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Old August 28th 06, 05:56 PM posted to rec.crafts.textiles.quilting
Taria
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Posts: 432
Default OT proposed discussion: How did you learn to be a "woman" ratherthan a "girl"?

I was lucky. My folks were married over 50 years and dad treated mom
like a queen. I was lucky to choose well in my husband although out
of 5 girls only 2 of us did that. My mom never much wore anything but
lipstick when I was a kid. Her only sister would not be seen without
full make up on. Folks always guessed mom the younger even though she
was 7 years older. She didn't lay out in the sun though.

I wear make up a lot less than I used to. Not for casual days around
the house or grocery but I will for lunch or visiting and meetings and
such. I feel more polished when I have make up on. I feel prettier. If
you feel prettier you will look prettier imo. I didn't wear make up as a
young teen but worked at a dept store as and older teen. The
make up gals are really well trained. Meet them, talk to them, learn
from them. In my early 20's several of us gals went to modeling school.
I learned a lot about makeup, hair, how to walk in heels (most women
have no clue) and all kinds of things you might not think about. It
was fun. I am not now or never was a model but it is good to know this
stuff and then use what you like. You should look good wearing make up
not painted. Have fun with it though. Once you get it right you'll
feel good and enjoy it. The hair thing is tough for me too. I am
pretty clutzy and have thin, fine hair. Ask folks that have nice do's
who does their hair. Go into a salon and look at their books.
DOn't be afraid of the whole mess. HAve fun with it. You need to put
a good attitude in your mind too.
Taria


Tricia wrote:
No offense to our male readers/quilters, but this topic is weighing on
my mind right now and needs discussing AFAIC....Also, right away, let
me say, I know there is much more to being a woman than make up and
hair styles and such. Those other (and yes, much more important)
things AREN'T the things I want to discuss in this thread. I had
*great* role models for being a strong, self-sufficient (and
self-sacrificing) woman. Please don't flame me for trivalizing what it
means to be a woman. If you find this topic offensive, I'm sorry, I
don't mean to offend anyone or incite a riot.

I think most of us would probably say that the teen years is the WHEN
in regards to learning to be a "woman" rather than a "girl". During my
teen years my life was pretty screwed up (mom and stepass getting
divorced, long lost father back in my life, acquiring a stepmother,
living with an abusive alcoholic, etc. PLUS all the usual teen angst
issues). Somewhat as a result (I think) something "short circuited" in
my development in *how* to be a woman rather than a girl, or rather in
some other regards, being an adult vs a child. I didn't have role
models for what I'm facing now in any regard.

Specific to the Woman v Girl thing, I know virtually nothing about make
up, let alone how to properly apply it so I don't look like clown or
tramp. Forget trying to style my hair (although I have a little more
knowledge on that) in anything other than a basic flyaway ponytail --
it's basically not happening (these days it's more like getting me to
do anything other than use a headband 'cause it only makes a stubby
tail). Occassionally I get a perm. I can't manage to use curlers to
save my soul, not even the nice heated ones DH got me a few years ago
at my request. Basically when it comes to being "pretty", "feminine",
and "done up", I friggin' suck.

Part of it is having been raised with the mantra that God blessed me
and I didn't need make up and stuff to mask it all. For the most part,
I believe the philosophy (in the sense that we are the way we are
supposed to be, etc.) and while I tended to leave God out of it,
frequently shared that philosophy with my students (middle schoolers)
when the question inevitably came up why I was one of maybe two or
three female teachers in our building who didn't wear make-up. That
was fine in that enviroment -- I might have gotten more respect from
some of the adults I dealt with if I had been "done up" but I got
through it okay.

I suspect something that is hindering my ability to get hired lately is
the fact that I don't "do" make up and such -- with my baby face (and
unfortunately being noticably overweight), I tend to look younger than
my age, which at times translates for some (I suspect) as flighty or
incompetent. -- or like I just "don't care" (current hormone issues
resulting in pimples doesn't help dispel that myth either).

Besides the employment issue, I have been pondering trying to find out
how to "do" make up properly for a while now -- simply so I *can* do it
when the mood/situation strikes -- like going out for a nice evening
with my husband or to a wedding, etc.

Hence, realizing I have virtually no knowledge in an area many women
seem to have plenty, I thought I'd ask where that knowledge came
from...where did you learn it?

Pondering,
Tricia


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