Is it me? Am I old-fashioned? Have I failed to keep up with the way the 'modern' woman thinks and acts? Or have things gone too far?
Today there is as usual a 'leader' column in Times 2 and today, reading it, has brought into question something I really do disagree with.
The writer (sorry but I haven't brought the paper into the computer room with me and can't remember her name) is horrified at how Queen Camilla dressed for the carriage ride down the course at Royal Ascot. She is very unflattering in her remarks. She also criticised her hair style saying that she had had the same style for many years and it was time for a change (in passing I would say our late Queen had the same hairstyle all her life as Queen as far as I remember). Apparently Camilla once said (when asked about her hair) that she kept it like that because that was how Charles likes it. Good for her!
If it was old-fashioned me and my husband liked my hair style then I would keep it. Not because I thought I had better do as he said, or not because I have not got a mind of my own, but simply because I like to look how he likes me to look - I was married to him for goodness sake.
And as for what Camilla wore - (she is not a fashion model )at her age I am sure that she knows what she likes, she knows what is comfortable - and she also knows how uncomfortable it can be riding down the course on a hot afternoon in full sun.
And I am sure the last thing she wants at her age is to have some much younger woman criticising how she looks - because at her age it is all tiring and that has to be taken into consideration.
The writer even criticised how Camilla fiddled with her 'fringe' when she was being crowned in Westminster Abbey. All I can say is get a grip on real life and find something to write about that is not so hurtful. When one is in the sort of position the Royals are in, whether you are 'for' or 'against' is beside the point - you do your best in those sort of situations (do you sit still and let somebody plonk a crown on your head or do you fiddle with your hair a bit making sure the crown stays where it should be rather than topple off on the walk down through the congregation which followed.)
And while I am at it - if the Princess of Wales's hair is too long and needs a few inches cutting off the bottom as you suggest in the same article, then that is also her choice.
Please Times 2 writers - do try to write your readable articles without too much criticising things which are so unimportant.
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32 comments:
I agree with you that this sort of article is distasteful, but I don't think people have changed. As a child in the late 60s I used to visit an elderly aunt who, every week, would tell me that my older sister should cut her hair short as she was now engaged! What has changed is the means of expressing this type of opinion online and, as everything in the lives of anyone remotely famous becomes public property, this 'freedom of expression' has moved into print, even to The Times.
With you completely on this. For almost all my adult life I've had a very similar hairstyle. It suits me, I can manage it myself, and my husband likes it [as do I]
And if you 'follow fashion' in your clothing, it can look dated very quickly - classic styles last. I remember being very impressed that Princess Anne had an evening outfit remade to wear again when it was about 10 years old, and then passed it on to the Duchess of York [it was a very distinctive, and expensive, print in pink silk] The Queen needed to adjust her fringe before she set off down the aisle, or it would have looked untidy in the millions of pictures which flew round the world in the minutes after the ceremony.
I am grateful that I'm an ordinary person and not subject to the criticisms of journalists seeking to fill column inches with negative comments.
That woman writer is just a bully with words instead of fists and that is the problem with some of the younger generation. She sounds like a nit picker, can’t think of anything interesting to say. My husband always told me I looked good no mater what. He said I was always clean and neat. The day I met him I was wearing jeans and a tee shirt. He many years later said my bum looked good in jeans! GG
Pat, it sounds like this was an article made up “on the hoof”
I was told as a child not to comment on anyone in public unless you’re prepared to say it to their face!
Above comment was from me.
I agreed with everything you said. As an aging woman myself, my hem line has become longer and my tops looser. I dress mostly for comfort these days and I'm enjoying my new comfy wardrobe.(No more mini skirts, tight jeans and underwire bras for me!) Good for Camilla that she maintains control over her wardrobe and hair.
Journalism for you. Again I tell you they aren't going to write if it is boring. Again and again this woman features writer succeeds with you.
The article is not distasteful,the women is doing what she's presumably paid to do, and provoke comment from other women, let's face it, it made you jump in your chair. If all her comments agreed with your line of thinking, you'd probably find it boring to read.
Derek and Rachel - she certainly does succeed with me - she gives me something to write about on my day's post.
As Gilda Radner once said "I base my fashion sense on what doesn't itch!"
Amen to that. :)
Hugs!
It's along the lines of my blog post the other day when I was writing about the news not really being the 'news' anymore. We get a little of what is happening in the world and then lots of articles about 'celebrities' and the tv soaps. It's all time filling on television and column filling in newspapers and a good percentage of drivel.
The article is one writer's opinion. I would not put much stock in to what a sole writer has to say. We can be assured the Royals were professionally styled and outfits were custom, designer made. I particularly liked the green dress that Kate wore.
I agree with you completely!
Camilla and Kate are wonderful assets to the Royal Family.
I agree. If that is all she can say about the two senior (in rank) female members of the Royal Family, it says more about her ability as a contributor to a respected newspaper than she realises.
Good for you! The dross that passes for journalism is pathetic. Really wondering if the one you mention has a brain.
Royal or not, everyone likes to feel comfortable with how they look and how they are dressed. At least Camilla dresses for her age and doesn't try to look younger. Kate has lovely hair and is young enough to wear it long. Plenty of time before she needs to think about putting it up or maybe restyling, but at the moment, to me, it is fine.
Sounds like the writer didn't have anything better to write about!
A benefit of no TV is being unaware of much if the drivel called news today. Ot sounds like newspapers are not much better Why? Why would the paper even waste the ink on such a "story"? I remember when Hillary was running for president, the press would go into detail over her hair, makeup, clothes, etc. I found it infuriating. Men some get such close scrutiny.
I’ve always liked camilla
She looks like she’d be a laugh after a Campari
There are a lot of obnoxious people in the world and someone has let them loose with a computer to aggravate the rest of us.
My mother always said that if you can't say something nice about a person, don't say anything at all. The columnist's problem is that she felt she had to write something and didn't have enough imagination to comment on something of importance rather than the minutiae of the event.
I agree with you, Pat. Altho, the writer is just trying to rile up readers.
I don't think anyone needs to comment on another's style or hair. The old saying, "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all!" has always been helpful!
Women do like to criticise other women, I've noticed a lot of it in The Sunday Times. Some of it quite hurtful for no apparent reason.
Not something I would read; last but not least because I am not all that interested in what any person in the limelight wears or how they style their hair.
Of course I notice what politicians - men and women - wear and how they look when they appear on our main news, but that's because it is news on TV; if I read about their speeches etc. only in the paper with no photos, that would be just as well.
I suppose the article is what you would call gossip, neither here nor there. They always gossiped round the courts of kings and queens and it was not important. As someone like Queen Camilla who can 'fluff' up her hair, how one wears it belongs to the owner of said hair;) even if it is untidy!
I suppose journalists cannot be too subservient or even sit on the fence. It is not their job. If Jeremy Clarkson had been a considerate and thoughtful person he would have been sacked more than the once he was. It just doesn't make money.
John In my 'social' days Campari was always my favoured drink !don't know whether I was 'a laugh' after a couple (and never had more than two).
Barbara - I would go along with that.
Thanks everyone.
Can you honestly say that you've never nit-picked about someone that's passed you in the street, or you've seen at a party etc..
Derek - I am not a nit picker on the whole and certainly can't recall an instance but if I did I would certainly not put it into print to be read by thousands.
The woman was doing her job and she clearly does it well as you read it.
I was replying to Debbie, Pat.
My answer would be the same as Pat's actually.
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