Sunday, September 2, 2012

Athletic Uniforms

 
Another Summer Olympics has come and gone. It was a good one; containing all the elements worthy of the time many of us spent watching it. There were records broken, a few “firsts,” good-byes to great athletes who claim they are done, showmanship, bragging, an awesome showing for the U.S. women, and even disappointments that pulled at our heartstrings.

Did you notice anything else about the Olympics? Like, uhhh… the uniforms?
Is that what we call them… the “clothes” they wore as they performed amazing feats of strength, speed, agility, and endurance?

Would "costume" be a better term?
Is it just me, or does anyone else think there is hardly anything left to the imagination when looking at the “uniforms” of the athletes?

I know, I know. *sigh* If you’ve read my post on breasts, then after reading this, I will surely have a reputation of being overly modest; though I’m not.
But come on… I can probably identify Misty’s and Kerri’s butts in a line up. And the swimmers and divers?  The girls’ suits are cut as high in the front as they are in the back. The guys – I’m at a loss for words. All I can say is - hair removal must be big business.
 
So what’s the reason? Is it the same one they use during the swimsuit competition at beauty pageants; that the judges need to see the muscles and lines of the body in order to score accurately? Does this apply to male runners dressed in onesies who win based on, uhh… time? (Actually, I have Googled a little and read that there is supposedly a science to many of these “outfits” to increase performance.

Question: Do you look? Look, meaning: stare, evaluate, ogle, envy, criticize, admire, and/or fantasize.
You don’t have to answer; however, I’ll personally say that the exposed abs on the women runners are to die for! What do they call that look – washboard abs (if you’re a baby boomer) or a six pack (if you’re younger)? Makes me wanna drop and do 100 sit-ups.

Anyway...
I’m not sure how I feel about this; the enormous amount of skin we chose to show nowadays. I was sitting in my car in a parking lot during high school volley ball season, when I looked up and saw a blonde ponytail swinging from side to side. When my eyes dropped to get back to the book I was reading, they stopped when they landed on her perfect little curvaceous rear end, tightly outfitted in what I thought were black underwear. (Hers were extra short and small.)

“Oh my,” I mumbled, as she sashayed into the Subway for her after practice meal. My friends would later tell me, “Oh yeah, Anita; that’s what they wear.”

Would I let my daughter leave the school gym wearing Spandex that has a two inch crotch? Would I even let her play in such? Would she be the only kid wearing baggy Spandex instead?
I seem to vacillate between accepting the clothes that young people wear and shaking my head in near disbelief.

They are beautiful; young people in good shape, that is. Should they flaunt it if they have it? Did I wear comparable clothing when I had it?
On second thought, I didn’t quite have it.

Should they be allowed to express their sensuality and freedom while they are young? A friend told me that her husband thinks his 14 year old daughter should. (In fairness to them, they weren’t talking about the prosti-tot look or similar.)  My husband, on the other hand, is having a difficult time handling the sight of his daughters in tight jeans.
Can life be fun and exciting for them with a little more covered up?

When I see Muslim women (some, beautifully dressed), I wonder if they feel sexy or attractive with most of their bodies covered. Is it necessary to feel sexy and attractive as you’re squeezing tomatoes at the grocery store?
Oh, that’s right… I’m supposed to be talking about hot bodied young people; not moms at the grocery store. But still… I wonder what Muslim women, who cover, think of us; or the Amish; or the Duggars? Do we care? I can only imagine – on both ends. Smile

20 comments:

Mari said...

Very interesting post! In the end, it seems to me that we could find some way to dress that is somewhere between the Muslim dress and those outfits that barely cover anything!

Judy Thomas said...

Didn't watch the Olympics, but think there is a place for modesty in our culture. The human body can be beautiful, but in this sexually-commodified culture, where girls and women are pressure to have an artificial airbrushed sexiness, we need a different balance between explicit dress and modest attire. However, the Olympians swim suits might have been practical garments, to shave off that last hundreth-second of time. What does bug me is what some young women wear to class at college and when prepubescent teens sport sexualized attire.

Abby said...

And gymnastics - don't forget the gymnasts.

Yes, apparently there is a "science" behind all the tight-fitting minimalism that is a summer Olympic uniform. But it seems to me like we may as well just go back to the original Olympics where all of the competitors were naked!

As far as the teenaged girls, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks they're walking around in their underwear while at the mall. I have all boys, so I'm not having to enforce any dress codes. Thankfully.

Chapters From My Life said...

Thanks for the wonderful comment on my blog Anita, but I request you to visit once again and check it out as the last paragraph of conclusion did not get posted last time.

I have always envied the great legs of tennis players :) and have to confess that I get distracted by body show at times and miss out good part of game.

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

As to the Olympics, I didn't watch so I can't weigh in on that part. -grinnnnn- Yes, I know! I'm one of the 3 people who didn't watch the Olympics. What can I say? -grin-

As to how kids dress today... -sigh- Let's just say I'm very glad that I don't have any of my OWN, now. ("Grands" I have, but they are not my responsibility. Hooray!)

My feeling...? Between what is on tv, in films, in books, advertising, the accepted way of (un)dressing, etc.... Well, how can anyone expect older sexual conduct values to be followed?

I don't mean this, in some prudish way. I'm far from prudish. But it's scary. For "our" little girls and boys, coming up. Growing up, in this present environment. Bleahhhhhh.........

Not to even mention, for their moms and dads!

Courage!

Oh and it's nice to see you posting again, my Dear!

Gentle hugs,
"Auntie"

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Sept. 4th...

Thank you for leaving a comment on my blog today.

I hope you will still want to read/comment on my blog, tomorrow (Sept. 5th). -sigh-

Gentle hugs, either way... "Auntie"

Sandra said...

I suspect the Amish, Muslem, and the Duggars think we are scandalous...on a side note, I'd love to be Amish...
However, that having been said, I have a friend who tells her 14 year old daughter, "If you got, flaunt it." I think that's awful! I think you can flaunt it when I won't have to raise your baby because you have to finish high school and you have a newborn. Great post! As for the Olympic athletes, honestly, it took most of them being half naked for me to even have any interest. What does that say about me?...don't answer, it's rhetorical.

Hilary said...

Those little black spandex pants/shorts. I know that Frank has aged from young oogler to respectable old man when he whines about how their parents can let them out of the house wearing pants which show every goosebump on their bottoms.

Unknown said...

I can't agree more. What happened to being able to show less and still feel good about yourself? I like the way Obama's daughters dress. They are modest and yet, fashionable.

The Olympic attire was definitely costumes.

Hilary said...

You covered (no pun intended) quite a bit in a very short bit of space. I did notice the sparseness of the "uniforms", but at the same time, it is the summer Olympics. In the winter, the athletes are all bundled up. I did scope out the six packs, washboards, and the area on body where the hips stick out -- I think it's referred to as Apollos' Belt -- and yes, I did drop and do 100 sit ups! As for the clothing and my daughters, we have moved on up to skinny jeans for the 7 year old, only because. . .she's skinny! I don't think she even knows what it means and I'm not going to be the one to tell her!

Linda Hensley said...

I think it would be all less of an issue if it weren't still so sexist, and I worry about our girls getting assaulted when they're too young to understand that showing everything leaves opens them to unwanted behavior from others. I cover up because nobody wants to look at my nonexistent abs, but maybe there's a part of me that wishes I did have some abs to show off?

I love the things you choose to write about. You deserve blog awards :)

Carrie @ Cottage Cozy said...

I am excited for your daughter's cake decorating class and the skills she will learn...lots of goodies for you guys!

Stephanie said...

Oh I looked...all I felt was super jealous. I need to get my butt off the sofa and start with thte working out!

Debra Harris-Johnson said...

Thanks for your comment on my blog. I have always been somewhat modest. I like to leave something to the imagination.

Now that I am a lady of a certain age I think a stylish dressed woman beat out the skimpy clad every time. Now they will get stares but a man looks twice at a nicely clad female. I think. I hope. Ok, I wish.

Georgiana Daniels said...

The uniforms are awful--just awful!! I don't know how they can even concentrate in those, I mean, how can you focus when you have a wedgie?

Peaches Ledwidge said...

All I can say is that body seems to sell.

I enjoyed reading this post.

Rebecca S. said...

Hello Anita! I'm sorry it has taken me so long to get here. September is a crazy month for me.
Anyway, I loved this post. I was away for much of the Olympics this year, so didn't see enough of it to be able to comment in more than a general way. I do vocally rage over the volleyball uniforms whenever I see a game. Someone I know called women's beach volleyball 'the new burlesque'.
As far as what our young women are wearing, I have two girls, nearly 16 and 11. While their dad and I want them to feel 'hip' in their clothes and encourage them to express themselves through fashion because its fun and creative, we draw the line at anything provocative. Yes, they do wear skinny jeans like everyone else, but I'm happy to say that they are disgusted by the 'shorts' the girls have been wearing as well as the low cut blouses. I wonder how the male teachers feel at the schools and how the pubescent boys handle it! Our high school has a dress code of sorts, but it is hard to control fashion en masse.
I saw a girl in what looked like black boy short underwear walking into the grocery store. Yes, she had a gorgeous body, and I'll admit I admired her, but I'm sure I would have admired her just as much had she just had a regular pair of shorts on. I'm just not sure why girls and many women, feel like they have to put all their 'fruit out on the platter' if you know what I mean!
On the other hand, my husband the sports fan, just might be thinking he wished his wife had those abs...

myletterstoemily said...

i have to admit being a little offended by the
nothingness of the beach volleyball players.
not much different than the sports illustrated
swim suit issue and devaluing to the athleticism
of the players.

Nezzy (Cow Patty Surprise) said...

Can ya believe I just notice the 'load more' link in my comments. Yep, this gal's blond for sure! Heeeehehehehe!

Thanks for checkin' in on me, seems life and farm has been all consumin' this growin' season. I'd hoped to be back and postin' by now but we've just begun the harvest season.

Hopefully as the weather cools I'll find time to have fun with ya'll again. I've sure missed it!

God bless and have a magnificent week sweetie!!! :o)

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