Monday 3 December 2012

Hairy Dilemma

I have got an unusual fashion dilemma. Being in the 24th week of my pregnancy, my bump is now noticeable but I am still pretty much able to see myself. I mean I can see myself down there, the bump didn't make the bottom half of my body invisible yet. I am aware that being pregnant and giving birth means my body will be seen more than usually. So I wonder: what is the appropriate hair style in my pubic area? Or, to be specific, at what age is a landing strip inappropriate? I started thinking about it few weeks ago, while shaving, thinking how long will I be able to see what I am doing? And then it dawned on me: very soon I will be pretty much on display. Time to think about my image...
While growing up it was clear that past thirty a woman (obviously a married mother of a family) would not be expect to wear short skirts, even jeans may be considered a little bit too much, to make it short a woman over thirty was settled and should look the part.I suppose she wouldn't even consider touching the pubic hair. When I was little girl grandmothers looked like grandmothers and mums looked like mums. Basically, women were attractive before marriage, than they had kids and their looks went away, making way to the practical things in life. I grew up in a small town in the continental Europe but I believe England wasn't too different. I am thirty five now, expecting my first baby. I married when I was thirty two. It is hard to compare myself with my mother because I remember celebrating her thirtieth birthday with her. She grew up in the times when people married much younger and had families sooner. They didn't have contraception, careers or a sense of entitlement and freedom. A girl would ruin her reputation if she behaved the way we do now.
While I was making my life the life I wanted it to be I had to constantly listen to the comments: 'When I was your age, I was already married and had you and your sister! How hard can it be?'
My dad dated her with the awareness that if he wanted to get serious he should propose and that sex in their relationship might bring pregnancy which would lead to a marriage.
I dated guys who expected me to be on a pill or go on a pill and they would freak if I left my toothbrush in their bathroom. Guys of our generation wanted to enjoy themselves but so did we!
The same thing is about looks. We expect to go with the fashion and keep ourselves looking young for much longer than our mothers. We are no longer considered selfish because we go regularly to a beauty salon or update our wardrobe, it is normal to look good, have hobbies and 'me time' and still function as a wife or a mother (thanks for that!).
I started to shave my pubic area pretty soon, I just didn't like the hair. I worked as a model and a dancer for a while, so hairless look was pretty much normal. I didn't consider the feminist question around it at all and went for it because I liked it. To keep my landing strip was a part of my usual beauty routine done without much thinking, the same way I keep my underarms and legs smooth. Only lately did I start to think about it more and wonder: is there an age limit when too little hair starts to be inappropriate?  Will I look like I am trying to hard? Will I shock my midwife?
I am not prepared to send my razor to a retirement, but I am considering a new look. It may make my life a little bit easier as in few weeks time visibility will become an issue and I am not prepared to make my husband my beautician. On the other hand, if this is the only problem I am facing at the moment, isn't my pregnancy going really well?

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