As I write this, I'm watching a DVR of "So You Think You Can Dance." It's the results show where they decide who's going to be voted off for the week, and I've just noticed that everyone's dressed strangely. Like in loose pants and leotard-sort of things. Then it occurs to me that they all have to be ready to dance in case they're among the 3 couples who got the lowest vote totals. Duh! These people dance for a living, so they have to be dressed to dance.
This is the first season that I've watched the show, and I'm used to results shows for American Idol where everyone dresses up. After all, they're singers so I guess they can wear whatever as long as it doesn't keep them from breathing.
This made me think about work clothes for other jobs. These dancers look pretty comfortable, as long as they don't mind showing some skin on TV. But uncomfortable, impractical, or just plain ugly clothes can make the time spent at work so unpleasant. When I was in high school, I worked for a huge fast food chain. This was years ago when the uniforms were made out of 100% stretchy, nasty polyester and there were stupid little hats. Sure, the work itself was hard and I made minimum wage ($3.35 an hour, seriously), but wearing that goofy outfit made my job so much worse. I mean, just because you're at work, do you need to be uncomfortable and look like a goon?
I heartily approve of improvements in work clothes. Like nurses today often wear comfy scrubs rather than those starched white uniforms from decades ago. And how working in a lot of modern offices no longer means business suits and high heels.
I have two jobs, both of which feature good clothes. My day job is teaching at a college. I pretty much wear what I like there as long as I don't look like I just crawled out from under a Dumpster. And as for writing, the wardrobe is the best! Pajamas, sweats, jeans, underwear: anything goes because a lot of writers work in the privacy of their own homes. Sometimes I attend writing events like book signings or conferences, in which case I dress up a bit to show respect for the readers and other writers and the event's hosts. Plus it's fun to choose outfits that are a little different and creative for those events. It's an excuse to look like an artist.
When I was in school, I never really thought about choosing a career where I could wear clothes I'd like, but fortunately it worked out that way. Actually if I had been thinking along those lines, then when I was very young I probably would have pursued "princess" or "bridal gown model" as career options. So maybe it's a good thing that I didn't realize at the time how important work clothes would be.
Showing posts with label So You Think You Can Dance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label So You Think You Can Dance. Show all posts
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Friday, June 24, 2011
Case of the disappearing clothing
Today's blog has nothing to do with self publishing or anything I've written. It's just one of those cranky "You kids, get off my lawn!" rants that I have to get off my chest sometimes.
Why is it that women often wear significantly less clothing than men? It especially doesn't make sense since women are more likely to complain about being cold. Shouldn't they be wearing more clothes than the guys? For example, I was watching a DVR'd episode of The Voice the other day. The 4 judges were performing a song at the beginning of the show. The 3 men (Cee Lo Green, Blake Shelton, and Adam Levine) were all fully clothed. They wore shirts on top and pants that went all the way to the floor. Cee Lo wore a track suit and looked extremely comfy. The one woman (Christina Aguilara) wore a bathing suit. Or something that concealed about as much. With all of her hit songs, can't she afford a warm, comfy track suit, too?
A particularly heinous example: So You Think You Can Dance. The men (usually) get pants. The women are lucky to get underwear. And what about business suits? Men's suits have pants that cover their legs to help keep them warm in the cold weather and conceal hairly legs all year long. At least half of women's suits have uncomfortable, impractical little skirts, and when women like Hillary Clinton wear pants instead, people make fun of her. Men get to wear baggy swim trunks that go to their knees, while women squeeze themselves into thin strips of Spandex.
The list goes on. Why is this? Don't women want to be comfortable or warm or do a high kick without giving the world a free show? I resent the suggestion that this is simply about me wanting an excuse to wear a track suit everywhere I go. Even though there's probably a lot of truth to that. And as long as I'm at it, "You kids, get off my lawn!" and don't get me started on the government.
Why is it that women often wear significantly less clothing than men? It especially doesn't make sense since women are more likely to complain about being cold. Shouldn't they be wearing more clothes than the guys? For example, I was watching a DVR'd episode of The Voice the other day. The 4 judges were performing a song at the beginning of the show. The 3 men (Cee Lo Green, Blake Shelton, and Adam Levine) were all fully clothed. They wore shirts on top and pants that went all the way to the floor. Cee Lo wore a track suit and looked extremely comfy. The one woman (Christina Aguilara) wore a bathing suit. Or something that concealed about as much. With all of her hit songs, can't she afford a warm, comfy track suit, too?
A particularly heinous example: So You Think You Can Dance. The men (usually) get pants. The women are lucky to get underwear. And what about business suits? Men's suits have pants that cover their legs to help keep them warm in the cold weather and conceal hairly legs all year long. At least half of women's suits have uncomfortable, impractical little skirts, and when women like Hillary Clinton wear pants instead, people make fun of her. Men get to wear baggy swim trunks that go to their knees, while women squeeze themselves into thin strips of Spandex.
The list goes on. Why is this? Don't women want to be comfortable or warm or do a high kick without giving the world a free show? I resent the suggestion that this is simply about me wanting an excuse to wear a track suit everywhere I go. Even though there's probably a lot of truth to that. And as long as I'm at it, "You kids, get off my lawn!" and don't get me started on the government.
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