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Original poster

To lack the bottle to buck the trend but still grumble while conforming?

43 replies

UnacceptableWidge · 09/12/2013 18:16

I'm about to have a bath and shave my legs. It will be the first leg shave since we attended a wedding in the Summer. Prior to that I probably did it this time last year in preparation for dress wearing during Christmas party season.

I do not mind my hairy legs at all. My DH does not recoil away from my legs nor does he go all gooey eyed and puppy like at the sight of my pasty whites becoming hair free once or twice a year. I never have bare legs when wearing dresses so why do I do this?

Who decided fair maidens had to rid themselves of hair in the first place?
I am too ashamed to leave them hairy, I'm far from a Julia Roberts and won't have the press slating my disgusting radical feminist legs but still am too afraid to 'go hairy'

I'll do it if you lot will though. C'mon who's with me? Lets spend the party season this year united as strong women with nice, soft hairy legs.

not the underarms though, loved Aforementioned Julia's stance but dislike that wet, sweaty, unshaven armpit feel

OP posts:
GodRestTEEMerryGenTEEmen · 09/12/2013 18:18

I don't tend to shave my legs from November to April.

But then, I rarely wear dresses and if I do, I wear leggings.

GideonKipper · 09/12/2013 18:21

Not me I'm afraid. I am dark haired and my legs look like footballer's if left au naturel.

Are you also make up free?

Binkyridesagain · 09/12/2013 18:23

I haven't shaved my legs for 2 weeks they've only just reached stubbly stage, I'm not very good a growing leg hair, its always patchy, maybe I'll be able to join you in the hairiness at about easter if that's okay.

Armpit hair however, 1.5 inches before I decided to take it all off, It was lovely soft hair and not a moment of wet or sweat.

ItsAWonderfulCervix · 09/12/2013 18:23

I've decided not to do mine. Nor my pits either. Until at least march. Maybe forever. I'm very very hairy. Like a grilla.

I'm hoping to discover whether they'll just keep growing longer and longer or whether they reach a finite length.

pictish · 09/12/2013 18:24

I concur with emphatically OP.
Who the fuck decided women were supposed to be as smooth and hairless as an eight year old?

CarolPrankster · 09/12/2013 18:24

I haven't shaved my legs in years, no one, absolutely no one, has noticed or gives a flying fuck Grin

I have stopped trimming my bush too but do feel a little self conscious at the pool Blush

Have not yet stopped shaving my underarm

Dawndonnaagain · 09/12/2013 18:24

I'd like to help you out but I have alopecia. Haven't shaved underarms or legs since my teens, I was 55 last week!

DragonMamma · 09/12/2013 18:25

Not me I'm afraid. I do them possibly once a week in the winter - they get too itchy otherwise and I feel pretty awful and am constantly making sure my work trousers don't ride up, whilst sitting, to hide the hairy beasts if I let them grow

CarolPrankster · 09/12/2013 18:26

I was wondering about armpit hair, does it help to stop you smelling when it gets long?

Yama · 09/12/2013 18:31

I actually can't remember the last time I shaved my legs. I feel a bit of a fraudster though because I am so fair haired that you wouldn't notice either way.

MelanieRavenswood · 09/12/2013 18:32

I feel the same. I was braver when I was younger - late teens and early twenties - and didn't shave then but now I do a few times a year. Just when going swimming or if legs on show in summer.

ohtanmybum · 09/12/2013 18:33

I don't dehair between Oct and early Mar as neither my legs nor my underarms see light of day once the chill sets in. I've given the odd medic a bit of a shiver down the spine, no doubt, when an unexpected exam has been called for. My gorilla trousers provide great insulation as well. (I live alone, so no DP to entangle in the thicket.). I say go for it.

Heartbrokenmum73 · 09/12/2013 18:37

I was going to post about this last week as ex was here and overheard me saying to DD (12) about it being her choice whether she shaves under her arms/legs. Ex then said to me (in front of DD) not to 'turn her into some fucking hippy' and that women shave under arms and legs because 'it's feminine'. Oh, and also, 'she's not fucking French'! I was so fucking [cross]!

I lived with this bullshit for 19 fucking years! I haven't shaved my legs in about six months now. I wear jeans or leggings - no one sees them but me and I don't care. I do my armpits once a week or so, but only because I get sweaty and sticky.

But the whole 'feminine' issue (which I'm assuming has stemmed from masculine twats somewhere originally) is really pissing me off lately. How am I supposed to raise a daughter who is strong enough to make her own choices regarding her own body when she has a Dad who thinks like that?

JadziaSnax · 09/12/2013 18:38

I absolutely hate shaving legs & armpits. I just don't have the bottle to stop either. One of these days I'll bin the razor!

ThurlHoHoHow · 09/12/2013 18:41

I agree. I only shave my legs in the winter when they're getting itchy. I don't particularly shave or tidy up before going swimming either, can't be arsed. I reckon if anyone sees something they don't like, it's their fault for looking in the first place.

However I couldn't go completely hairy. Hmm. You've got me thinking now...

ItsAWonderfulCervix · 09/12/2013 18:47

I do think i will need to keep plucking the chin though.

volestair · 09/12/2013 19:41

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Jux · 09/12/2013 19:50

Haven't shaved leg or armpit for years. Years and years and years.

I have knitted jumpers with my dropped hairs.

GrumpyRedhead · 09/12/2013 19:54

Please forgive the slight hijack, I'm taking an opportunity to get something off my chest.

About a week or so ago, FIL was here. My DD was sitting on the sofa, in PJs, and he sat down beside her for a cuddle. Whatever happened, he rubbed her legs, and said, "eeeeuwwww, hairy legs, ew!" I'm still Angry how dare he even suggest she's anything less than perfect, why the hell even plant the idea in her had that there's anything wrong with her legs? She's only 6 ffs Angry

Thank you for that! Grrrrrrrr

HesterShaw · 09/12/2013 19:56

My legs are left to go fallow between September and June November and April, unless some medical type is going to see them. Yes I know, why do they care etc?

However I have to do the pits every so often, or the itching drives wild. Does anyone else have this?

HesterShaw · 09/12/2013 19:57

Grumpy, SIX?????? Fuck, no wonder you're fuming.

That's actually disturbing.

Yellowcake · 09/12/2013 20:02

Find your inner bottle, OP. There are a lot of us who think that grooming is for Crufts' entries, and whose self-esteem is entirely separate to our leg hair!

Grumpy, I would have beaten him to death with a poker. She's SIX, she should barely have figured out she's a girl, far less started to be indoctrinated unto thinking there's something wrong with her perfect six year old legs!!!!!!

Does he think she should get corrective moisturiser and control pants for Christmas???

GrumpyRedhead · 09/12/2013 20:03

Yep, six! There was no malice meant in it, and the tone of his voice implied teasing, but I still don't see why hairy legs at six are anything other than normal.

I thank you for sharing my rage though, it's cathartic!

In answer to the actual OP (now I've had my selfish moan!) I shave my legs every few months or so. I've got very bad skin, and once the hairs get a certain length my legs get itchy. I end up scratching myself sore, it ends up easier to shave. Although I see that as shaving for my own reasons and not for convention Grin

GrumpyRedhead · 09/12/2013 20:05

Exactly yellow! I'm thinking I should cover her in make up and tell him if he thinks she's old enough for smooth legs she's old enough for that, and see what he thinks Hmm

wonderstuff · 09/12/2013 20:07

My legs left unshaven are much hairier than my husbands, I do shave if they go on show, which is rarely this time of year. I shave my pits from tome to time, pluck the chin hairs, wax top lip and neaten eyebrows. I don't however do anything to my pretty hairy arms. I just can't be arsed, I don't care enough.