Power and Poise

Yesterday I was wearing my WWII-vintage sailor pants. They lace up the back (and I do mean up the back... half way up my back) and have a sixteen-button barn door on the front. They couldn't be more high-waisted without being a jumpsuit. They are dark navy blue wool and in nearly perfect condition, considering they used to sail the high seas some sixty-odd years ago. I wore them with a plain black top. Lately I really like being covered from head to toe; partly because it's 40 degrees outside and partly because I don't want leathery skin. But also, lately I've realized that covering your body forces people to see something else about you.

I really love women who can wear atypical and modest clothing, simple makeup, simple hair, and who all the while ooze intelligence and confidence.

I get tired of hearing women equate their power with their sexuality, as if it is only in their sexuality that they have power. These are the women who exploit themselves and their sexuality to feel some sense of power. (Think Madonna.) How much more interesting is it to be in the presence of a woman who commands respect and speaks knowledgeably, and who doesn't have to vamp herself to be heard. (Think Katharine Hepburn.)