Frank this is a discussion for the Club. ;-)

There's a lot to what you are saying, but I think it is the result of the current "fashionistas" which guide women's style, dress, hair, demeanor, etcetera.

That flat hair parted in the middle (1972 anyone?) is currently in fashion for women, and accompanied by Britney Spears patented midriff revealing blouses and Hillary Duff approved bell bottom jeans that seem to be cut to short in the rear beltline, it's surprised any woman following these trends escapes looking quite cheap and unskilled in the appearance department.

Sure, if she is 20, quasi-anorexic and pretty--she can get away with almost anything, but how many women fit that description?

How many men here have seen women wear these things that have no place in them? Even a very young woman 20 pounds on the up side should not attempt this look.

What happened to dressing up? What happened to dresses for women? By creating a high society that is presently skewed extremely towards youth, it seems we are experiencing a total vacuum when it comes to good taste.

As for obesity, it's up everywhere. Sometime around 1997 I was walking through a market in (supposedly) slender CA and while waiting in the checkout it suddenly hit me how many obese folks were present. It's just gotten worse since then. The computer & internet lifestyle have created ever younger generations of passive people.

It's the fast food lifestyle combined with very limited activity. We need to install computer keyboards on life cycles and treadmills.

After all this pessimism, I'll sum up on a positive note:

It's not hopeless. Cycles swing around and "feminine with class" will return in a big way some day.

;-)