Ahhh...snuggly sexism

Well, maybe it's not really sexism. I'll let you decide.

I am currently wearing thermal underwear. From neck to ankles, I am all thermal, baby!

From the waist down I'm wearing "Long Janes" under my jeans and my 'O Basics' over-the-knee socks from Sock Dreams. (Which, btw? LOOOVE Sock Dreams socks, have over a dozen pairs, haven't been to the site for a while and OMG the selection is even bigger and I am totally drooling because I LOOOOVE Sock Dreams. Anyway.)

So, the "Long Janes"; obviously, long johns for women. And they're okay. I haven't noticed that my legs are all that much warmer wearing them than they were when I had my Sock Dreams Ribbed Ms, but the Ms do tend to slip and bunch up at the back of my knee, which is awful. (I hate having the back of my knee tickled or touched, so having a bulky wad of fabric there is hellish.) It's not the socks' fault, really; beneath black skinny jeans they don't have much chance.

But the Long Janes are okay. Basically the same warmth but without the bulk. Instead they're very thin--they do have that irritatingly long waist that long john-type pants tend to have, though. I hate those. I'm a bit short-waisted anyway, and there is nothing in the world worse than having the crotch of your tights or leggings hovering around mid-thigh. Seriously, why is the waist-to-crotch section as long as the crotch-to-calf section? I've never understood it.

But they are very thin, yes. And covered with this sort of odd wavy design in the fabric itself; like little tiny airholes. It's okay but I wish the pattern wasn't there. But I will say these are a huge improvement over the thermal underwear my mom used to make me wear when I was little. Because not only did those also have the horrible long crotch, they also had thick bands at the ankles so tight they practically cut off circulation. I remember fighting to get them over my feet, which--despite what my mom and dad said--were not gunboats at all, but very average-sized feet. (They still are, pretty much. I'm a 7 1/2, which while not tiny like my mom's size 5, is not exactly gargantuan. I know; I'm digressing all over the place today aren't I? Sorry.) Does anyone else remember that? The pants had those awful, thich, tight, non-stretchy ankle ciffs, and the shirts had the same around the wrist. I remember having to get my parents to help me take the pants off.

BUT. Here's where the sexism comes in. I also ordered two thermal tops. One a woman's style; the women's tops only come in black and white; they also have a tank top version in black or white. It's the same thin fabric as the pants, with the same wavy pattern, and a scoop neck.

The other is a man's small.

I got this one in charcoal gray (my favorite color). See, the men's thermal shirts, and long johns, come in several colors, not just black or white.

It's thicker, noticeably so.

No swirly pattern. Instead it's a lovely, subtle ribbing.

Crew neck.

So you tell me...why do women have to make do with a thinner version, with an odd pattern, that doesn't protect our upper chest? Why do we only get to choose black or white?

Why do men get the thicker, softer, smoother one? In a number of colors; black, white, gray, blue...I think they also had yellow and red.

Do they think women wouldn't want a crew neck? Do they think women automatically want the drippt wave pattern? Why is our shirt not as warm (but just as expensive)? Even the Long Janes are a poud more than the Long Johns, which is silly because the Long Johns take up more fabric and need to have that little flap/fabric maze built into the front? (I know I'm not the only woman in the world fascinated by that intricate little trapdoor thing. And totally jealous. You guys don't even have to lower your undies if you don't want--although every man I've ever met does, and doesn't use the little doggie door.)

What do you think guys. Is it sexism, or what? I certainly think it's an injustice, and I wish fervently now that I hadn't bothered with the woman's shirt at all but instead bought several men's shirts, because I wear shirts under shirts ALL the time; I'm a huge long-sleeve-t-shirt-under-short-sleeve-t-shirt girl. (Ask Caitlin; she spent a week with me, she'll tell you.)

Yes, of course my tongue is firmly in my cheek, as it is 99% of the time when I actually say or write the word "sexism". But it does piss me off that the woman's shirt isn't as warm, and that it leaves my poor chest exposed to the elements--especially since every woman knows, that section of skin is delicate and needs to be protected and moiturized and exfoliated lovingly, lest we look like chickens in later life.

And do you guys own thermal underwear? Does anyone else have childhood memories of spending half an hour trying to get the ankle cuffs over your heels? And of the rather uncomfortable, rough knobbled fabric of thermals then?

Comments

Anonymous said…
It's hard to say, Stace.

Let me ponder your questions while I the Jane.
Anonymous said…
While you what?

Is this some cool Team Seattle slang nobody's clued me in on yet?
Anonymous said…
While I hit the Jane.
Anonymous said…
I'm betarded.
Anonymous said…
I remember long johns. *shudders* And I also remember fighting tooth and nail to get them over my, ahem, gargantuan size 11 feet. One of many reasons that keep me from wearing long underwear ever again in my forseeable future.

And now that you've introduced me to sock dreams, I will have to try them and see if they fit. They have some really adorable socks!
Anonymous said…
I don't own long johns. I had some while in the Army, and actually wore them on maneuvers in Germany. It was cold enough in SUMMER in Germany to wear them. But I'm a Texican, and it don't usually get dat dang cold here. (of course right now we're covered in ice/sleet)

I've would think (being the raging chauvanistic pig that I am) that way more men buy long johns than women, so there is more room for manufacturers to offer more colors.

But it's probably just sexism, especially when they charge more for smaller women's versions.

And then there is Humanism. My blue jeans cost less that the University of Texas sweater we bought for our dang Yorkie. Grrr

Tom Gallier
Anonymous said…
OOoh...you hit one of my pet peeves about a lot of winter clothing. I have more in the chest to keep warm, so why offer me thermal tank tops cut low with no sleeves? Aaaarrrggghhh... I steal my husbands.

~Jana
Anonymous said…
I don't remember wearing thermal long johns or janes. I get them from Land's End for my daughter and they have nice ones - smooth warm fabric. And they came in pink, which my daughter wanted.
Anonymous said…
Ahh, I see, Mark. And dd you come to any conclusions while you were in the jane?


Oh, Sadieloree...once you go Sock Dreams you will never go back. The most adorable socks known to mankind, foreals.


I thought of that, Tom, and figured that was entirely possible. A man might want a blue one to go under, I dunno, his police uniform or mechanic's coverall thing or something, and that's why they get more color choices. But that doesn't explain the stupid scoopneck thing. My only thought was they figured ladies are maybe wearing lower necklines, but dude, if it's cold enough for thermal underwear we're not wearing chest-exposing clothing to begin with.


See my above comment, JSB. Seriously! WTF? I'm thinking of writing to them. (But I'm definitely going to order more small men's tops.)


Aaaw, Qwill. I looked for some for my girls but all they had were tank tops--which, again, how does that keep people warm, exactly? It's a tank top!--and white thermal long janes. Which are no good to my Princess, because I'd wanted them for her to wear to school and her school uniform specifies black or gray bottoms. Sigh.
Anonymous said…
Now see I'd assume the lady ones come thinner so they don't add bulk.
Anonymous said…
Oh, Jaye, you're so sensible. Way to ruin a good sexism theory. I was waiting for someone to mention how women have an extra layer of fat.
Anonymous said…
No. But I sat down while I peed. Just to show those sexists!

*shakes fist in the air*
Anonymous said…
I am here to confirm that you do, indeed wear shirts under shirts. ;)
Anonymous said…
Yay Mark! You go sister!


Lol Caitlin. Thank you. Yes. It is my "look". Which is pretty pitiful, if you think about it. That's the best I could come up with for a "look"? A shirt under a shirt? Man, am I dull.
Anonymous said…
I bought some women's thermals at walmart to wear under my scrubs at work. They ride up my calf and bunch up under my pants at the knee and drive me nuts the whole time, so I am almost wishing I had those horrible cuffs you had to fight your feet through, lol. At least then they might stay put at the ankle!

I am an unbashed sock whore, so I am checking out this sock dreams website you speak of. If this results in a new and bank account draining hobby I am blaming you. How come the sock thing has never come up at Diva's, I know I would have noticed?
Anonymous said…
i wear a shirt under a shirt too...
and yes mark is betarded. Sock dreams..sock porn!!!
Anonymous said…
Christine, we Sock Dreams addicts tend to hide our problem. We don't want to share, lol. Hmm. I wonder if you could find stirrup-pant thermals? Or even just really thick stirrup pants? Sock Dreams has them, of course. :-) My mom wears tights and turtlenecks under her scrubs; I'll suggest that to her, too, duh. Never thought of that before.


Synde, will you stop COPYING ME? JEEZ! :-)
Anonymous said…
Being that hubby and I occasionally brave the elements on the Harley, I too have had my share of thermals shifting and bunching. With our riding group's annual polar bear riding coming up Jan 1, I will once again be wrestling with the long janes. Unless we get lucky and get 60 something degree weather.

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