bananaking69 in Canada said:
"And the women don't shave their armpits, right? Yikes!"
nenriquezschanowski in Germany said:
Oh oh..the older ones they didn't..this is something again for the eyes to get used to... kasi livig in a cold- weather country, most women are not really pressured to make this part cosmeticized and maintained.
my take in the Philippines:
But this thing about underarm hair is just practical necessity. You are right, Nona, if you live in a cold weather country, it makes sense not to get rid of underarm hair. Did you know that it keeps one warm? Thus, it is accepted in cold-country culture.
I do not know if it is really wise of the younger generation there to shave or get rid of their underarm hair just because the prevalent western standards of "beauty" dictates so. Of course, with modern clothing, one can still keep warm sans the armpit fuzz.
I remember in high school, we were trained to be "proper" ladies by making us wear nylon stockings and high heels (at least 2 inches) twice a week in our senior year. I was miserable on these days. One, the nylons were hot. Two, the 2-inch heels were torture for walking.
Who ever said that we Filipinas wouldn't be considered proper ladies if we didn't wear hose? That is b_ll sh_t, I used to say. Wearing hose is an American way because it is cold there. I have no business wearing them here and perspiring throughout the day!
The high heels is another matter. Although my husband finds it sexy (for the life of me, I can't understand where he got that cultural conditoning, hehe), I also refuse to wear these torture instruments. Once in a while, yes, on special occasions – they can look real pretty. But I am content with my sandals and low-heeled step-ins and rubber shoes. During the rainy season and the cold months, I do wear pumps and boots. But I will curse you to damnation (hehe) if you make me wear boots in Manila during the summer months!
Our guests last Christmas, Justin and Erin Choo, told us about how the buildings and the transport system in Hongkong (where they live) are chilling cold. So much so that you have to be always in coat and tie going to work. Well, I think it is because of the colonials who used to lord it over there. They came from cold countries, could not stand the tropic heat, and so put in the air-conditioning. Then they pushed down low the thermostat to approximate their clime. It didn’t cross their minds to simply adopt the locals’ clothing!
Thus, do I rest my case. =)
 | that's right. air conditioning here in HK is terrible; our office is much warmer than the bus. labo no. hahaha. but thats okay! at least we get to wear boots for about 4 months. :) |
 | Diba Nona, in germany, most of the ladies don't wear stockings during summer. They even shave their armpits!!! siempre naman, they are walking around almost half-naked with their spaghetti-strapped, oh-so-clinging-to-the-body, looks-like-an-under-dress dress, with a plummeting,just plunge-plunge cleavage tapos may buhok sa armpits!? Ngek naman yun.
Tumpak ka Gwiz, stockings and buhoks in the armpits are definitely necessary for survival. But not in the Philippines. . . . |
 | Hayyyyyyyy... we were in the mall yesterday, I asked my boyfriend to observe the people out there, is it winter, summer, spring or fall, you can't tell by the way they dress......all dressed to impress =) kanya kanya ng style =) not appropriate for the weather. |
| "Justin and Erin Choo, told us about how the buildings and the transport system in Hongkong (where they live) are chilling cold. So much so that you have to be always in coat and tie going to work." I remember when I was working at PLDT, nakakainis ang lamig, superrrrrrrrrrrr...kasosyo ata nila Meralco eh, lol, kaya lagi kaming naka stockings and 3 layers of clothing, ang problema pag labas mo, whewwww ang inetttt, hanep! |
 | what an interesting topic for a blog...:-) |
| just an observation: armpit hair sure does make you sweat...but keep your whole body warm? i don't know for sure. I think it does nothing for you in the winter. Although it's true that it doesn't really matter whether you do shave it off in winter, because no one wears sleeveless tops and therefore, no one cares, right? |
| in other countries, women wear coats (for the cold) and comfortable shoes on their way to work. Then, they take off their coats and change into heels once in the office.
in the Philippines, women wear coats once in the office (malamig ang aircon!!!) and high heels on their way to work and then change into tsinelas in the office (what the...!) |
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 |  because no one wears sleeveless tops and therefore, no one cares, right?  that's the point, in winter it's not necessary at all cause it's not seen..it could warm that part, but the whole body I believe not..
honestly, I asked Arno's opinion about this, as we were still a new pair..for him he doesn't even notice it at all..so it's an "eyeball thing" hahaha...
in summer, for my taste, since I grew up in the Phils. it should be at least shaved, hindi healthy ang plucking, and who would still dare spent hours for so an action..hehehe..
Remember HIlda Koronel growing it extra..she was even interviewed about it...I still remember that.. |
 | I notice puro babae ang nagbibigay ng opinion dito. Bilang isang tunay na lalake, meron din akong masasabi tungkol sa buhok sa kilikili. Palagay ko depende rin sa social and cultural orientation. Like for example, malamig dito sa Canada pero nag-aahit ng kilikili ang mga babae. Meron ding kinalaman tungkol sa aesthetics - masagwa raw tingnan ang may buhok sa kilikili, at may impression na masamang amoy. Kung ahit at makinis, mukhang malinis at maganda. Personally, turned off ako sa babaeng may buhok sa kilikili. |
| mariejohd wrote on Jan 29, '07, edited on Jan 29, '07 Like for example, malamig dito sa Canada pero nag-aahit ng kilikili ang mga babae Pa'no kayang nalaman ni Bananaking yun? Di ba pag winter, patung-patung ang balot sa katawan? ;-) But it is true,even in Germany, most of the women are shaving their armpits even during winter. Somehow I know, kasi winter time is Sauna time there (My husband swears by it) and everybody's walking naked to and fro inside the saunarium,male and female, young and old alike (I wrapped myself with a large sauna towel,though. Dyahi pa'ko). And unshaven female armpits are easier to spot. |
| Tama ang lahat ng sinabi mo bnnking!
Mula sa isang matipuno, makisig at tunay na lalaki, marami kang nalalaman sa buhok sa kilikili! |
| sisterette, German ka na talaga. :-)
you have to see our offices here, mapa-Makati, lalo na yung mga government. it is exactly as I described it. nakakatawa, nakakatuwa! may mga nagro-rollers pa. |
 | I hate high heels. High heels = torture. Perfect title, gwiz.
Ok, they are sexy kaya I have 2 pairs ONLY. Haha. |
| I like pantyhose/stockings with groovy designs and colors. Kaso with the tropical climate, it's a crazy idea to wear them. Buti na lang sa Tagaytay malamig-lamig kaya pwede na rin. Now, if people would only stop staring...
Kaya pag nasa ibang bansa, sige ang japorms! Wear what I want! Happiness! =) |
Comment deleted at the request of the author.
| sabi ni Glenn (hindi kasi siya maka-log in, busy), it's called "suffer for fashion." Fave by-line niya yan. |
| LOL, hmmm, I rest my case, baka ma-censor na tayo, LOL |
 | Talagang "mabuhok" ang topic na ito. Maraming opiniones. Naglulupasay na ako sa katatawa dito. |
| cyfunk wrote on Jan 29, '07, edited on Jan 29, '07 ukay-ukay, in the Philippines, are shops that sell used, vintage clothes and other accessories. it will all depend on your creativity, which is the fun part. what may be trash to one is treasure to another.
Faith, nagpunta kami sa Haight and Ashbury, which is the sanfo Hippie district, ang daming mala-ukay-ukay!!!! punta ka dito, tapos let's swing by vancouver to see Bnnking and oselle!!! |
| and this cyberworld is open to ALLLLLL
ayos ito.:-) |
| Due to globalisation and the internet we now know how other people in different parts of the world live. The first thing we do is copy what the others do, not always knowing that what is good in another culture may not be good in our environment. Shaving armpits in warm countries may be a necessity, but not in Alaska. I also wouldn't give a damn, if my girl friend had hairy armpits when living with her in an igloo with minus 60 degrees temperature. Another cool thing adapted by young girls in Germany is wearing blouses showing off their navels and backs. This may be okay in summer, but not in winter. We Filipinos learned, "An apple a day, keeps the doctor away." This may also be true, but we have so many local fruits, that are much healthier than imported ones.
BTW, just for the records. one of my cousins has a house in the Highlands in Tagaytay. Her house is air-conditioned to keep it cold and she has a fire-place to keep it warm. |
| may iba pang trend dito sa Germany..ibang part na ito ng body..cool lang siguro sila than go for aesthetics reasons..I see some young men around now, who are into SHAVING EYEBROWS to form it...I remember once upon a time na si Michael Jackson and some popular singers did this or of course gays...apart from women... |
| I first saw shaved shaped eyebrows worn by the Japanese boys more than half a decade ago. I was like...nauna pa sila sa mga babaeng Pinay mag-ahit ng kilay! |
| Maraming ukay-ukay dito, gaya ng Salvation Army Thrift Store at iba pa. Meron ding mga "Flea Markets" at saka Swap Meets kung weekends where people with stuff to sell display their goods. You can find everything from clothing to appliances, furniture, tools, electronic devices, computers, cds and dvds, farm produce, and even used cars. This is where the art of haggling takes place, merong tawad. Back in 1974 when I needed a vacuum cleaner for my apartment, I was able to buy one at a flea market for $1. My old Nikon F that I bought at a flea market in 1976 was only $75. Swertehan lang. Another ukay-ukay are private garage sales where homeowners get rid of their junk (which could be another person's treasure). These items can be bought for literally barya lang. The only thing about garage sales is that you have to scan the weekend papers for garage sales ads and be able to drive all over the city. Kasama na rin ang pasyalan. |
 | gwiz wrote on Jan 30, '07 at may impression na masamang amoy. I think this has some bearing on shaving the armpits.=) |
| Super samantala naman ang mga vintage shops sa Haight-Ashbury. Once we were there, we went instead to Goodwill (Salvation type)and we found better and probably authentic finds. We also bought a bunch of coats and sweaters. When we arrived home: I asked lintsak ano ba ang gagawin natin sa mga to? The usual comment after an impulse buy. Ayon,napunta sa dapat puntahan ng Goodwill. |
| So much ado for a tuff of hairs. : ) |
| gwiz wrote on Jan 30, '07 in Tagaytay. Her house is air-conditioned to keep it cold and she has a fire-place to keep it warm. Haaay, naku, liliko na naman tayo ng subject matter. But this is, again, one of my pet peeves, along with dressing for fashion rather than dressing for comfort and style.
I believe in organic architecture. Thus, my house in Tagaytay does not have power provisions for air-conditioning, except in the office and the basement where the computers and other instruments are - these may need humidity and temperature control at times.
I didn't even put a fireplace (Hugzone wished to have one, hehe) because I said that cold as it is in Tagaytay, a fireplace is not merited.
I always said it is bad architecture if one has to turn on lights in the house during the day. At least here in the Philippines where sunlight is abundant. =) |
| Gwiz makes sense. I don't think it's hot enough in Tagaytay to have air-conditioning and cold enough to have a fireplace. A properly designed house with good ventilation does not really need air-conditioning, specially in Tagaytay which sits on a ridge and gets lots of updrafts and wind coming from the lake. And with good insulation, there's really no need for a fireplace. Did you know that wood-burning fireplaces are very poor sources of heat? They look good in the living room though. |
| good tropical architecture must provide for natural ventilation and lighting. the structure has to "breathe" so it's good to study the wind movement, and solar orientation. tama ka, gwiz, since sunlight is something we have plenty of, funny talaga to turn on lights during the day. gastos pa. I also believe in organic arch, gwiz. Blend with nature...
Pero in the recent years, when we would go up to Tagaytay in the summer, grabe na rin ang init. Pero, electric fan okay na, feel ko over na ang aircon. And it's true, kalaban mo ang humidity, so we need dehumidifiers for our appliances, even documents. |
| cyfunk wrote on Jan 30, '07, edited on Jan 30, '07 They look good in the living room though. it's our first time to have a fireplace...dramatic nga! pero we depend more on the centralized heating system.
in the Philippines, we don't use insulation on the walls. Most houses are made of reinforced concrete. Even those in the provinces whose second floor levels amy be made of wood do not have insulation tucked in double walling. Our insulation is mostly placed under the roof and above the ceilings. It's more for the solar heat that we want to protect the interiors from. |
| Yup I wanted it for aesthetics. |
| gwiz wrote on Jan 31, '07 Yup I wanted it for aesthetics. Yes, sweetheart, I know. Kaya lang, sorry, ha, no go. =) |
| gwiz wrote on Jan 31, '07 Like, we are now in Boracay and the weather has been great. Instead of using the aircon, Hugz and I have thrown open the cottage's windows and simply turned on the fan when it got a little hot. Wonderful breeze coming in from the sea! =) |
| wala namang lamok? o langaw kaya? |
| Dapat ang title nito: All that fuss about fuzz. LOL! =) |
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