Vanity or Fashion?

[LovelyLadyLux]

Yesterday afternoon after the gutter guards went up to get out of the house I went down to the Grocery store to actually see if they had bulk blueberries in yet. I freeze them.

When I came out there was parked beside my car what is known here as a "Smart Car." They're super small holding 2 people max.

This car was all in tones of beige, had round headlamps and a large grill giving it something of an appearance of a face however what made this car really unique or maybe I should say interesting is that over each headlight the owner had installed long eyelashes. They were positioned over and to the side of each headlight with chrome (not sure it was chrome but it looked like it and was silver) holding them in place almost like a line of eyeliner makeup.

It all looked darn permanent to me to say nothing of expensive. Wish I had my little camera with me but I've packed it.

Can't help but wonder if this was done for the same of fashion? or vanity? or both or neither.......Also can't help but wonder if fashion really is just vanity? And if women suffer from it more than men.

I had no clue if a man or woman was driving a car (nobody here leaves anything IN a vehicle at all anymore as to do so is tempting fate to have your window smashed out), ban't help but to think this was a woman however who knows.

I truly think even if I won the lottery the last thing I'd be spending my $$ on would be eyelashes for my car.

[Ruby Slippers]

I would think it's just a continuation of the 'custom' cars of years ago. Back in the 70's my youngest son was absolutely nuts about customized cars and we used to take him to shows etc. He asked for an airbrush for a Christmas present and that fad has never left him. I'm surprised that he's never attempted to customize his wife's vehicle - yet!

[Grandad]

Is this the car you mean LLL?

440px-Smart_ForFour_ForTwo_2014_(14502892527).jpg

Popular little cars made by Daimler AG in Germany. And why not dress up a cute car to look cute?

[Horus]

Oh no Grandad its bad enough all those wallies driving about with fluffy dice and all sorts of rubbish dangling from their rear view mirrors obscuring their vision without distracting other drivers with their daft eye lashes on headlights.

[LovelyLadyLux]

@Grandad The car did look quite a bit like that. Just add big long black curved back eye lashes and you've got it.

I think in my thinking I'm too serious minded or plain for some of the frivolity. I see no use for eye lashes so that would be the last thing I'd be every remotely thinking about for a car. Who really is going about with all the extra time it takes to outfit a car with something like that? And is it really the height of fashion? I mean what does the driver get out of doing that to their car?

I don't get it. Some fashion I understand but this???? Nahhhh.....

I like lots of clear visibility when I'm driving so nothing goes across the front or back that is in any way going to obscure what I can see.

[Grandad]

Oh come on LLL, it's just a bit of harmless fun. Doesn't hurt anybody and we certainly don't all have to follow "THE FASHION"


You wouldn't do it and neither would I BUT.....

About 12 years ago I bought a new small car and one of the options was to have it fitted with a rear spoiler.....'Got to have one of them' I thought and added it to the spec list.
Bit of a joke really because it did nothing to improve the performance of the car and my wife said it looked like a 'Pram Handle'

20080505 Pic 4.JPG

See what I mean

[Horus]

I think she was right Grandad.

[LovelyLadyLux]

A vehicle spoiler is a spoiler and is actually on lots of automobiles as something built specific for an auto but "eyelashes?"

Nahhhhh that is frivolous vanity and actually looks silly same same if they put lipstick on the grill.

[Grandad]

But what purpose does a spoiler serve LLL other than on a high performance vehicle? None actually.
But lipstick on the grill, now there's an idea. You could give your motor a big kiss every morning
Years ago the Citroen 2CV was often covered with large flower decals. People LOVED those little French cars.
Something I can't understand is personalised vehicle number plates. Now that is the ultimate vanity IMO

[Mad Dilys]

I have seen custom made fairly big pink lips on a radiator years ago - splendid!

[Horus]

I agree about spoilers Grandad, but there are several types and like the one on my own car it is more about the design style and shape than actual improved grip. My own projects out about 100mm past the sloping rear window and the cars style would certainly be diminished without it as it smooths out the body shape as there is no gap underneath it.

Completely agree about personal number plates, what is that all about? Very few are instantly recognizable as meaning anything to someone else and most of them you have to stretch your imagination to even get near to a name. As I am known to friends by a very short name I have seen my own name for sale and it would I suppose be a bit recognizable to my friends. My own brother had one on his new car and to be honest it took me ages before I realised that it was his own initials on the car.

I only ever saw one number plate that made me look and a second time and that was many years ago, it was DRP 160 T which seemed to read DR. PIGOT with a judiciously placed fixing stud. I saw it most days and thought it belonged to a doctor by that name. It was years later when I was visiting an engineering company and I saw the car parked outside that it clicked that it actually belonged to my friend Dave, (Richard) Pigot.

[Grandad]

One that I will accept and the owner has every right to use it. That is 'AMS !' which appears atound London on a Rolls Royce Phantom Don't you know?........Your Fired!

[Horus]

Now that proves my point, I really don't have a clue who owns that.

[Ruby Slippers]

My sister-in-law in Australia has V1XEN! Suits her too! :-)

[Mad Dilys]

I saw a young woman driving a Porsche some years ago with the number 1 WYN

Still can't make up my mind if it's I Whine rather than I Win.

[LovelyLadyLux]

@Mad Dilys That would be interesting in that 'I win' is applicable but "I whine' also holds water Wonder which one it was?

I sometimes think maybe I'm too plain. A vehicle only equals transport to me and all I want is that it is going to be reliable and runs and isn't going to break down someplace.

On the other hand I've been accused by the daughters of being somewhat flamboyant with the clothes I tend to like to wear. Am not into gawdy rhinestone clustered clothing but more like I should have been born in India type of way where the colours and sparkle fit.

If you're wearing something or doing something cause it increases the style i.e. a spoiler made for a vehicle that gives the vehicle better lines and makes it look nicer that is one thing but the incongruity of putting huge eye lashes over the lights on a car ??? That is taking it to an extreme me-thinks.

I don't wear make up other than cream that has an SPF factor but I love brightly coloured clothes.

[Grandad]

Now that proves my point, I really don't have a clue who owns that.

I thought 'You're Fired' might do it. Alan Michael Sugar is worth around £1.4 billion so he has every right to have his initials on his 'Roller'

[Horus]

Yes but as I said, it really didn't mean anything to me so he may have just had ABC on his Roller as he drove past me as it still would not have made me think "ooh there goes Alan Michael Sugar"