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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Do you shave your legs in the winter?

213 replies

beebee25 · 07/12/2025 06:55

I last shaved my legs in September and won't shave them again until about April.

OP posts:
opencecilgee · 07/12/2025 10:41

i think shaving is gross. It makes them grow back super quickly and feels like sandpaper

Justlostmybagel · 07/12/2025 10:41

Namechangedforgoodreasons · 07/12/2025 10:27

Why do you think looking hairless, apart from the head, is supposedly desirable for women?

Because razor companies wanted to sell to women too. And most women don't have much facial hair.

Nothing to do with looking like a prepubescent girl.

MinnieMountain · 07/12/2025 10:50

I generally swim 3 times a week (can’t right now as my shoulder is buggered), yet it never occurs to me to shave for that.

Namechangedforgoodreasons · 07/12/2025 10:51

icantbelieveitsnotcake · 07/12/2025 10:37

No, you are deliberately avoiding what I asked. I am not referring to it being "unclean", I am referring to your ascertain that women who shave resemble prepubescent girls.

If this were in fact, true, then any woman who had a husband who is clean shaven would also find prepubescent boys attractive because it is "natural" for men to have facial hair after puberty.

I note the fact you are avoiding this means you recognise what you are saying is bollocks

Edited

And seasonal bollocks to you too.

If you don’t recognise the efforts of the fashion, "beauty" and "celebrity" industries to make women (much more so than men) look as young as possible, and nearly always avoid being connected to older women, you’re being wilfully blind.

As for the prepubescent thing: tell me why you think so many people prefer women to look hairless if it’s not for that reason.

Missj25 · 07/12/2025 10:52

RichardMarxisinnocent · 07/12/2025 10:37

So you think it's yuck on yourself? If so, fine, you're completely entitled to feel that way. Just please don't tell other women you think it's yuck on them.

There's no point coming on here & telling lies 🤷🏻‍♀️.
Truthfully , I think it doesn’t look nice on women to have hairy arm pits & legs , I just feel it’s not feminine ..
Can I not get attacked for saying that please !
I do think it’s different for men , we are different for God’s Sake !
People will turn this into a whole different thing now & I’ll be accused of being sexist .

BauhausOfEliott · 07/12/2025 10:53

Namechangedforgoodreasons · 07/12/2025 10:27

Why do you think looking hairless, apart from the head, is supposedly desirable for women?

If looking ‘prepubescent’ was the reason hairless women are supposedly desirable, the same beauty standards wouldn’t also require us to have big boobs, a small waist and a curvy bum.

Hair removal isn’t anything to do with looking young. It’s about looking as different from men as possible. It’s exaggerating a physical difference - typically, most women are less hairy than most men, so removing leg and armpit hair exaggerates that characteristic. It’s still a physical stereotype, but it’s based on sex characteristics, not age ones.

Namechangedforgoodreasons · 07/12/2025 10:58

Missj25 · 07/12/2025 10:52

There's no point coming on here & telling lies 🤷🏻‍♀️.
Truthfully , I think it doesn’t look nice on women to have hairy arm pits & legs , I just feel it’s not feminine ..
Can I not get attacked for saying that please !
I do think it’s different for men , we are different for God’s Sake !
People will turn this into a whole different thing now & I’ll be accused of being sexist .

How very sad that you think normal body hair on adult women, something that is natural to half of humanity, to virtually every woman who has ever lived, is somehow "not feminine".

I wonder if you have ever tried to analyse why you feel this way.

YouHaveAnArse · 07/12/2025 10:58

Missj25 · 07/12/2025 10:52

There's no point coming on here & telling lies 🤷🏻‍♀️.
Truthfully , I think it doesn’t look nice on women to have hairy arm pits & legs , I just feel it’s not feminine ..
Can I not get attacked for saying that please !
I do think it’s different for men , we are different for God’s Sake !
People will turn this into a whole different thing now & I’ll be accused of being sexist .

Why is it "not feminine"? Again, if you prefer to shave then fair enough, but it's worth thinking about why you feel that way and why women specifically have to remove their body hair in order to correctly perform their gender.

YouHaveAnArse · 07/12/2025 10:59

Though, tbf, if you have straight pubes then yeah, it can be a hygiene thing to trim/shave down there, especially if you're still having your period.

icantbelieveitsnotcake · 07/12/2025 11:02

Namechangedforgoodreasons · 07/12/2025 10:51

And seasonal bollocks to you too.

If you don’t recognise the efforts of the fashion, "beauty" and "celebrity" industries to make women (much more so than men) look as young as possible, and nearly always avoid being connected to older women, you’re being wilfully blind.

As for the prepubescent thing: tell me why you think so many people prefer women to look hairless if it’s not for that reason.

I am not denying that women are subject to societal expectations and that body hair goes through fashions. But people are still allowed to groom themselves as they wish without having insults hurled at them and that applies to BOTH sides- both those who shave and those who choose not to.

Shaving your legs doesn’t make you look like a child—it makes you an adult making a personal grooming choice. You might not agree with that choice but that doesn't mean throwing out insults to other women implying they want to attract paedophiles is going to make them suddenly change their minds. On the contrary, its yet another lecture directed at women as to how they "ought" to look, according to someone who isnt in their body.

The idea that hair removal infantilizes women doesn’t hold up logically: if it were true, then men who shave their faces, chest, or other body hair would also look prepubescent—but clearly, they do not.

This huge double standard shows that your criticism isn’t about hair itself, but about controlling women’s bodies and policing their choices.

Many adults experience hair loss for reasons entirely beyond their control, such as alopecia or chemotherapy. These adults don’t suddenly appear childlike—their maturity and adulthood remain intact, regardless of hair. Suggesting that hair—or the absence of it—defines a person’s age or sexual maturity is not only biologically inaccurate but also really bloody offensive.

Would you tell someone who just had chemo that they resembled a child?

So yeah- you are spouting bollocks.

Oneborneverydecade · 07/12/2025 11:03

I am this winter bc I'll be in the gym but I've probably gone all winter without shaving in the past.

Justlostmybagel · 07/12/2025 11:04

Very well said @icantbelieveitsnotcake

Namechangedforgoodreasons · 07/12/2025 11:08

icantbelieveitsnotcake · 07/12/2025 11:02

I am not denying that women are subject to societal expectations and that body hair goes through fashions. But people are still allowed to groom themselves as they wish without having insults hurled at them and that applies to BOTH sides- both those who shave and those who choose not to.

Shaving your legs doesn’t make you look like a child—it makes you an adult making a personal grooming choice. You might not agree with that choice but that doesn't mean throwing out insults to other women implying they want to attract paedophiles is going to make them suddenly change their minds. On the contrary, its yet another lecture directed at women as to how they "ought" to look, according to someone who isnt in their body.

The idea that hair removal infantilizes women doesn’t hold up logically: if it were true, then men who shave their faces, chest, or other body hair would also look prepubescent—but clearly, they do not.

This huge double standard shows that your criticism isn’t about hair itself, but about controlling women’s bodies and policing their choices.

Many adults experience hair loss for reasons entirely beyond their control, such as alopecia or chemotherapy. These adults don’t suddenly appear childlike—their maturity and adulthood remain intact, regardless of hair. Suggesting that hair—or the absence of it—defines a person’s age or sexual maturity is not only biologically inaccurate but also really bloody offensive.

Would you tell someone who just had chemo that they resembled a child?

So yeah- you are spouting bollocks.

Edited

You are desperately trying to read offensiveness into what I have said, and create (non-existent) victims. I refuse to play along with it.

We will just have to disagree.

Winterwonderwhy · 07/12/2025 11:09

Best thing I did was having laser done ALL over.

snoopythebeagle · 07/12/2025 11:11

icantbelieveitsnotcake · 07/12/2025 11:02

I am not denying that women are subject to societal expectations and that body hair goes through fashions. But people are still allowed to groom themselves as they wish without having insults hurled at them and that applies to BOTH sides- both those who shave and those who choose not to.

Shaving your legs doesn’t make you look like a child—it makes you an adult making a personal grooming choice. You might not agree with that choice but that doesn't mean throwing out insults to other women implying they want to attract paedophiles is going to make them suddenly change their minds. On the contrary, its yet another lecture directed at women as to how they "ought" to look, according to someone who isnt in their body.

The idea that hair removal infantilizes women doesn’t hold up logically: if it were true, then men who shave their faces, chest, or other body hair would also look prepubescent—but clearly, they do not.

This huge double standard shows that your criticism isn’t about hair itself, but about controlling women’s bodies and policing their choices.

Many adults experience hair loss for reasons entirely beyond their control, such as alopecia or chemotherapy. These adults don’t suddenly appear childlike—their maturity and adulthood remain intact, regardless of hair. Suggesting that hair—or the absence of it—defines a person’s age or sexual maturity is not only biologically inaccurate but also really bloody offensive.

Would you tell someone who just had chemo that they resembled a child?

So yeah- you are spouting bollocks.

Edited

Perfectly said. The comparisons with "pre-pubescent girls" are disturbing, quite frankly - and say much more about the people judging than about the grown adult choosing to shave.

Missj25 · 07/12/2025 11:14

Namechangedforgoodreasons · 07/12/2025 10:58

How very sad that you think normal body hair on adult women, something that is natural to half of humanity, to virtually every woman who has ever lived, is somehow "not feminine".

I wonder if you have ever tried to analyse why you feel this way.

Edited

”Analyse why I feel like this “ 😂 😂
It really isn’t that deep PP , I feel feminine with shaved legs , armpits & vagina & that’s all that’s to it 😊.

Men much prefer it too being honest, & us women have to look the way our men want us to look 😆 !!!!
Just having the craic now so relax !!!
😂

icantbelieveitsnotcake · 07/12/2025 11:15

snoopythebeagle · 07/12/2025 11:11

Perfectly said. The comparisons with "pre-pubescent girls" are disturbing, quite frankly - and say much more about the people judging than about the grown adult choosing to shave.

I agree - it's very disturbing indeed if the only way you can tell children and adults apart is by their hair. Yikes. 🙄

OnceMoreIntoTheBreachDearFriends · 07/12/2025 11:16

Absolutely - I do a lot of Pilates in leggings and bare feet and don't really want the people bending down in close proximity to see furry ankles (they look like socks if I leave them!) 🤣

FellowSuffereroftheAbsurd · 07/12/2025 11:17

No, I last shaved my legs when I was a teenager, no intent to do it again unless there is a medical reason to do so. It's never bothered me or my DH and I wear midi-length skirts and dresses or longer all year round, never with tights, the only trousers I own are thermal leggings I wear on bitter days under my skirts/dresses.

The only person who had an issue with my leg hair was my mother who used to call me 'cactus legs' if she spotted the slightest hint of it. I told my kids that they can if they want, why some people do and don't, and left it with them until they asked.

My 16 year old DD doesn't shave, though went through a few years of shaving her head hair - still uses clippers to cut her hair, but uses extensions on it to cut it to about 2.5-3" so it doesn't really look shaved. As she work on a farm on weekends and half-terms, the short hair is safety and aesthetic. She is also always fully covered - even swimming she wears a full body suit - so I'm only aware of this because she told me.

My 18 year old DD sometimes shaves for sensory reasons - she doesn't like how her skin feels with the hair, though from reading this thread, I'm now considering whether other options like epilating might suit her better. She does it all year round, whenever it's bugging her.

cocobanana92 · 07/12/2025 11:18

Yes, but maybe only once a fortnight and not every few days like in summer.

RichardMarxisinnocent · 07/12/2025 11:21

Missj25 · 07/12/2025 10:52

There's no point coming on here & telling lies 🤷🏻‍♀️.
Truthfully , I think it doesn’t look nice on women to have hairy arm pits & legs , I just feel it’s not feminine ..
Can I not get attacked for saying that please !
I do think it’s different for men , we are different for God’s Sake !
People will turn this into a whole different thing now & I’ll be accused of being sexist .

I appreciate your honesty, thank you. I don't think I'd class it as sexism, but I do think that you've probably been conditioned, probably over many years, to think that body hair on women looks unfemimine. It is something which is quite ingrained into society, so possibly hard to make yourself think differently.

Adelle79360 · 07/12/2025 11:29

I do but not as often as I wear trousers and tights rather than having bare legs. I’m surprised to read comments about people saying as they’ve got older their body hair is fine and wispy - mine is getting thicker and darker!! I wax my underarms and face and have recently started waxing my boobs (yes, you read that right!!) because they’re just so hairy.

I have however failed entirely to keep up with my bikini line, which now feels like a mammoth task because I’ve left it for so long. My pubes now puff out of my knickers and it looks rather ridiculous 😂 fortunately my OH doesn’t care!!

YouHaveAnArse · 07/12/2025 11:39

Missj25 · 07/12/2025 11:14

”Analyse why I feel like this “ 😂 😂
It really isn’t that deep PP , I feel feminine with shaved legs , armpits & vagina & that’s all that’s to it 😊.

Men much prefer it too being honest, & us women have to look the way our men want us to look 😆 !!!!
Just having the craic now so relax !!!
😂

I'm guessing you're shaving your vulva, not your actual vagina - ouch!

Terrytheweasel · 07/12/2025 11:42

I shave everything regularly or it’s harder to do. If you do it every few days, it’s an easy job.

Terrytheweasel · 07/12/2025 11:43

YouHaveAnArse · 07/12/2025 11:39

I'm guessing you're shaving your vulva, not your actual vagina - ouch!

Shaving my vagina 🤣