Fashion with Aunt Flow

[Lady Day]

Hey ladies, I was just curious...

Being that Aunt Flow has visited me this week, I have had no desire to go through the daunting procedure of gussin' up.

That made me wonder about the ladies of the times we admire. You think they had a hard time pullin on all those undergarments, and items with all the bloating and swollen feet and skin brakeouts?

Did they have "comfy clothes' they would use for work and such, or was it just suffer for the fashion?

Anyone know? Do you ladies still go through the complete motions when Auntie comes for a house call?



Thanks,

LD

 

[VivianRegan]

I just finished the new Elizabeth Taylor biography (quick review: "Eh, the book was unnecessary.")

Apparently in Taylor's first contract, it said she didn't have to work the first two days of her cycle. Her mom had gotten the idea from Irene Dunne's contract.

So I imagine La Taylor curled up in her plush and massive bed in her fancy boudoir, hot water bottles and all, taking a break from filming at least two days every month, and not gettin' gussied up in the least.

But I'm sure most ladies just struggled through it... the marketing, riveting, etc. had to be done!

 

[Lauren]

I dont' know, but if it was me back then you wouldn't get me out of the house for anything. I'd be all about housedresses or pajamas.

 

[LizzieMaine]

For me it's pajamas and raggedy old corduroy bathrobe, sprawled out on the couch eating bite-size Milky Way bars while watching B-pictures on TCM. Even the cat knows to steer clear of me on days like that.

Bad PMS runs in my family, unfortunately. The story is still told about the time my grandmother bounced a pound of raw hamburger off my grandfather's head when he rubbed her the wrong way on a particularly cranky afternoon. (She always wore housecoats on days like that, and tied her hair up in a kerchief.)

 

[Paisley]

I just don't wear my skinny clothes for a couple of days. I imagine most women throughout history have had to get up, tie the corset a little looser, get dressed and get on with it. They probably had some herbal remedies to help them feel better.

 

[Naama]

I don't know, it's always different, sometimes, I feel all fat and ugly, and just don't feel like getting dolled up, and then again, I just don't really care about it...... When I was younger I wouldn't leave the house if not necesseri, but these days, it's not that bad anymore. I think you can get used to "being a women" (as harsh as it might sound...)

Naama

 

[Nashoba]

I have the luxury of working from home so when those day's come around I litterally stay in Jammies all day. I usually don't get a whole lot of work done either. We have all sorts of fun issues revolving around womanhood in my family so as a result I'm usually miserable. Some days it's best to just not get out of bed. But I agree, they probably had to just grin and bear it. Lord knows some days I barely can!
Nash

 

[DancingSweetie]

I have never let it affect my life - physically anyways. I started when I was 11 and I was very into ballet up into my late teens so I had to wear a leotard and tights every day to class and rehearsals, no staying home because of "it". I have been lucky to never have bad cramps too.
Now that I am getting older I notice more of the emotional changes that I never had before.

 

[Rosie]

Not sure, it depends. Usually, it isn't so bad, I just go about as normal. I may not wear certain clothes (the first day or two I retain water) but for the most I dress as I always do.

 

[fortworthgal]

I guess I'm one of the abnormal ones because, while I generally have a headache for about 1/2 of the first day, I really don't have that many issues otherwise. I occasionally get some bloating, but I just wear something that I know won't be tight and constricting. If I'm having a particularly "bad" day I'll make sure I don't wear white pants, but otherwise I dress and go about my day as normal.

 

[Miss Dottie]

I think housedresses that aren't that binding would be a good fit.

And thank goodness for the water bottle. Heat helps with cramps. Much better than midol or advil.

 

[Rebecca D]

I wear sensible shoes, but only for running down people on the sidewalk on my way to work. I sometimes get cranky with my PMS (shocking, I know), and always seem to take it out on people who don’t respect the space of others on the sidewalk. Walk slow and take up too much space, or walk on the wrong side of the sidewalk, and you might get run over by me if I’m PMSing. A day or two later I always come to terms with the fact that there is no secret world plot to take up all the space on the sidewalk.

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

Well, this is a subject I have thought about a lot. So I decided to ask my Granny Rae, who is a great source for knowldege of beauty in the 40's. She said that she and her friends just dealt with it usually, but it wasn't unheard of to pull a dress out of the closet that was a little bigger. And rather than walk around the house fully dressed after a day of work, she would go right upstairs and put on a dressing gown. Ugh, this is the one reason that I'm actually happy to live in modern times. Lucky for me Aunt Flow only visits a few times a year. But, my goodness when she does visit, I sure am miserable!

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

I forgot to add, for you ladies suffering through cramps, Thermacare heat wraps are the best. I have back problems, and heat is very comforting. The few times a year I get cramps, I wear these wraps. They are amazing, and they are very thin, so they will fit quite comfortably under just about any clothes. They also last over 8 hours. I highly recommend them. I think they make all different sizes and styles. I buy the ones for the back, but I do know that they make ones specifically for a woman for when she has cramps.

 

[Lady Day]

I wear sensible shoes, but only for running down people on the sidewalk on my way to work. I sometimes get cranky with my PMS (shocking, I know), and always seem to take it out on people who don’t respect the space of others on the sidewalk. Walk slow and take up too much space, or walk on the wrong side of the sidewalk, and you might get run over by me if I’m PMSing. A day or two later I always come to terms with the fact that there is no secret world plot to take up all the space on the sidewalk.

I dont know, I think there IS a secret sidewalk plot, and they have your name and mine on a list

LD

 

[Elaina]

I don't have to generally deal with it. My menses are so messed up that when I do get one, I'm more annoyed then anything else. I don't hurt, no cramps, and other then the mild headaches, I go on like normal.

I had an Aunt I asked when I was younger and she said that many made that extra effort to look nicer then usual because it was a good pick me up for feeling bad. Special dress, perfume, nail color etc. And I have to admit when I'm ill it does makes a difference in my outlook and feelings.

Elaina

 

[CherryRed]

I don't have too many complaints when Auntie arrives, it's the week and a half before her arrival that I suffer. Mood swings, fatigue, no mental of physical energy for anything. I am a stay at home mom for now so the only one I have to warn to watch out is my husband.
But I dress in old t-shirts, shorts, no makeup and hair in a pony tail. I am pretty much not fit to be seen by anyone.

 

[ITG]

With the equipment they had back then, I'd probably just want to stay home and sit in the tub or lay in bed all day. With today's equipment, the stuff that comes before like Cherry Red mentioned is the worse part (lower back pain, grumpiness, mood swings, and fatigue). Just last night I was a ball of tears (when I shouldn't have been) over being stressed out and not having time to get wedding stuff done because of work and poor Manuel had to listen to it all. I could do without that. The good thing is that since I started the pill recently, aunt flow doesn't stay as long.

I've hear that when you have Aunt Flow visit, usually the women around you who you spend the most time with also get the same visit by Aunt Flow at about the same time but she usually visits the more dominant of the females first. Anyone heard this? At the school I worked at a few years ago, this ringed true for 4 of us who taught in the same hallway.

 

[Foofoogal]

Yes, I have definitely heard that and found it to be very true.
I still cannot believe it is almost 2006 and still tons of research into menopause and perimenopause is still iffy. (horse urine, please! )
I bet if you lined up 10 women maybe 2 would know what to expect.
A bit off topic is the autoimmune link that is probably connected.
Stuff especially like thyroid and diabetes is connected and few know about that. fftopic:
As baby boomers age and start demanding answers it is really hopefully going to make inroads for the ones behind them.

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

With the equipment they had back then, I'd probably just want to stay home and sit in the tub or lay in bed all day. With today's equipment, the stuff that comes before like Cherry Red mentioned is the worse part (lower back pain, grumpiness, mood swings, and fatigue). Just last night I was a ball of tears (when I shouldn't have been) over being stressed out and not having time to get wedding stuff done because of work and poor Manuel had to listen to it all. I could do without that. The good thing is that since I started the pill recently, aunt flow doesn't stay as long.

I've hear that when you have Aunt Flow visit, usually the women around you who you spend the most time with also get the same visit by Aunt Flow at about the same time but she usually visits the more dominant of the females first. Anyone heard this? At the school I worked at a few years ago, this ringed true for 4 of us who taught in the same hallway.

So true. I worked in a small clothing store with four other woman, and our cycles all regulated to one another. The district manager of the store, a man, knew the week not to come in for a surprise visit!