While on the train one day, I noticed a woman reading a magazine. I was amazed at the number of ads that contained women in them - I would have thought one wouldnt put women on it, because that would mean you would attract only the men with the ad, and not the women. But if so many ads have women on it, perhaps it is targeting both men and women.
And the other trait I noticed was that all the women had perfect bodies. Each one looked like a gym instructor, and they all wore skimpy clothes. Sitting in India, when you read articles about how ads are "objectifying women" it always sounds funny. Here though, it all starts to look real. Women do look at the ads, and they do try to look like that. I have seen some how spend a long time in front of the mirror trying and re trying to tie their hair and then pull out strands so as to get the I-dont-care-what-my-hair-looks-like look. Others pull their shirts out and let it hang with just the right amount of carelessness. There really is nothing so very casual about "casual" anymore. Casual is a very carefully pulled together look with the entire outfit coordinated according to style and color. It takes just as much time doing that as it does to get dressed formally. But I digress...
What I really want to talk about is how everyone wants to be the skinny girl in shorts and a tank top. And being in NY, thats all you really see. Really. I mean, at least dont they want to wear something different from the other girl? Why does everyone want only white during the summer? And everyone is in black tights and boots in the winter. Worse, even if you were looking for something else, you wouldnt find them, because shops only carry what they think are "in season". So much for variety and inventiveness.
There are so many unwritten rules about dressing here. Women who wear long skirts are always "old". Young women wear short skirts that show as much leg as possible. Only old women wear high necked blouses. So the high necked blouses always come in dull grey or beige or brown. The bright colors are for young women, and they come with plunging necklines. Whoever said older women dont like colors, btw? And why shouldnt young women dress with some modesty? I hate the way the shops assume things about everyone. Why wont they make anything for the stray cases who dont think like the mainstream?
And the other trait I noticed was that all the women had perfect bodies. Each one looked like a gym instructor, and they all wore skimpy clothes. Sitting in India, when you read articles about how ads are "objectifying women" it always sounds funny. Here though, it all starts to look real. Women do look at the ads, and they do try to look like that. I have seen some how spend a long time in front of the mirror trying and re trying to tie their hair and then pull out strands so as to get the I-dont-care-what-my-hair-looks-like look. Others pull their shirts out and let it hang with just the right amount of carelessness. There really is nothing so very casual about "casual" anymore. Casual is a very carefully pulled together look with the entire outfit coordinated according to style and color. It takes just as much time doing that as it does to get dressed formally. But I digress...
What I really want to talk about is how everyone wants to be the skinny girl in shorts and a tank top. And being in NY, thats all you really see. Really. I mean, at least dont they want to wear something different from the other girl? Why does everyone want only white during the summer? And everyone is in black tights and boots in the winter. Worse, even if you were looking for something else, you wouldnt find them, because shops only carry what they think are "in season". So much for variety and inventiveness.
There are so many unwritten rules about dressing here. Women who wear long skirts are always "old". Young women wear short skirts that show as much leg as possible. Only old women wear high necked blouses. So the high necked blouses always come in dull grey or beige or brown. The bright colors are for young women, and they come with plunging necklines. Whoever said older women dont like colors, btw? And why shouldnt young women dress with some modesty? I hate the way the shops assume things about everyone. Why wont they make anything for the stray cases who dont think like the mainstream?
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