This seems more like MPSIMS territory than GQ, so I’ll move this thread over there.
bibliophage
moderator GQ
Ok, a couple of opinions here.
1 - Okay, and I know this is biased because I’m fourteen and I only a handful of my guy friends are capable of even growing the tiniest mustache, but guys with chest hair are gross. And heaps of leg and arm hair? Gross! Lol, sorry, but it bugs me.
2 - I get bugged by a lot of my friends for wearing makeup. Always. Very, very few of my friends have seen me without makeup. I always wear at least foundation, blush (a must, I’m extremely fair-skinned), mascara, and lip gloss. A lot of people tell me that, especially for a fourteen-year-old, it’s really weird, and probably vain. But no one understands that my makeup, at least, is a security issue. I feel like I need it to really be comfortable with myself.
So, in my opinion, all of our crazy beauty routines, etc. are like a security blanket. Even if we don’t look our best, at least we can show our huge collection of beauty projects and say that we tried, and, when I, for one, am wearing my makeup I can go up and talk to a stranger or smile at someone, but without it I’m just scared they’re judging me. Just so ya know, I realize that’s probably really unhealthy.
**Jamie
Lip plates? Looks like we’re already there.
I don’t find pericing too odd, but the neck/throat tattoos? eck.
The female custom I find most upsetting is the low-cut jean. This is new, but it’s getting to the point where you can’t find non low-cut pants. Some girls really aren’t made to wear these, yet they do.
It’s horrible. My ambigiously-preferenced male friend (who’s more of a fashion diva than any woman out there) has aneurisms over those girls… it’s actually quite entertaining to watch. 
I, for one, love the low-rise pants. I’m high waisted and normal pants on me come up to the bottom of my ribcage practically.
The low rise fits just right. 
- Jin,
who has one tattoo, seventeen earrings and a box full of makeup.
Everyone has their own definition of weird. I think covering oneself in tons of makeup, getting breast implants and wearing stillettos is a bit strange. I have several tattoos and a brand, which many people think is bizarre. I think it really only matters to yourself and your SO.
What’s a brand?
What about the Japanese practice of reshaping the navel? (It’s bedtime - don’t have time to google for it.)
A scar made by burning the skin. Mine was a strike brand, done by a trained professional.
Link (warning! may cause flinching!) http://www.bmezine.com/scar/mbr1.html
Branding! Ack!
Here’s the thing about tattooing, branding, etc that I really don’t get (besides, of course, the pain). There’s nothing I can think of that I would want permanently added to my skin. I can’t think of a single thing I would want to do now and have when I’m 85 in a wheelchair. Maybe a wife’s name, but given the divorce rate and how life happens, I doubt even that. It makes no sense to me. And given how fluid our body shape is, and how gravity works its magic over time, something that starts out a work of art ends up a defaced nightmare. No thanks, I’ll pass.
jamesinwonderland, come here and let me gross you out. Oh wait, you’re 14, nevermind I don’t want to go to jail.
Susanann said:
First you have to get a small one on your ankle, and then there’s the ubiquitous small of your back just above the butt. Next comes the armband, and then the belly around the navel. After that you do the other ankle, then a small one near the breast, and then you think “why not?” and get one on the inner thigh, the butt, and the left shoulder. Gee, maybe I just want to admire your skin?
Lissla Lissar said:
[quote]
No one’s commented on the back piercing yet.
[quote]
Creepy, scary, ugly, nauseating, apalling, perplexing, mind-boggling, and totally off the wall. But hey, it’s her back.
I hate shaving my legs, but a woman in SoCal during summer really sticks out if she doesn’t shave. At least I can get away with being hairy in winter, as I rarely wear skirts and do not have a SO to object. And I’m a natural blonde, which helps.
On male body hair: I happen to think it’s sexy! Sleekly waxed and oiled magazine men don’t do nearly as much for me as a real guy with real hair on his chest. And a beard!
That is very true, Road Rash. My mom is frequently surprised when she’s doing housework in an old T-shirt and shorts, and Dad compliments her out of the blue on how she looks. IMO, makeup is fine for professional environments (don’t care what they say, employers do judge you on how you look) and for dressy occasions, but otherwise it’s a lot of bother for not much benefit. Plus, what guy wants foundation smeared on his face during a long kiss?
I think the (I believe still fairly uncommon) practice of women getting make-up tattoos, such as permanent lip color, eyeliner, etc, is pretty strange. What if you don’t like the color in a few years? And I’d hate to see what happens when the wrinkles and sagging begin.
I have a few tattoos myself, and I love them. But permanent make-up seems a little extreme. A tattoo is, or should be, a highly personal, carefully chosen thing. Make-up fashions come and go, and are not commonly created by the individual, but rather a designer creating “a look” for all women. A make-up tattoo seems like a way to make yourself a permanent slave to a certain fashion era.
I always thought I didn’t like hairy men, but my ex was fairly hairy and I found that I liked it a lot. It felt nice and soft and was really quite enjoyable. Now, masses of back hair are a bit much for me, but hair is okay.
I’d stop shaving my legs if I could, but I’d have to endure a summer with VERY dark and visible leg hair and I don’t think I have the nerve. Even in this town, where you can get away with damn near anything. Oh well.
Branding? Back piercing? Vaginal rejuvenation?? Good lord. This thread tells me that things are a lot weirder out there than I thought… and I thought it was pretty weird already, given that my best friend was into ornamental bone piercings on his hand ten years ago.
But I still think high heels, especially stilettos, are way more unnatural than a lot of stuff out there.
Archaeologists are gonna have a field day with the Nacirema.
And the loud shoes thing? Thanks, everyone. It didn’t occur to me that they might be hard-surfaced to take the pressure…
Another point on big, clunky shoes: I’m short. Petite pants are hard to find. If I don’t want to step on the backs of my pants all day and wear them out, I have to wear great big shoes that make me a few inches taller. Also, it’s nice to not get neck strain talking to ordinary people.
“To keep from getting bored”? You mean, you have enough time leftover after this beauty arsenal in which to get so bored that you have to color your hair in order to entertain yourself?
**
Why? I certainly wouldn’t. I’m looking forward to being one of those witchy grandmothery types with a really long gray braid.
Peace,
~mixie
Cursed HTML.
~mixie
That’s not a lip plate, it’s a web cam!
You know you are geek when… you hear the “horses” walking down the hall and make a mental note to start a thread about it.
My cubical at work used to be the receptionist area. (they turned a huge space for 1 person into 3 small cubes 
) It is a high traffic area. Summer dress code just started last week. It sounds more like a heard of elephants. Not very professional IMHO.
Being that the male species tend to be very visually stimulated, this isn’t really that far fetched. Do we see very many “puffy” mons pubis in today’s porn ? Or anywhere for that matter. (unless of course it’s a fetish site) I doubt if there are any exercises that could help reduce the area.
I look forward to silver hair… in a few years. I’m 20 and already finding silver, so of course I’m gonna dye my hair! Heck my Nanna at 70 something and she dyes her hair. My Mom doesn’t and she looks older then her own mom!
I have a tattoo… plan to get one maybe two more but nothing more then that. I don’t want to completely cover myself in tattoo’s. I do find a lot of the things women here do to be a little much. Personally I’ll wear makeup rarely, and I only have a little jewelry. Most of which I wear all the time so it never changes.
I remember whenever going camping/at summer camp there were always people with makeup and getting up early to put it all on. Please even at Girl Guide camp they did this! Who were they trying to impress? The mosquitoes that found them a nice meal because they were attracted by the scents?!
At least I’m not the only one that really noticed that comment about having to color your grey hair. That one stuck out the most to me out of this thread.
I’m another that doesn’t get why anyone feels they HAVE to color their hair. Is grey really that horrible?
My mom’s hair curls much better now that a good bit of her hair isn’t brown 
I don’t really have anything to add about the odd customs, at least none that haven’t been mentioned, but hey… I’d say most, if not all, cultures have their own little things they do that may seem truly bizarre to others.