Why are American women so frumpy?

[Anonymous]

OP is obviously a man who hates women unless they are fulfilling his porn fantasies.

[Anonymous]

Is athleisure considered frumpy if the woman is skinny and fit?

Just curious what we’re talking about here...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I spent the last three weeks in France and have to say, the women in general look much more attractive than in the U.S. I was amazed by all of the lean, well groomed, and healthy looking moms in bikinis at the beach.
It isn't just a female thing- the men looked equally as good.
It's not just the American women that look frumpy- it's the American men as well.

Don't a lot of french people smoke? I would imagine their skin gets super old-looking very early on. I'm fat, but stay out of the sun, drink a lot of water and have never smoked. I look about five years younger than I am.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I spent the last three weeks in France and have to say, the women in general look much more attractive than in the U.S. I was amazed by all of the lean, well groomed, and healthy looking moms in bikinis at the beach.
It isn't just a female thing- the men looked equally as good.
It's not just the American women that look frumpy- it's the American men as well.

+1. There’s no reason to be fat because you’re a mom.

[Anonymous]

So frumpy is now a euphemism for fat?

I thought it meant something else (dated, ill fitting clothes, nattractive haircut and accessories, etc.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So frumpy is now a euphemism for fat?

I thought it meant something else (dated, ill fitting clothes, nattractive haircut and accessories, etc.)

I think it means all those things put together. An overweight person who is dressed in well fitted clothes doesn't look frumpy. A thin person in sweats and flip flops doesn't look frumpy. A beautiful woman without makeup doesn't look frumpy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is athleisure considered frumpy if the woman is skinny and fit?

Just curious what we’re talking about here...

Don't think so. Fit women look great in athleisure not frumpy.

It's the 30+ lbs, overweight women wearing leggings and an oversized tee covering their ample behind that look frumpy/terrible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I spent the last three weeks in France and have to say, the women in general look much more attractive than in the U.S. I was amazed by all of the lean, well groomed, and healthy looking moms in bikinis at the beach.
It isn't just a female thing- the men looked equally as good.
It's not just the American women that look frumpy- it's the American men as well.

French women get a month of vacation, in which they can go to the beach.

We *might* get two weeks, and a lot of people have to use vacation as sick leave or to deal with childcare falling through.

If you are working non-stop and can only go to the beach for a long g weekend,you also may not have much time to exercise and cook healthy food. And you've been encouraged not to smoke.

I don't have time to worry about whether I am frumpy or not, or aesthetically pleasing. Too busy working, cooking, cleaning, and paying bills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We’re feminists who value comfort over the male gaze.

Women don't dress for men, women dress for other women, even the indignant frumpy ones. The indignant frumpy ones think they are "choosing not to care" when they are often hanging around with other women who "choose not to care" so basically they are sheeple just swinging in the other direction.

I personally make an effort most days because I like makeup, dresses, heels and all of that, but yeah, there are times I DGAF and wear soft clothes with elastic waistbands.

[Anonymous]

Having lived in a number of other countries, I think 1) it's because women are less judged only by the way they look (Believe it or not, comparatively) and 2) status here is about being busy and rushed vs. well-kept.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because comfort and ease trump my desire to be a decorative object. I'm past the age of desirability, and it feels great not to be subject to the constant male gaze. Now I dress for my myself.

This. I'm not here to be eye candy. That ended a while ago. If you don't like it, well, look away. What you think is the least of my concerns.

[Anonymous]

Because it’s summer and want to be comfy before and after swimming.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Because American women don’t need a man to survive or thrive. I’m from Eastern Europe, and did not understand this at first. But now I do. It is freeing to dress however you want to, be it frumpy, feminine, sexy, classy, whatever, because you can make your own money and don’t need to dress up to compete for eligible men. I dress nice, but only because I want to, but do not dress up to go to the grocery store, like I did in my country.

Women here are treated well, as they should be in a prosperous nation with laws and freedoms. Historically, women have been treated very badly, they had no rights at all. Well, now it so happens that modern men, which, of course, are not guilty of what had happened, have found themselves paying for these historical injustices. Sorry, guys, but women worldwide, as countries begin to grow more educated, technologically advanced, and prosperous, will choose to live for themselves.

In the absence of financial and economic incentives, the advantage is skewed towards women. Women don’t need sex as much as men do. Women can now make their own money, cook for themselves, go wherever they please. They can even go to a sperm bank and choose what kind of kid they want to have at a fraction of the cost.

I am not floating here because I don’t hate men, I simply state my observations. Women have always had to be meek, quiet, soft, etc., they had tiptoe around men because they depended on them. Now this is much less of an issue. Men, on the other hand, did not have please women, they just had to providers and protectors. They did not have to be tall, handsome, rich, respectful, non-violent, non-alcoholic, faithful, interesting to talk to, wash regularly, and do what they said they were going to do. Almost any able-bodied man could get a wife. Now it is time for men to evolve to incentivize women.

PP hit the nail on the head. Fortunately, there are still some Americans who enjoy looking good.

[Anonymous]

Because no good clothing stores here, poor quality expensive pedicures/manicures, poor quality food, driving everywhere, because men here will have sex with whoever

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Having lived in a number of other countries, I think 1) it's because women are less judged only by the way they look (Believe it or not, comparatively) and 2) status here is about being busy and rushed vs. well-kept.

I completely agree, especially with the second point in DC.