Ah, vanity… Thy name is woman. Then again, maybe thy name is pragmatism. Like it or not, good looks are a woman’s currency; youth and good looks especially.
Now, now. This is not to undercut our true and enduring value as individuals — our competence, our compassion, our character — the elements of who we are beneath the skin.
But we know we’re judged by how we look. Furthermore, we spend years judging ourselves and each other by these same superficial criteria.
When a recent discussion raised the topic of what I like about my appearance, alas, to my dismay, my initial reaction was to enumerate what I don’t like.
Shame. On. Me.
Old (bad) habits die hard. But that’s an entirely other conversation!
After a moment or two, I could indeed offer a few features for “favorite” status. My eyes come to mind, perhaps because they remain recognizable even as I grow older. There is beauty in recognizing ourselves over the course of decades, not to mention those many life changes that etch their stories into our bodies… And yes, the adage that the eyes are the windows to the soul definitely holds true in my case.
When push comes to shove, I can add two other items to my Looks List: pretty collar bones and lustrous hair. Once upon a time, I might have included a brighter, straighter smile, taut dancer’s calves (albeit on vertically challenged legs), and satiny skin in all the appropriate places.
Hmmm. I do seem to recall a former partner or two with other ideas. One was undeniably and irrepressibly a “breast man.” Another adored my tiny hands and feet. (Yes, there really are “feet” men.) A third loved my laugh. (Does that count?)
Thinking back, I haven’t a clue what my ex-husband found attractive about me. I don’t recall that he ever said. Strange, after so many years, to suddenly realize that.
So what about you?
I just know some of you are proud of your derrière. Come on. Admit it! And brava if you are blessed in the booty department. I must say, I’m glad that curves are back in style, though I suspect they never went out of style except perhaps in the mainstream media.
I’m very curious to know what your favorite “part” might be, if you’ve always appreciated the same features of your own physical being, and how that may be changing as time (and the wisdom of experience) do their inimitable thing.
And, lest you think I don’t possess particular parts amply appreciated on the male physique, dare I confess that I adore the torso? No need for six-pack abs, mind you. But a beautiful barrel chest is an object d’art if you ask me. Necessary? Naturally not.
In real life, I’m all eyes for a man with an intense and bemused gaze, and putty in the palms of a man with elegant hands. After all, these are what “touch” me — literally and figuratively. And both endure in their power and presence as the years pass.
Ladies, would you care to offer your thoughts? Would the gentlemen in the crowd like to recommend their favorite parts of a woman’s body? Yes, I have my reasons for this little data gathering exercise. (You’ll have to wait to find them out.)
Now, please… Do tell.
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A few thoughts:
Anyone who reduces a figure to a “part” is missing the big picture….
Anyone who reduces another person to a “figure” is missing the big picture….
Any part can be exquisite. Any… I’ve fallen in love seeing just an arm/shoulder/neck through a car window or rear view mirror. Backs are underappreciated too. Feet and hands likewise.
Laughs aren’t a “part”. But like the rest of personality, it can be (and usually is) far more important than the physical.
Eyes the window to the soul? Absolutely!
Agreed (on your points re the “whole package” that is the person). That said, thank you for your input! (I do have a reason for asking.) 🙂
Personally, I’d check up on Robert. Like his attitude. Let’s see. People comment on my smile. I think it used to be better before a skin cancer surgery. People also comment on my feet. I had a man at Saks shoe department asking me to please always come to him to try on shoes. if you like abundant bosoms, I’ve got them, Oh also I do have good long legs. But I also have a fun sense of humor and a lot of energy.
Sandra! It sounds like you had a Sex and the City Charlotte moment! (Or maybe lots of them. Did you ever see that episode in which a shoe salesman is crazy for her tootsies?) Voluptuous AND leggy! You lucky thing, you.
Energy, smile, humor… I saw you on TV, my friend. You have those in abundance. The whole package indeed.
Love your response! Thank you.
A college roommate, the biggest ladies man I’ve ever known, quite enjoyed selling women’s shoes!
I must pop on my pumps and shimmy to the nearest shoe store… ???
D.A., I remember that hilarious Charlotte shoe episode. Yet, we might be having the honor of amusing with a Samantha impersonator (maybe)!
When I dare to do the goo-goo eyeing, after passing the test of a clean shaven face, I check out how the buttocks fits into a nice pair of jeans, ?then search the eyes to find the heart. ?
You seem to pass the insanity check on my radar, Robert. ?
Okay, you want me to zero in on a part. Shall I be romantic? Lascivious? Sensual? Typically male? How about them all? And so, my choice:
The brain.
Granted, the packaging catches my eye, but it’s the contents that keep me coming back. The personality. The wit. The charm. The intelligence. The knowledge. Ah yes, the brain: the largest sex organ. You had me at hello, written in a Verdana, a “humanist sans-serif typeface”, 10 point, black on a white background, enhanced by a smiling animated emoji which occasionally winks. Internet-savvy, yet playful.
The packaging catches my eye, but it’s the brain that gets my attention.
Winking back, Mr. Belle.
My favorite “body” part that has yet to fail or disappoint and has supported me entirely is my skin. I find my attraction of another’s “body” part is the heart.
I think how a person makes one feel is what will be remembered. I doubt it is any particular “body” part.
TD – I agree on how people make you feel. The women I’ve been most attracted to in person have been those who seemed most naturally at ease with me. I suppose that is a large part of interpersonal chemistry.
And on the insanity? Thank You – I’m working on it…. 🙂
You guys are terrific…I couldn’t agree more! The best accessory anyone can own is a beautiful smile. And a “brain” and all that it encompasses…oh my God…YES! A “heart”…be still! And to think, I was just going to say my legs!
I think my favorite body part would be my waist. I’ve always had a small one and i haven’t lost it yet.
By the way? Hi!