Question for the women on the board (Bangor: buy, to live in)

[raygabs]

Originally Posted by raygabs

Yeah, somehow bones just don't seem so appealing. I'm not sure why some men and women think the skinnier the better. There is a degree of "thin" that's just sick looking. So, I'll keep my fleshy flesh and be happy with it! And my butts not THAT big, I guess. The girls - now that's another story!!

In Maine, I'll just call it insulation!

I don't think you'll find too many men complaining about the girls![/quote]

oops messed that previous post up! I have so much to learn on navigating this website!
Most men appreciate big girls...LOL
I read the article Skywalker put up and it's interesting how styles vary from region to region.
In Atlanta, women are "done". They really are accessorized. Great jewelry, right shoes, hair done. I stepped it up a notch after moving here. It will be nice to relax a little bit when I get to Maine but I hope I won' t have to worry that I'll stick out like a sore thumb when I want to ~work it~ .

[Elcarim]

I know. In our area, if you're not "done" you're snubbed by all the women who are. I don't step out of my house without full gear, hair done, make-up, manicured, jewelry - whole ball of wax. I'm not quite sure how I'll adjust to a more relaxed dress style. I even wear heels most shopping trips. It's just what we do down here! Never know who you'll run into. **And this whole 'keeping up with the Jones' mentality is one of the many things we're trying to escape!**

This is in no way a word against the women in Maine, but I felt so completely overdressed the whole time we were there. I didn't think anything about the way the women we saw were dressed, only that I definitely looked out of place. I envied them.

I'll have to learn to relax my style - a LOT! I enjoy dressing up sometimes, but not even wanting to run to the store to grab a gallon of milk without 45 minutes of prepping is getting old!

[DavidoftheNorth]

Originally Posted by Elcarim

I know. In our area, if you're not "done" you're snubbed by all the women who are. I don't step out of my house without full gear, hair done, make-up, manicured, jewelry - whole ball of wax. I'm not quite sure how I'll adjust to a more relaxed dress style. I even wear heels most shopping trips. It's just what we do down here! Never know who you'll run into. **And this whole 'keeping up with the Jones' mentality is one of the many things we're trying to escape!**

This is in no way a word against the women in Maine, but I felt so completely overdressed the whole time we were there. I didn't think anything about the way the women we saw were dressed, only that I definitely looked out of place. I envied them.

I'll have to learn to relax my style - a LOT! I enjoy dressing up sometimes, but not even wanting to run to the store to grab a gallon of milk without 45 minutes of prepping is getting old!

Yeah, well, don't get too laid back! We need some ladies like you to show our girls how it's done. We Maine guys do appreciate it, once in a while!

[starwalker]

Originally Posted by DavidoftheNorth

Yeah, well, don't get too laid back! We need some ladies like you to show our girls how it's done. We Maine guys do appreciate it, once in a while!

Well "once in a while" is a whole different thing than every time you step out of the house! I'm glad I don't live in Elcarim's neighborhood, or I for sure would be one of those gals being snubbed BIG TIME! LOL I think 45 min is about my time frame for getting "gussied up" for a really big event -- say if I were to win an Addy or something (graphic design's equivalent of an Oscar). Back when I had a job where I needed to take my face out of the jar by the bed, I used to do it while sitting in the truck on the ferry -- it was a 20 min ride and I usually spent most of the time standing at the front, watching the water and the sky.

So I guess I count as "low maintenance" LOL And for the record, I have not owned a pair of heels more than 1 1/2" tall in my life and I quit wearing them regularly in college, after having to have new heels put on every two months from the mileage I put on them.

[raygabs]

Wow El! You're puttin' me to shame with the heels to the store bit! Though I am a hairstylist and I do like to be put together most days ..just that with kids and busy schedules that doesn't happen the way I like all the time. The keeping up with the Joneses is something I soooooooo relate to. They didn't do quite as much of that in NY(most of us were just trying to keep up with the taxes) and I have been told that it's a southern thing to be all about your house. I really enjoy decorating and I love a nice house too but who needs the constant pressure if something's not "perfect". The cost of keeping up is too much also. Don't worry though- I won't come to Maine and let my yard go with weeds up to the knees and a couple a cars on the lawn.LOL.

[Elcarim]

Even when I wear jeans, which isn't often, it's usually with a nice blouse and heels. I usually wear slacks or a skirt and blouse. I'm guessing the heels won't do well on snow and ice! Even my boots are heeled! Yep, I'll need a whole new wardrobe. Good excuse to get new clothes!

I did buy several turtle neck tops for our trip last March. LOVED the cuddly fabric.

The one thing I WON'T do without, however, is fixing my hair and makeup. Don't see any point scarin' all the animals!!

[raygabs]

Love, love , Love turtlenecks. Can't wait to wear them WITH a coat. Down here most of the time- it's one or the other. Isn't that crazy? ...most people want to NOT wear coats in the winter.

[mollysmiles]

I never realized how lucky I am to live where I do. People know me for WHO I am, rather than what I wear or what I have. There is a great deal of freedom in this! I wouldn't know what to do without that! I'm not sloppy at all, but I dress for ME, according to how I feel. El, you're going to find it very liberating here I'm actually thinking that if I were judged by what I wore, drove, and where I lived, people would think I'm snobby. I'm about as far away from that as you can imagine (ok--I DO have a problem with stupid adults, but who doesn't??)

[Elcarim]

Hey, I told you, I'm planning to be so liberated I'm going to streak through the woods nekkid! But I will have purty hair and make-up!! Scared animals - remember...

[Family of five]

El, you'd have a adjustment to make here is St. Paul, too. It is very casual, here. I live in the city, and when I am at the playground with the kids it looks like a photo shoot for an outdoor catalog. Everyone wears Tevas on their feet in the summer, and fleece jackets in the winter. Very little makeup, and mostly straight hair pulled back. That's how I am, so I fit in well here. I know I'll fit right in in Maine, too. I grew up in PA which is a bit more formal, and I still catch myself thinking like that sometimes. For example, I am going to a wedding shower this weekend, and I just caught myself thinking, "do I need to buy something to wear? I should wear something nice." And then I reminded myself that everyone else will be in pants or jeans and casual tops. Dress definately differs depending on where you are. Our best friend moved from Texas (Garland) to MN 14 years ago and he still appreciates how casual women are here. When he goes back to Texas he is shocked by all the hair, clothes, and makeup! I think that once you are in Maine for awhile you will start to "dress down" more. In a few years you'll probably hardly recognize "Texas Elcarim" and you'll love. love. love who you have become. I am a big fan of natural, casual dress and appearance, can you tell?