Friday, May 04, 2012

Rant and Stance

Stance:  n.  the position or bearing of the body while standing: legs spread in a wide stance; the threatening stance of the bull. (http://www.dictionary.com)


When I was young(er), I actually went to finishing school.  Yes, you heard me right.  Bauder Fashion Career College and Finishing School in Atlanta.  I didn't finish (well, obviously!).


However, I did learn a few things about what was called "etiquette" (along with fencing lessons, the proper way to descend a flight of stairs or sit, and a few other not-so-useful-in-the-60s--or the 2010s for that matter--"rules").


So anyway, I do have a point, for whatever it's worth.  


One of the things I learned was that it was bad manners (déclassé, actually) for a lady (okay, so "woman" was a derogatory term back then) to ever put her hands on her hips.  Ever.  Never ever ever.

So now, much has changed--and I celebrate most of those changes.  I can put my hands on my hips when I feel like it with aplomb.  And I do.  AND I am woman (hear me roar) and whatever.

But still.....

WHY is that that EVERY picture (ALL of them, not just a few, but, well, okay, MOST of them anyway)--MOST every picture of young women that I see on Facebook and pretty much everywhere else has them all standing around with their hands on their hips?  Or at least, the women on whichever end--both ends--have at least one hand on one hip.

At first, it appeared to be some sort of cheerleader/majorette stance.  Okay.  But now I see it so often that I no longer see the girls/women in the pictures.  All I see is the elbow sticking out.

Come on, people.  There are other things to do with an arm.  Try holding up two fingers (V for victory or peace, depending on what decade you hail from).  Or try holding up one finger (depending on the finger, of course, that might be a bit dangerous...).  Maybe try holding a flower.  Or, wow, just let your arm dangle at your side....  Do something.

Do anything.

But please quite sticking elbows out ALL of the time.  Please.

Okay, so this old fogey person is going to go have her picture taken with her elbows sticking out, just cause I can.  Keep an eye on this space.  :)