How much do WE actually notice about other people?

[Deborah Jane]

I'm just intrigued
A lot of us [including me] have asked questions such as, "will people notice I shaved my legs?", "plucked my eyebrows?", etc.
But would we really notice if other people who aren't particularly close to us did those sort of things?

I know I probably wouldn't, I've even managed to miss obvious things on people I'm close too [new hair cut, etc], so I doubt I'd even notice a lot of things such as shaved legs, etc on people I don't know too well!

How about you?

[sometimes_miss]

I think that most people will notice a lot of things, but unless they are personally involved with you, probably don't care all that much. Still, I do find that lots of things that I don't really care about DOES come up in discussion with the women I work with. The need for drama and gossip lives on in the female of the species.

[Joanne f]

Have you ever noticed that when you own or drive a particular car you suddenly notice there are a lot more of them about than you thought or noticed before , i think the same could apply to shaved legs, plucked eyebrows, earrings , bracelets even makeup, if you do any of these things you will suddenly notice who else does it , it is one of those subconscious things :heehee:

[Freddy12]

I agree with Joanne.

I've plucked my eyebrows. My SO didn't notice, but I am looking carefully at everyone's eyebrows.

Now that I'm wanting to wear a bra more often, I'm looking for guys with bra strap bulges.

However, both my SO and I did notice a guy wearing a skirt, so if it's really obvious, I think it will be noticed no matter what.

[Sweeterica]

I really dont think people take much notice,i think its in our minds that they do,most people are so involved in their own lives anyway,i gave up worrying about people noticing me a long time ago.

[Juliemckay]

People, in general, don't notice very much. For a while I ran a series of "experiments". At first, I would go to the store wearing girl jeans (really tight). Nothing. Then I added eye makeup. still nothing. Then I wore bras under my shirt. Nada. Then womans tops. Still nothing. Then I went to the mall in heels, womans dress slacks, silk blouse, bra, eye makeup. Nothing.


Just remember teenaged girls are a different beast... they notice everything about everyone

[tamarav]

In my limited experience, I don't people are too interested in the rest of us to really take notice. For instance: I waxed my entire brows off. No one noticed, including my wife for at least 3 months.

One of the clients at the salon I work in came in and announced that she had lost 50 pounds. Nobody noticed, but congratulated her anyway.

We are so paranoid about anything that may smack of femininity that we seem to look like the proverbial victim when we go out. (I am well over that now, thank you)

Most people just don't care about us, or most any other person. As my wife says "If only peole realized how little others think of them, they may drop some of their fears". This came after she went with me and another closeted CD to a nightclub.

[Chari]

Regardless of what you do or wear, there will always be someone that disapproves or criticizes your actions. It is your life, your choices and you should be comfortable and confident in who you are, no matter what the packaging!

[joandher]

I work in the truck repair industry,and during the last 5 yrs nobody has noticed that I have hairless legs,and arms,hands and that I've thinned my eyebrows,even my wife has only just noticed after 6 mths of continually plucking my eyebrows,said have you trimmed your brows, I said yes been doing it for ages ,why are they uneven ,nothing more was said

without looking ask yourself how much hair is on your family's legs, arms ,what there eyebrows are like, I bet you cant !!!!

:hugs: to all

J-JAY

[Juliemckay]

I do, at times, feel like I'm being a bit creepy. I have taken a systematic approach to learning a womans mannerisms. For example. One of the first things I learned was how to sit and stand up. I went to places where women would sit and stand regularly, and watch them very closely. I felt if I was really being watched, it would creep people out. Nobody likes to have a stanger watch their movements that closely.


No one noticed me.

[Deborah Jane]

without looking ask yourself how much hair is on your family's legs, arms ,what there eyebrows are like, I bet you cant !!!!



My point exactly, I had a similar conversation about this to Sheila, and even with people we know well, we aren't really sure about things like whether they have hairy legs, thin eyebrows, etc.

So if we don't even notice the so called obvious things on people we know well, it's even more unlikely we'd notice on anybody else :)

[AKAMichelle]

You might notice one thing and overlook 10 others. Most of the time we are so absorbed in our own lives that if something doesn't hit us in the face then we never notice.

[NiCo]

Am I supposed to notice something? :heehee: oooops.

[Naomi Rayne]

Have you ever noticed that when you own or drive a particular car you suddenly notice there are a lot more of them about than you thought or noticed before , i think the same could apply to shaved legs, plucked eyebrows, earrings , bracelets even makeup, if you do any of these things you will suddenly notice who else does it , it is one of those subconscious things :heehee:

This does apply. And it does happen. For me though i am just a naturally very curious person so i happen to notice everything, but it doesnt make a difference to me what changes and i wouldnt bring it up unless it was relevant to conversation or i had something good to say about a change.

[kimdl93]

depends on the person. My wife is a veteran people watcher. I tend to ignore other people...I guess its my upbringing - I feel that its impolite to intrude on other people's lives

[serinalynn]

I suppose there are times that I have been seen out wearing womens clothes by other prople. I really dont care what other people think. I just try to mind my own business while out either as a man or dressed feminine. I do notice other women and what they are wearing and get ideas how to accesorize me outfits.

[t-girlxsophie]

Im not sure if I would notice little changes in other ppl,especially those close to me,I do find though that I notice the things I would say only women notice,or at least mention in others e.g someone who's lost weight or with a new hairstyle,whether thats due to my CDing I don't know

[PretzelGirl]

Hairstyles I notice and try to comment when appropriate. But I am very oblivious to the small things. My daughter picks up on things much quicker (hmmm, young female). I never thought I had run into any crossdressers in my area when out unless I was actually meeting them. She has pointed out a couple when we have been out shopping. So I think the observation skills will vary greatly.

[aggi123]

I have a habit (forced) of noticing every little detail about people. I work in loss prevention, I have to look at little things =P

I've seen many guys in public that make me go, "HMMMMM" lol

[5150 Girl]

people are so busy thease days they don't have time to care what the next preson is diong..... It's a "me me me" worls out there. Do what you will, not to many people will truly care in the long run.

[sterling12]

I begin to think that if there was a rattlesnake slithering up The Sidewalk, 99% of The Folks in this World would never see it....until they were struck! Face it folks, most people are oblivious to anything that is outside of their thought patterns. If you think they would notice YOU, then you have a very overinflated opinion about your importance.

BUT, what about The other One Percent? Well, if your really paranoid, then here's what to do. A.) Avoid people who are trained observers. people like Nurses, Police, News Reporters, and Teenage Girls. B.) Avoid places where people are likely to be "Scoping" you out. Places like Bars, or Dances, where everybody is watching everybody else.

Oh, and avoid drunks. For some reason The Alcohol-soaked brain, can seem to focus on minutiae that's right in front of itself. Drunks will suddenly say something like, "Wow, you shave your legs. I didn't know you did that!" The good thing is they can't focus for very long, and they tend to wonder off after a few minutes. Just ignore them!

Peace and Love, Joanie

[Mea GG]

A.) Avoid people who are trained observers. people like Nurses, Police, News Reporters, and Teenage Girls. B.) Avoid places where people are likely to be "Scoping" you out. Places like Bars, or Dances, where everybody is watching everybody else.

Oh, and avoid drunks.

Peace and Love, Joanie

To the nurses and the cops, you're a dime a dozen, nothing they haven't seen many many times.

To the teenage girl, an item of passing interest but not really relevant to her world unless you are a teacher or under 25.

If I tried to tell you much about the clothing or accessories of any of the people I worked with last night, I'd be drawing a blank. I remember one guy had a dark plaid button-up and I thought it looked uncomfortable all buttoned-up. But that was the only thing in a group of 7 other people I can remember now.

I noticed the guys' eyebrows though when we were at a meeting this week. I looked at every single guy. Only because of it being a topic here. But normally I never would notice stuff like that really.

A lot of time we are vaguely aware there is something different, but whether it is a tan or a new hairstyle or a facelift, we usually don't really know.
"Joe's lookin good."
"Yeah he is, must be getting more sleep."
"Or more p****."

[Lindahexi]

I wear bras, pierced earings, stockings and some times some makeup, especially lipstick but nobody has ever commented. I confess that when out as a guy I use a nude lipstick which feels good but doesn't show up much, like bright red for instance. As for shaving, I like my skin fully shaved and smooth, and If only I had the nerve I'd love to shave my eyebrows right off and draw some really feminine omes in that suit me.

Hugs,

Linda.

[NathalieX66]

The only time people notice is when they know what youl look like before you wore earrings, shaved your legs & pluckd your eyebrows, especially if they are familiar with your old self. To a total; stranger, they have no reference to go by.
lately I have been wearing shorts with shaved legs & small hoop earrings pretty much everywhere, and no one has commented yet. The only thing I miss is my red toenail polish since I'm wearing sandals daily. My eyebrows have kind of grown in since the spring but I had 'em almost pencil thin for a while.

[donnatracey]

I find myself looking at women's feet to see what color nails they have! Probably due to my getting pedicures regularly. Have always admired a woman with nice makeup (esp red lipstick) so guess I look at faces too...:heehee:

BTW, have been shaving my legs the past few weeks and no one has said anything or stared. Like other's have said, most people are in their own little world and could care less...

[pj]

shaved legs, plucked eyebrows, earrings , bracelets even makeup, if you do any of these things you will suddenly notice who else does it...That's it exactly. I have been wearing clear nail polish for the past few weeks and no one has noticed (or if they did, they didn't say anything). But I've been looking at everyone else's fingernails. ;) Never did before.

And a lot of the guys I work with have kind of long nails! Ha. Well, what I'd consider long for men. But really, no guys are looking at your nails, eyebrows, legs...as others have said, unless you walk in to the office wearing a dress, no one is going to care.

[Lorileah]

I notice some things. I am always watching for unusual behaviors or things that might be out of place. I don't look for who shaved legs but I do notice if a guy has a beard. I notice colors of shirts and things like that but I probably couldn't tell you what their face looks like in detail. Just me I guess. However my GF sees thing I don't see like celebrities. I never see anyone famous. I notice shoes. My GF notices handbags.

But after all that we have agendas and unless it effects me directly...I forget quickly.

Why do you ask Deb? Did you get a new hairdo? :)

[Kate Simmons]

I think it's already been brought out but it kind of depends on who we are, what our job is/was and what we've been trained to do.:)

[LisaMallon]

Hah, the amount of people that notice nothing is immense.

This is backed by scientific evidence, such as the studies where people are changed but carry on the (scripted) conversation as if they were the original person. Change looks, colour, sex .. the majority never notice.

True story, I shaved off my breard when Lisa had to come back (far too many years she had gone away). At a meeting with a close friend (and they have seen me several times since the shaving) she said "something is different about you but I don't know what it is".

I actually has to tell her I shaved it off.

I've been steadily thinning out my eyebrows .. no one will notice, not males, not GG's, not anyone ... (except us of course).

[Alex!]

I notice a lot of details, but this is because I think artists are just more aware of their surroundings; I think 'observing the little things' is what informs our work. Still, if I noticed something I would consider physically odd, I'd look, but then move on and dump the information from my brain :)