What is "femininity"?

[nowimcooking]

I'm doing some research/writing and am interested in what qualities or traits people associate with femininity.

I'd also be interested in your opinions of celebrities or people we all would recognize who you think of as particularly "feminine" -- no right or wrong answers here, just curious how people define the concept.

[memartha]

Nowimcooking,

Off the top of my head, traits I associate with "femininity" include:

- feminine clothing (sheer, light colors, heels, pearls, earrings)
- tasteful makeup
- very good manners/poise

Appearance-wise, I'd say Marcia Cross, Paris Hilton, Eva Longoria, Kathleen Turner, Kirsten Durst (sp?), Scarlett Johanssen come to mind.

[tamawrite]

Femininity is just the right blend of power and grace:
It is the curve of a clenched jaw;
The swish of a skirt that says, "Want to bet?"
It is walking a tightrope no one else sees;
A professional letter, fluidly signed.

[Robyn1007]

Femininity is just the right blend of power and grace:
It is the curve of a clenched jaw;
The swish of a skirt that says, "Want to bet?"
It is walking a tightrope no one else sees;
A professional letter, fluidly signed.

Wow! That's definitely a writer saying something like that! I can't wait to read your book.

I think poise and grace come to mind when I think of femininity. other actresses that come to mind are Reese Witherspoon and Ashley Judd.

[nowimcooking]

Thanks, ladies! Keep it coming!

I'd love it if some men would weigh in on the subject, too!

So along with this, what does it mean to "embrace your femininity?"

[scout1222]

I'm one of those women who doesn't do much grooming and fashion stuff, so my answers are a bit different.

I think of intuition, empathy, emotions as being feminine. Compassion, nurturing, that kind of stuff.

The one physicall thing I'll throw in is boobs. :p

[daisylover]

I always think of Audrey Hepburn and Jacquelyn Kennedy Onassis. I suppose that one of the reasons I think of them is that they carried themselves with poise and grace in a quietly dignified manner.

I asked my fiancee, and he said Julia Roberts, Marcia Cross, and Kristen Davis. He says they dress and carry themselves as if they value being a woman. They have confidence in being a woman that is unapologetic.

[jgmchef]

I have always struggled with this one. It is not so much what you wear, but how you feel, your presence, your confidence in being a woman. It is not how much you weigh, but how you carry it.

Celebrities that I feel are feminine: Meg Ryan, Giada DeLaurentis (sp?), Diane Sawyer, Jennifer Love Hewitt. I love Oprah, but I don't find her feminine....her friend Gayle, she is feminine.

[Gumbeaux]

My top three would be Catherine Deneuve, Jane Seymore, and Michelle Pfeiffer.

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/bayoutitan/d.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/bayoutitan/seymore.jpg

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/bayoutitan/Pffeiffer.jpg


And......I also like Lauren Bacall. ;)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/bayoutitan/bacallpic.jpg

[KimKelly]

When I think of the word "feminine" I immediately think of "graceful". Someone who is tender and soft, curvy not broad and square. Someone above stated that Oprah is not really femenine (although she is all female), but her friend Gail is. I compeletely agree! Neat topic... I have a perfect idea of what it is in my head, but it's difficult to put into words.

Kim

[LakeMartinGal]

To me, being feminine means a well-modulated voice (not strident, brash or loud), poised, dignified and graceful. It also means being confident in yourself; not pushy, but not a shrinking violet, either. Empathy and nurturing are definitely there, too.

MIL would probably say that it means putting yourself last, and catering to the men, letting them have the final word: wearing uncomfortable clothes that 'look right'..... though we are only 20 years apart, her generation's definition is WAY different than mine!

I think Jennifer Anniston is very feminine... she can be outspoken, but not harsh, and she appears to be nurturing without giving up ambition. Another one would be Shelly Long...

[misskitty100]

When I think of an example of a feminine woman, Jane Seymour, Susan Lucci and Naomi Judd come to mind.

A few women that I really like but are definitely NOT feminine are Diane Keaton, Martha Stewart (and her daughter) and Pink.

A friend of mine always comments on how feminine she thinks Dr. Phil's wife, Robin is....

[sugarbaby]

Characteristics:
gentle
sweet
knowing when to talk, and knowing when to just listen
nurturing
strength
the ability to create beauty

Celebrities
Grace Kelly
Natalie Wood
Charlize Theron
Jennifer Aniston
Lena Horne
Richard Simmons :p (sorry, that was a tad naughty)

[cookieee]

Characteristics:
gentle
sweet
knowing when to talk, and knowing when to just listen
nurturing
strength
the ability to create beauty

Celebrities
Grace Kelly
Natalie Wood
Charlize Theron
Jennifer Aniston
Lena Horne
Richard Simmons :p (sorry, that was a tad naughty)

but very funny. You beat me to it. I was going to say Grace Kelly also. And even tho she was considered sexy, I think Marilyn Monroe was very feminine.

[Arete]

The one physicall thing I'll throw in is boobs. :p
But what about the men with boobs? Are they feminine? :p :p

[sparrowgrass]

Femininity is throwing down the wrench and the pliers and the can of WD-40 after you have struggled to take a part off the tractor, going into the house and scrubbing the grease from under your nails, driving to the parts store, and saying, "see this thingie? I need the thingie that fits into that thingie, and silly little person that I am, I don't know the name of it."

Bat your eyes a couple times, and those good old boys in the parts store will be all over it.

Works at the hardware store, too.

[littlelion1961]

I think the words a female uses indicate her femininity. No potty words,
please.

~Paula

[Gumbeaux]

Femininity = makeup. ;)

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/bayoutitan/Maeup1.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/bayoutitan/Makeup2.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/bayoutitan/Makeupresize.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/bayoutitan/Makeup8.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/bayoutitan/makeup9.jpg http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y7/bayoutitan/Makeup10.jpg

[LakeMartinGal]

Femininity = makeup. ;) I think that is just the appearance of femininity... I believe that true femininity is a behavioral issue. ;)

[testkitchen45]

Femininity = makeup. ;)
From those photos, it appears that femininity = airbrushing also! :D :D

(For an ancient definition, look at Proverbs 31. The woman described has a LOT going on: a complicated blend of home management, money management, family support . . . I think femininity is a multilayered thing, including everything from softness and sweetness, to strength and capability. I don't think that revealing clothing, for ex, is feminine--that's just cheap. Femininity in appearance would mean looking as good as you can, with all your faults and imperfections, and standing up straight with confidence, using your brains and personality to run your life effectively and make a positive difference in the lives of family, friends, business, whatever's appropriate. Lots of the clothing today isn't feminine; it's just slutty--there's a difference.)

[Escher]

Femininity is the tender hand that checks masculine rashness with a silent touch.

[Robyn1007]

Femininity is the tender hand that checks masculine rashness with a silent touch.

All I can say is wow! I wouldn't have expected a comment like that from you Escher, I'm very impressed!

[greysangel]

I think femininity is that sort of va va voom quality. It's not forcing the spotlight on you but naturally having "it" when you walk into a room. It's embracing the things that make you different from a man.

[tamawrite]

Femininity is the tender hand that checks masculine rashness with a silent touch.

I was wondering when you'd check in on this thread, Esch. Very nice. I have competition! :cool:

[SusanMac]

Nowimcooking -- just wondering about how your project/report is coming along? I assume you have lots of other sources beyond this BB. What are some of your findings? Have you found a big gap between the definitions from men & women?

And, FWIW, I disagree that breasts or makeup have anything to do w/femininity. Makeup makes you look nice, in some eyes, but that's not enough. You can look pretty, but not be feminine in your style, attitude or the way you carry yourself.

[nowimcooking]

Susan,

Thanks for asking. It's not a report per se, but rather sort of a project I've assigned myself -- it came out of a journaling exercise. What I find most is that people have a really hard time defining the word, especially when asked what it means to "embrace your femininity" -- a phrase I've heard all too often. When I ask someone the question they sort of just sit there for a few minutes, and don't know how to answer.

The most common words I've heard associated with femininity are: soft, round, inner beauty and confident.

My sources are mostly just people I meet or people I know, and you folks here at the BB.

Anyway, It's something I'm still working on, so if anyone who hasn't posted wants to, feel free.

[tbb113]

Embrace your femininity -
To be happy with being a woman and enjoying the 'female stereotypical' activities. Be glad that you can paint your toenails red, cry when you are unhappy or frustrated, be girly when the mood strikes you, etc. Realize that acting like a woman is the RIGHT thing to do.