[littleidiot]

I checked out that Bikini Kitty kit... but what I use (at least when I'm going almost-or-totally bare) is the Seiko Cleancut electric razor. It's great... impossible to cut yourself with this thing, but you can still get a close shave. It's kind of a pain to get used to, and your hair has to be really short--like a day or two of stubble only--in order for it to work- but if you're shaving your crotch regularly it's a lifesaver. The price has gone down a bit since I got mine last year too.

[maddy29]

funnybird-you are like my roommate-she's the perfect looking hippie chick, it looks natural and beautiful on her.

[funnybird]

hellotampon, I understand what you mean about being the right 'shape' for body hair. I decided last year, after watching lots of '70s films and looking at '70s pin-up girls at work (I work in a picture library) that I have a '70s body; tall and thin ('gawky' to some people, I personaly prefer 'willowy') but slightly soft on the belly and hips, with long legs and small breasts. When I decided to stop shaving my 'pits it seemed to fit perfectly with rest of my body; I feel sexy and womanly in a '70s 'natural woman' sort of way. (Plus it does feel rather subversive, which is cool.)

[hipchick]

I have tried - and love - Bikini Kitty kits - I think they even have one for men... it really works at preventing ingrown hair when you do want to shave - any... area. ;) and you can save it just for 'special occasions' if your not a daily shaver like me!

[maddy29]

When I was in middle school, I went to camp. At camp, while waiting in line outside for the showers, girls were talking about "omg, I'm so hairy, I have to shave!" I was just sitting there with no clue. Then, this girl points to my legs and says "omg you are so hairy! don't you shave?" I was like no, I never have. So then it was like oh yay! Let's get maddy's legs shaved.

I had literally never even noticed my leg hair before. But ever since it was pointed out to me, I see it. It's stupid and dumb to care about it, but I decided to choose my battles I feel that it is a very unfeminist act for me to get laser hair removal. It's just buying into the whole beauty culture etc. But, I still want it.

I used to be genuinely repulsed when I saw women with underarm hair. LIterally it would make feel feel yucky. Isn't that weird? My roommates both don't shave, so I've gotten used to it. But I've never really been around hairy women! Now it doesn't bug me at all, although I really like shaved pits for myself.

[hellotampon]

Well I live up North, Connecticut, to be specific, and I honestly don't know (or really care) what people around here think of hairy legs. My boyfriend says he doesn't care what I do- I haven't shaved my thighs since before I met him and it took him forever to notice they were furry, but they are a lot less noticable than my shin hair.

My reasons for not knowing whether to shave are all internal- one of my concerns is whether it will "match" with my clothes, because I generally dress in long skirts, shorts, sandals, headscarves, etc. but I also have a bunch of outfits that don't "go" with hairy legs. And I will continue to shave my armpits because my crystal deodorant sticks a lot better that way.

I also feel a little too ugly to be hairy. Like, I always picture girls with body hair to be really long-limbed and delicate and naturally pretty and braless, and while I've never dyed my hair and I'm not one for a lot of makeup or anything, I'm busty. So I wear a bra every day. I'm not fat or skinny, just totally average, and kinda short. So I feel like if I don't shave I might look more butch than hairy hippie goddess.

It's funny how much I'm going into this with myself.

[tyger]

i'm far too lazy to shave and/or wax on any kind of regular basis. there is a grand total of *one* person who notices and comments, and that is my friend who likes to try and creep my out by feeling up my calf (he's a strange one, that boy) i shave my armits every month or two (or three or four), but that's just to avoid the 'i have a troll with dandruff in a headlock' look when i wear tank tops

[anarch]

I started shaving my legs in grade 8 or 9 and stopped when I was around 19 (in Canada). I decided I'd rather put my time towards other things. My hair's dark, but I tweeze the really dark ones and the rest aren't all that noticeable - in my opinion, and my bfs said they never noticed or cared, and random guys on the street who check me out don't seem to notice either.

I too hear more women than men talk about how unattractive women's body hair is. Too bad.

(I just remembered what my first bf did when I confided in him that I had hairy legs but still felt insecure about it - he yanked the leg of his pants up and said "YOU don't have hair. THIS" pointing to his own calf, "THIS is hair!")

[quietmadness]

Bklynhermit: You're totally right about the "area code" definition of "proper ladyhood," and *other* popular generalizations!

I'm originally from the North--but MOST of my adult life has been spent here in the South. Seems there's a much wider acceptance of about ALL things human up North.

Seems to be a lil' easier to be fat down here, though...

As for shaving, I'm pretty fair--the only places I HAVE to shave to keep fairly smooth are like the widest part of the triangle at the top (I don't know why--but the other part of the hair is practically non-existent!) and the lower calves. I have arm hair you have to hold up in the sunlight to see--and just a lil' bit on the underarms.

I'd like to try that waxing thing--if they had a really fat lady working there, so I'd not be so conspicuous.

*self hatred rears it's ugly head*

[smurfin]

I rarely shave. I have *a lot* of dark hair, but I reckon: if I'm wearing trousers, who's going to see it anyway? Smurf says he doesn't really care, anyway.

But I've noticed that the one person who does tell/beg me to shave (esp. under my arms, which I do sometimes do) is my sister. She literally hates it and it can get quite nasty, with her telling me in detail how unattractive it is.

So I think it's probably more the women who keep this myth going than the men. Problem is, women make up half the population...

[venetia]

That's a very good point. When I first stopped shaving under my arms, my male friends made comments like "wow, venetia's looking sexy these days!" when they noticed. Heaven knows some of my exes have complained about my body, but no-one has ever complained about my body hair. But I'm sure I could find people who would.

[bklynhermit]

i very rarely shave. having hairy legs doesn't really bother me, and 9 or 10 months out of the year nobody's going to see them anyway.

the last time i had a regular shaving regimen was almost exactly four years ago (i stopped shaving sometime in july of '02). i've never looked back.

i discovered something pretty interesting about myself in the process, actually. my whole shaving life (from about 11 to 21), i felt deep shame about my body hair. i felt like a veritable gorilla who must shave at all times or my true hairy ape identity would be discovered.

then i stopped shaving, and i realized that nobody noticed.

guys i've been with since i stopped shaving really haven't cared. i've volunteered to shave if my body hair was a turnoff, and to a man they've all told me it was sexy and one of the things they liked about my body.

i've noticed that people down south, where i'm originally from, guys especially, REALLY REALLY do care, though. my mother has actually told me that not shaving makes me look like a man. she has told me this while i had long pretty girlie hair, was wearing makeup and heels and a dress, etc. my brothers are universally appalled, and have repeatedly begged me to shave.

so i would say that if you live somewhere where feminine standards of beauty are taken really seriously, your mileage may vary in regard to how other people take it. but all in all, i've experienced virtually no friction (heh!) in new york and other parts of the northeast in the 4 years i've been a hairy woman.

[venetia]

I don't, but it probably doesn't count - my hairs are almost invisible and it's actually smoother to just leave them be.

[hellotampon]

Does anyone NOT shave? My legs are pretty hairy so I've always shaved them, but recently I went camping and didn't shave for a week beforehand (because for some reason I figured I would feel grosser watching stubble come in than if I just went with hair already).

I got back yesterday morning and I still haven't bothered to shave them but I've been wearing pants. I'm trying to decide what I want to do.

[maddy29]

Ok, I am so excited! I know it's kinda lame to be so excited about hair removal, but I am. I've always hated shaving, it lasts for a day and then I'm prickly and I get major bad itches for the next few days- to the point where I've scratched myself raw.

So then I stopped shaving, but I hated that. I tried waxing, nair, hair minimizing lotion, etc. I've been wanting to do laser hair removal for a few years, and I'm going to do it! I found a great woman who I'd heard of through word of mouth, and she matched a price that I'd gotten from somewhere else. I'm so excited! It'll cost a lot, but when I think of all the time and money I've already wasted, it's ok with me. It's like a big reward for getting my finances in better shape.

wooo hoooo!!!!

[missladyj]

I have joined a swim team and this means that I have to be dilligent about the bikini area which is just a pain in the ass being a hirstute jewess and all. I would be more than happy to leave it alone and just let it hang out of my suit but then I put on a thong and think, wow that looks pretty good.

[sassygrrl]

Amen to that Ginger kitty!

[ginger_kitty]

I miss the winter when I wear long pants all the time and can really slack on shaving my legs. *sighs*

[littleidiot]

Wish I'd known about this stuff sooner--
***PFB Vanish***
It's a roll-on liquid stuff to get rid of and prevent ingrown hairs, razor burn and bumps and it works better than anything else I've ever used. Tried Bikini Zone (what a joke) and Tend Skin (didn't do much either) and always had nasty ingrown hairs and red bumps on my crotch when I shaved! This PFB stuff pretty much took care of it. Highly recommended.
I got mine on Ebay I think.

[numbnuts]

In response to the general subject matter of this thread, I shave my genitals and surrounding area about once a week, which means I never get more than stubble. As long as I don't have the wiry, oily, unsightly, uncomfortable bush down there, I'm happy. I trim my pit hairs and nose hairs when necessary, and I occasionally change how I wear my facial hair. I've never felt the need to try waxing, but I'm not expected by society to maintain constant smooth perfection, either.