False Modesty

[shanmonster]

In what order do you strip?

When I'm at home, I shuck my clothing in any which way. I really don't care. Clothes just go flying off me, and if I'm feeling like a seneschal for f00's sake, I might even make sure my soiled laundry makes its way into the hamper. However, if I'm taking my clothes off for a modelling session, I'm much more particular.

I've said it before: I feel more naked half-clothed than when I'm completely nude. If I'm sitting there with a shirt on, but no pants, or even vice versa, I feel thoroughly exposed. So when I'm shucking my raiment in the name of art, there are a few awkward moments where I think, "Don't look at me! I'm naked!" My school-aged nightmares of showing up naked to class are realized. I am naked, and I am in a classroom.

I used to get in and out of my clothing in a seperate room. I'd show up to the art class in my street clothes, disappear into a nearby alcove, and reappear starkers. In some fucked-up logic, it seemed to me that I wouldn't appear to be the same person, and that dressing and undressing was the shame-inducing part of modelling.

But when I modelled for a cartoonist and he needed me to take off a dress for part of his animation, I could no longer deny the ridiculousness of this delusion. That very same day, I stopped dressing and undressing in a seperate room.

I'm still waiting for the day when being half-bared doesn't feel more bare-assed than being stark, raving, naked.

Comments

[fourcorners.livejournal.com]

There's just two forms of dress. Proper, modest attire and undress, which consists of you wearing nothing. We've gotten used to either being fully dressed or undressed, but it's those in-between areas of scantily undress that wig us out the most, because it's neither one nor the other and it makes us more self-conscious. And once self-conscious, like Adam, we know shame

[elanya.livejournal.com]

Are you saying that lingerie is sexy because it is liminal? hmmm...

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure about that. You see, I'm fine with being naked except for a hat or gloves.

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, and I'm also perfectly fine with wearing just a draping bit of sheer cloth. I think just socks would make me feel indecent, though. My modesty has no apparent logic.

[badcat42077.livejournal.com]

To me, whatever I'm wearing always seems to highlight the naked bits. Kind of like my pants standing up to yell "Hey-she's got her top off!!"

[shanmonster.livejournal.com]

Yes! Clothing is the fluorescent yellow highlighter for nudity!

[prolixfootle.livejournal.com]

*My* flourescent yellow highlighter does *not* highlight clothes...

[f00dave.livejournal.com]

Do I really want to know what it highlights, if not clothes? Or did this euphemism just snap?

[prolixfootle.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's exactly what it highlights... er.. oh wait, did you say *snaP?!?

[f00dave.livejournal.com]

Uh? What? *confused at the highlit P*

[prolixfootle.livejournal.com]

I thought for a second that it ended in '-tch'...

(C'mon, work with me here...)

?;o)

[f00dave.livejournal.com]

Oh. Now I get it.

Dude, that was weak. So terribly weak, that I won't ever mention it ever again.

:-)

[prolixfootle.livejournal.com]

What do you expect? It was very late.

[metasilk.livejournal.com]

*unexpectedly giggling out loud*

[iroshi.livejournal.com]

I'm actually particular about the way in which I strip at home, as well...but then, there's usually somebody *watching* me, at home, no matter where/when I'm taking them off. Unless there's *nobody* home but me.

Shirt, then pants/skirt. Bra, then panties. But that's done more to highlight and tease than anything. :) (Oh, and the socks and shoes come off as soon as I get home, so that's why they're not on the list.)

[metasilk.livejournal.com]

When I was modelling for art classes in grad school, I changed into a small robe behind a screen, but disrobed in front of the class. The robe, I s'pose, was "working attire," as was my skin. The privacy of the transition help me get into the mindframe good for modelling (which I found similar to what I was in when I studied a little bit of aikido, around the same time).