TV trouser torment

(Edited from contributions to the Stockings HQ discussion forum)

- Sometimes as I flick inanely through the TV channels I think that I have died and gone to hell. Not being a believer in the Almighty, hell for me is very much what you believe it to be. Hence you can forget about all the little red devils and the raging infernos, no hell is a far more prosaic place for me. Hell is a place filled with women, yet it is utterly devoid of dresses, skirts and stockings, a place where only trouser suits, jeans and combat trousers are in evidence. It is a truly horrible vision isn't it? Yet it is not simply a vision, switch on your TV set tonight and you will discover that it is already a dreadful reality.

Don't believe me? Well why not start with the news and Kirsty Young? While still working for Channel 5 she was once asked why she only ever wore trousers on air and came up with the following reply "Straightening your skirt uses up pieces of brain that can be more usefully used elsewhere". Have you ever heard such dull, pompous, self-important, sanctimonious drivel in all your life? Yet judging by the preferred attire for most of the female TV journalist fraternity, it is a view that is shared by many of Miss Young's contemporaries. Think about it, when was the last time that you saw the likes of Fiona Bruce, Sian Phillips, Andrea Catherwood, Katy Derham or any of those other clones wearing a skirt? OK, it may happen occasionally, but you have to be very eagle eyed to spot it. Then there are female sports presenters. Sue Barker may have spent her tennis career wearing skimpy skirts but you never see her in anything other than trousers these days either.

Moving swiftly onto entertainment, things don't improve much. Take Ulrika Johnson for a start. You might occasionally see her in a nice frock if she is presenting the Eurovision Song Contest or something, but ordinarily forget it. Likewise, it's the same with so many of these bright new young things like Cat Deeley or Daisy Donovan. Then there are the new ladettes, like Zoe Ball. Trousers, trousers and yet more trousers. Don't they ever get bored of them? Worst still is the fact that the trouser epidemic is spreading like a contagion to some of those TV celebs who were previously reliable skirt wearers. Mary Nightingale for example was formerly a dependable skirt suit type of lady, but she has latterly been wearing trousers with depressing regularity. And it seems like a long time since Philippa Forrester first appeared on Tomorrow's World wearing a mini-skirt and knee high boots. She has now become one of the most infamous trouser bores.

I propose a new scheme. Anybody reading this article should think long and hard and come up with a female celebrity of any kind who wears trousers too often and nominate her to be DEBAGGED i.e. have her trousers forcibly removed and be compelled to wear a skirt and stockings instead. I'd like to get the ball rolling by nominating every member of All Saints. Let more nominations commence.

- Well said that man! (I assume). I couldn't agree more. We've ended up in the ludicrous situation where, when you see a pair of bare legs, the chances are that it'll be a bloke in shorts rather than a woman in a dress or skirt. It's getting rather embarrassing that I've been checking out more men than women recently! :-)

My one consolation is that trousers are very much in fashion at the moment and that's why so many women are wearing them. Hopefully it will swing the other way in the not too distant future, especially with summer coming, but what worries me is that people in general are getting lazier these days and I'm a bit concerned that it might just be more convenient to wear them so they'll remain popular.

What bothers me most is that it's a further erosion of femininity. What's happening these days? Women seem to be almost afraid of looking feminine and pretty! (Obviously I'm not referring to the lovely ladies in this group who clearly have a much better idea about these things and value their femininity)

To me, it's all about "Vive La Difference" - it's the differences between men and women that make it interesting so why are so many women trying harder and harder to become men? Can't they see that it's completely unappealing?

Thanks for your rant, it's my pet hate too so you've given me the opportunity to have a shout about it as well! :-)