General Discussions

**Learning Newbie** · 09-02-2008, 02:44 PM

Women are "the fairer sex," and sought after desperately by young single men. Almost anywhere in the world, a lady can usually have her choice of local men (several, anyway, not always the one she wants) whereas men are stereotypically lucky to attract the attention of any lady. There's a lot more to it than that, and we fancy each other as equals, but ask my wife who's in charge, and she'll set me straight.

It's the same with most animals. Lady peacocks are in short supply, so the men wear these ornate feathers to attract them. And so on, Planet Earth has fantastic video of birds dancing to get a mate. There are some species where the gender "roles" are reversed, and the males are sought after - in those cases, the female decorates herself to find a mate. I think this is mostly with fish, because underwater, the female is able to lay her eggs and swim off before the male can fertilize them, and then he's stuck raising the young. She's then free to find another male, so it's up to her to attract one.

Anyway, men are the suitors who court ladies, when it comes to humans. So, it's curious that men put so little care into their appearance. Go out a restaurant, and you'll see a guy in a t shirt and torn jeans with a beautifully dressed and made up young lady. Some of this is that us men are known to be more shallow and visually oriented, but, still, it's common for the human female to decorate herself the way a male peacock does with the plumage, with makeup.

Obviously, we're smarter than birds, and have "culture," but I wonder if anyone has a more specific answer than that?

**serandfae** · 09-02-2008, 02:56 PM

Without going back and digging up where I read it, I seem to recall that men are more visually oriented than women, and women are more aurally oriented. Perhaps that's why the mens' mags have all pics and the womens' dirty reads tend to be all words?

tim

**Aadriyah** · 08:28 PM

^ You got a point Tim.. well for a woman like me.. I'm conscious with my self. I do not leave the house w/o putting any make-up or even powder to my face. As for us, it's our natural instinct that tells us to be beautiful in any possible way we can. It's not that we're vain... It just comes normal to us.

**andrei155** · 09-02-2008, 09:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aadriyah

^ You got a point Tim.. well for a woman like me.. I'm conscious with my self. I do not leave the house w/o putting any make-up or even powder to my face. As for us, it's our natural instinct that tells us to be beautiful in any possible way we can. It's not that we're vain... It just comes normal to us.

You're beautiful just the way you are.

**TeewhY** · 09-03-2008, 02:30 AM

the ratio of men to ladies is still 5:1 ain't it?
i forgot the article that i read but i think it was in reader's digest, women needs to wear make up so that they can attract men that's the basic purpose of wearing makeup.

**jamaine12** · 09-03-2008, 05:29 AM

Simple..To always look beautiful and presentable to everybody..

**johnlloyd** · 09-03-2008, 07:12 AM

to look more appealing and pretty in the eye of every man!

**wchua24** · 09-03-2008, 08:30 AM

to be presentable to men...lol..

**KML9870** · 09-03-2008, 10:43 AM

All you men need to get a grip. Women don't always wear makeup to impress you. It has a lot more to do with how we feel about ourselves than how attracted to us you are.

**Learning Newbie** · 09-03-2008, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by serandfae

I seem to recall that men are more visually oriented than women, and women are more aurally oriented.

That's exactly right, and it's why women like a man with a big vocabulary. Keep your mind out of the gutter, I mean that literally.

But here's the thing. If men are more visually oriented, and women are less so, that suggests women would be less inclined or able to make themselves up. Men seem to not care about their appearance, with the torn jeans and all, which is what you'd expect from someone who just doesn't pick up so much on visual cues. I realize the implication is that women make themselves up to look better because men are visual and notice this - but I don't buy it.

**serandfae** · 09-03-2008, 03:03 PM

I've spent enough time in the art community to know that being a visual person does not necessarily translate to being GQ; rather the opposite in my experience.

tim

**Learning Newbie** · 09-03-2008, 04:16 PM

You're right on that one, Tim. Good point.

I'm still curious. KML says it has nothing to do with attraction. I wouldn't be surprised if this is true on the surface.

Wchua24 said it's to attract men. I'm wondering if that might be the case? If Jane Austin's tales about women tricking eligible young bachelors into proposing to them isn't just a series of very funny stories, but a role reversal?

**andrei155** · 09-03-2008, 05:09 PM

They certainly don't do it for themselves. It's either to impress men, or to compete with other women.

**angele803** · 09-03-2008, 05:28 PM

You guys are a bunch of pigs.

Women wear makeup to feel good about themselves - we like to feel pretty - not just to attract men, you egotistical jerks. If we want to attract men, we wear our best push-up bra with a low-cut shirt.
Also, I think makeup is a thing of tradition. Women wore makeup way back in the ancient Egyptian times. Come to think of it, I think men wore makeup back then too. Anyone want to analyze why men used to wear makeup but don't anymore?

**itliberty** · 09-03-2008, 05:31 PM

It makes um look pretty

**Learning Newbie** · 09-03-2008, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by angele803

You guys are a bunch of pigs.

you egotistical jerks. If we want to attract men

I don't think any of us are foolish enough to believe any woman is trying very hard to impress any particular one of us. But males and females are locked together in a dance to make the next generation. "Biological clock" doesn't mean "I need a man," it means "I want a baby." Oh boy, I probably didn't help the pig perception any.

Quote:

Originally Posted by angele803

Also, I think makeup is a thing of tradition. Women wore makeup way back in the ancient Egyptian times. Come to think of it, I think men wore makeup back then too. Anyone want to analyze why men used to wear makeup but don't anymore?

Now that's a fascinating question! Heck, as late as the 1800s, men used to routinely wear wigs, too.

**andrei155** · 09-03-2008, 07:23 PM

If:
a) competition between females did not exist, and
b) men did not exist

There would be no women wearing make up. So if we think a little, the answer must lay somewhere in those two statements.

Would you wear make up if no one was ever going to see you?

**Aadriyah** · 09-03-2008, 07:40 PM

^If men did not exist then women also.. They can't live without each other.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Would you wear make up if no one was [B

ever[/B] going to see you?

If I want to impress a man, then I would... But if I don't like the person then I don't care if he sees me in the most terrible way.

**Orodreth** · 09-03-2008, 08:37 PM

Quote:

If we want to attract men, we wear our best push-up bra with a low-cut shirt.

Maybe, but that's when you want to attract ANY man. I don't think most women want to do that.

I do believe women wear makeup to attract men. It's true that most of them can choose between more than one man, but it's also true that the man they want isn't always between them. The more attractive they are, the more men they get to choose from and the more likely they'll find a good one between their admirers.

**arcel** · 09-03-2008, 09:32 PM

hmm... to look good and stay fresh