Well, I'm not quite at this age, but sometimes it certainly feels like it...
The truth is, she's probably a visiting professor, and not a student ~ I experienced that last year in the Catholicism in America class.
And, I only have one more class to attend! The paper is due on the 7th. No, I haven't quite started it yet....you know, right? The looming deadline seems to bring out my creativity, although it does stress me out. Actually I took today off since my boss is on vacation and I plan to write my outline today.
But the post headline has to do with the age difference between myself and the rest of the students ~ which to be fair, there are a good number of students in their 30's ~ not all are 20 somethings. We were discussing the uniforms that were given the first women park rangers.
The point is, it was NOT pants.
So, being who I am, which means I sometimes say shit I wish I had not, I spoke up and said that during that time period (1945? 1950?) women wore dresses. And then I continued with "I hate to shock you, but when I was in elementary school, girls weren't allowed to wear pants, we had to wear dresses or skirts". There was a short shocked silence, and then one of the young women in the class leaned over and asked "weren't you cold?".
Love, 365
Oh my goodness that made me laugh out loud!! I am older than you and I was not allowed to wear pants to school in high school until my junior year. Before that when we stood at the bus stop in hip high snow we wore pants under our dresses or skirts because it was cold. Took them off and put them in the locker until you went home. When I told my nieces I couldn't wear pants and then we got pants but not jeans they about died. What did you wear every day?They just couldn't wrap their head around what they thought was dressing up.
ReplyDeleteAh, that's smart! I answered the young woman with "I grew up in south Texas, we don't have winter". Which is sort of true, January could be cold, haha. I suppose if I grew up where snow is the norm, along with blowing winds, we would have worn pants under our dresses and skirts. But really, a history class that is so out of touch with the past seems ironic to me. Maybe I should direct them to the popular TV shows of the 50s. That ought to make them roll over and die! Remember I Love Lucy ~ where they weren't allowed to be shown in the same bed together? Yeah....
DeleteI grew up in the 1960's. We wore dresses to the movie theater and to fly on an airplane cross-country. My mom wore lipstick and white gloves quite often. I was allowed to wear pants to school, though.
ReplyDeleteAs a girl person though, I had to wear a dress for church. I didn’t wear dresses any other time, but my dressing up for church was a requirement in my family.
I asked once why I couldn’t wear something comfortable like my brothers instead of having to wear a dress and nylons and be cold.
“Why does God even care what I wear?” I asked.
The answer was, “You are disrespectful. Now hurry up, we’re going to be late.” from my harried mother.
Her curt response may have been due to the fact that she was still trying to brush one brother’s unruly hair and get shoes on my other brother while my dad sat out front in the car and honked the horn.
I used to wonder the same ~ why couldn't we be comfortable? Well, sadly the answer is culture. Happily, studying culture is really fascinating. Sometime when you have a half hour or so, check out the evolution of the bra. Wow.
DeleteMakes you wonder what students 50 years from now will find equally weird about our time.
ReplyDeleteIt does! I recall the fashions and hairstyles that look so silly now ~ although my parents were shocked with mini skirts and halter tops, they seem pretty tame these days, lol.
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