Beauty

I can't believe it. There is actually a difference in the way guys treat ladies based on the way they are dressed or how they look.

Usually when I'm in my normal attire (read: shirt and shorts/skirt), backpack and pimply face, guys hardly notice me, much less give way to me. But for a total of 3 times when I'm nicely dressed (read: shirt and skirt, which is no different from my normal attire) and looking good (read: face mostly covered), I got treated darn nicely by random strangers. I think it's my face that's the problem.

Unfortunately, I remember what happened only on 2 of the occasions.

One of it was last year. I was dressed in a racer-back white shirt and this flow-y retro skirt. This guy obviously let me get off the bus first although I was just sitting there waiting for people to get off so I can follow. I mean, in the number of years I have taken the bus, nobody has ever so elaborately, purposely and so gentlemanly stopped in the middle of the aisle and let me get off. Ok, maybe I'm thinking too much. Maybe he saw me sitting there looking for a chance to get off for so long that he felt pitiful.

Then just last Sunday I was dressed in that red shirt that says "Tell me Again why I need a Boyfriend" (to which I can answer - I am desperate) and a blue denim skirt, complete with a pair of shades. I was walking towards the escalator from one direction and there was this other guy walking towards it too from the other direction such that we were facing each other. Although he was like 2 steps away from stepping onto it already and I still had another 7 - 10 steps left, he slowed his steps and, I don't know for what reason, let me get on the escalator first. I was so surprised that I mumbled a "thank you", nodded my head slightly and then stepped on. I was too embarrassed to look at him directly, so I could not know for sure if he had slowed down because of me or some other reason. His body language indicated that he had purposely slowed down to wait for me to get on, though. Hmm, maybe I was walking so fast that he was afraid we would collide so he slowed down and let me get on first.



Now all this sound like rubbish. In any case, make me a little happy today and let me believe its real - that when I have my face covered, I actually look decent.

Anyway it's true that people treat you differently when you are dressed differently. I've experienced it with shop assistants, female strangers, acquaintances. I'd like to say though, despite the effect the outer appearance can have on the behaviour of others towards you, your inner strength - confidence in yourself, the ability to express your thoughts and sincerity when dealing with others, these are the things that really matter in the end in your relationships with people.

I have been more confident in the past when dressed in weird looking clothes and looking out of sorts than now when dressed in relatively normal attire, simply because I had utter confidence in myself. I have had better relations with others in the past when I put much effort into treating others sincerely than now.

I once thought things would fall into place as long as you look pretty and good. In a way it's true, things do come your way, but in the end it takes a lot more substance to keep that good stuff.

I'd like to have my brains back please.