[ExI] Why are women's clothing so much more flamboyant than men's?

[Tara Maya]

I think the answer lies in the question: what do women want? Why would they need to compete with other women for the attention of men? 

Men compete for multiple short term partners, but women compete for long term investors (husbands). 

Among species where males invest in child care, the females can be both flamboyant and feisty. (Think sea horses.) In species where both partners contribute equal amounts, they are hard to tell apart. (Think penguins). In our species, women advertise fertility (beauty) and men advertise long term investment (status, wealth, property). To some extent, both men and women advertise the same features that make for good parents: intelligence, kindness and a sense of humor.

Tara Maya




> On Dec 15, 2019, at 2:35 PM, John Clark via extropy-chat <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
> 
> From the antlers of elk to the plumage of birds to the coloration of fish, males are almost always much more flamboyant than females, but it's not true for our own species. When I Googled "business women's pant suit" I got images of women in hot pink
> 
> Hot Pink <https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fae01.alicdn.com%2Fkf%2FHTB18jyMluGSBuNjSspbq6AiipXao.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aliexpress.com%2Fitem%2FNew-Hot-Pink-Business-Women-Pants-Suit-Custom-Size-Ladies-Wedding-Dinner-Prom-Outfit-2-Pcs%2F32863886571.html&tbnid=ZXMMu4THqzVHOM&vet=12ahUKEwi89O_41LjmAhWNUawKHSY4Bc8QMygiegUIARCzAg..i&docid=vqVebmPTsRszAM&w=800&h=1394&q=business%20women%27s%20pant%20suit&ved=2ahUKEwi89O_41LjmAhWNUawKHSY4Bc8QMygiegUIARCzAg>
> 
> And bright red
> 
> Bright Red <https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.legalleeblonde.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2018%2F12%2Fholiday-season-work-day-outfit-1440x2160.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.legalleeblonde.com%2F2018%2F12%2Fwhat-to-wear-work-today-womens-red-pant-suit-holiday-giveaway.html&tbnid=n5onKC7e60t8JM&vet=12ahUKEwjc-6KO07jmAhUFiqwKHZuhCDkQMyg1egUIARDvAg..i&docid=8AQqlxjksQ5yeM&w=1440&h=2160&q=working%20women%27s%20pant%20suit&ved=2ahUKEwjc-6KO07jmAhUFiqwKHZuhCDkQMyg1egUIARDvAg> 
> 
> And vivid Yellow
> 
> Vivid Yellow <https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http%3A%2F%2Fbecomechic.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F06%2FStylish-Womens-Suits-For-Work-4.jpg&imgrefurl=http%3A%2F%2Fbecomechic.com%2Fstylish-womens-pant-suits-for-work%2F&tbnid=vCj_9P3HmtslwM&vet=12ahUKEwjc-6KO07jmAhUFiqwKHZuhCDkQMyhAegUIARCFAw..i&docid=hoBKUw2w7AgsaM&w=633&h=949&q=working%20women%27s%20pant%20suit&ved=2ahUKEwjc-6KO07jmAhUFiqwKHZuhCDkQMyhAegUIARCFAw>
> 
> I can't imagine a male IBM executive showing up to a meeting in a hot pink suit even if he had a standard black tie. But why not?
> 
> John K Clark
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