... not a good look. Brings to mind badly stuffed sausage casings. I'll never be seen out in public wearing anything less than full denim armor on my assets.