What to wear this ‘shama’ season

Standard People
WITH HEATHER R As the temperatures go up so do the hemlines and the skin on display which is increasing as well. 

Understandably, because it is hot we are all trying to do what we can to keep cool. However, this season has been dubbed the “shama season” because summer dressing has gone beyond keeping cool to borderline nudity, especially where our teenage girls are concerned.

Skin can be bared tastefully.  I have a guy friend who said that some of the hemlines were too short so I asked him to clarify what “too short” meant to him.

He says the cut off point is where the skin is lighter than the rest of the body.  With my body that would work on the chest area but with my legs they are the same complexion from ankle to upper thigh.  So that poses a minor predicament. 

CARDINAL RULE OF BARING SKINPick one body part to work with.  Back in the days of wearing clothes that bared the midriff you had these three sections to choose from —  legs, midriff or cleavage.

So the rule was to choose one of the three to bare otherwise you would look as though you were headed to the beach. You might as well be wearing a bikini if you bear all three. Baring too much skin can be distasteful and definitely does not exude sophistication and class.

THE LEGSIf it is a short outfit, mid thigh should be the shortest you go but three-quarter thigh and below is a lot more chic, stylish and elegant.  Anything shorter and bending over becomes almost impossible while sitting down becomes tricky as you risk revealing your underwear, and we know it is called underwear for a reason.

The introduction of short shorts on the market has seen teenage girls wearing shorts that are as short as their underwear.  If we can see your butt cheeks, your shorts are definitely too short, especially if we can see them while you are standing. We shudder at the thought of you having to bend over.CLEAVAGEBeing a woman who was not been endowed with much of my own, I do not show off this area of my upper torso.  What I do work with are my shoulders and décolletage. Some women show off way too much cleavage.

They look as though if they were hit from behind their breasts would pop out of their tops. I have heard some men ask what is so special about breasts that women put them on display, they are merely breast-feeding apparatus.

Now, I know there are several men who would disagree with that notion. If you have your cleavage on display when speaking to a man be prepared to be competing with your “girls” for his attention.

When you go out on a date with a man with your “girls” hanging out, you are sending the “take me to bed” signal.  Men like the mystery, so leave a little to his imagination. Remember the bait you use to catch him is the bait you will need to use to retain him. Good luck with your “girls” because we all know that gravity will strike one day and they will not always be so perky.

THE BACKThe midriff is now outdated.  It is no longer considered “cool” to bare your midriff.  What have become more popular are backless dresses or tops.  If your back is going to be bare then cover up the rest of you, that is, your legs and cleavage. Please ensure that the back is not too low that we can see your plumber’s cleavage.