--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is commonplace observation that women…" description: "\"“It is commonplace observation that women are forever trying to straighten their hair if it is curly and curl it if it is straight, bind their breasts ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/581/germaine-greer-1521_fashion_it-is-commonplace-observation-that-women_2917168.png" --- # It is commonplace observation that women are forever… ![“It is commonplace observation that women are forever trying to straighten their hair if it is curly and curl it if it is straight, bind their breasts if they are large and pad them if they are small, darken their hair if it is light and lighten it if it is dark. Not all these measures are dictated…” quote by Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/581/germaine-greer-1521_fashion_it-is-commonplace-observation-that-women_2917168.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/581/germaine-greer-1521_fashion_it-is-commonplace-observation-that-women_2917168.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/581/germaine-greer-1521_fashion_it-is-commonplace-observation-that-women_2917168.png) > ““It is commonplace observation that women are forever trying to straighten their hair if it is curly and curl it if it is straight, bind their breasts if they are large and pad them if they are small, darken their hair if it is light and lighten it if it is dark. Not all these measures are dictated by the fantom of fashion. They all reflect dissatisfaction with the body as it is, and an insistent desire that it be otherwise, not natural but controlled, fabricated. Many of the devices adopted by women are not cosmetic or ornamental, but disguise of the actual, arising from fear and distaste.”” [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Women constantly modify their bodies to meet societal standards, revealing deep dissatisfaction and a desire for control over natural appearance. **In simple terms:** Women change bodies to fit standards, feeling dissatisfied. Key Takeaway Accept natural bodies, challenge imposed standards. Themes body image gender norms beauty standards self-esteem social pressure Mood frustrated critical reflective Type analytical critical When to use this quote - media influence - personal grooming - fashion industry - psychological impact Key Concepts feminist critique identity consumerism Questions to Reflect On - How do societal expectations shape personal body choices? - What alternatives exist to foster body acceptance? A Different Perspective Changes may not address underlying self-worth issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Curl Straight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curl-straight-4231948/) [Curly Curl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/curly-curl-4231947/) [Fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Hair Curly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hair-curly-1636679/) [Objectification-of-women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/objectification-of-women-134501/) [Straighten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/straighten/) [Trying Straighten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-straighten-1109506/) ## Related quotes > [“Trying to straighten the question mark!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raheel-farooq/trying-to-straighten-the-question-mark/) [Raheel Farooq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raheel-farooq/) > [“As far as cosmetics are used for adornment in a conscious and creative way, they are not emblems of inauthenticity: it is when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/as-far-as-cosmetics-are-used-for-adornment-in-a-conscious-and/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [Trying to change the world is like trying to straighten the curly tail of a dog. Try as you might, it will still go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/trying-to-change-the-world-is-like-trying-to-straighten-the-curly/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [“had laughed for a full minute, trying to straighten his face when”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo-moyes/had-laughed-for-a-full-minute-trying-to-straighten-his-face-when/) [Jojo Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo-moyes/) > [“The representation of women in the society, especially through mass media has been the most delusional act ever done on the grounds of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/the-representation-of-women-in-the-society-especially-through-mass/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“Across the vacuum of body lies the valley of beauty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/across-the-vacuum-of-body-lies-the-valley-of-beauty/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [“The tears in my eyes are now running down my cheeks at the thought that I have been his wife and his bedfellow, his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/the-tears-in-my-eyes-are-now-running-down-my-cheeks-at-the-thought/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“Women are also property in our bible; adultery is a property crime in the Old Testament, not a sex crime.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/women-are-also-property-in-our-bible-adultery-is-a-property-crime-in/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [“I am, at this moment, what I have always been to him: an object of beauty. He has never loved me as a woman.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/i-am-at-this-moment-what-i-have-always-been-to-him-an-object-of/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“Women incorporate the values of the male sexual objectifiers within themselves. Catharine MacKinnon calls this being "thingified" in the head (MacKinnon, 1989). They learn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-jeffreys/women-incorporate-the-values-of-the-male-sexual-objectifiers-within/) [Sheila Jeffreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-jeffreys/) > [ \[Lily\] "Petunia's hair is too curly to braid," She said conversationally. Oliver wasn't sure why, but that was what finally made him blush. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-day-george/lily-petunia-s-hair-is-too-curly-to-braid-she-said-conversationally/) [Jessica Day George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-day-george/) > [I've never felt like there's just one way to be beautiful. Tall or short, straight hair or curly, it doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-ve-never-felt-like-there-s-just-one-way-to-be-beautiful-tall-or/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > [Taylor Swift's hair is curly. I have curly hair. OK. So where are all MY boyfriends?!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/taylor-swift-s-hair-is-curly-i-have-curly-hair-ok-so-where-are-all-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I keep my hair curly and natural because I really just wanna show who I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alessia-cara/i-keep-my-hair-curly-and-natural-because-i-really-just-wanna-show-who/) [Alessia Cara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alessia-cara/) > [My hair was curly, and everyone else's was straight or in micro braids. I didn't have a lot of money, so I shopped at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashleigh-murray/my-hair-was-curly-and-everyone-else-s-was-straight-or-in-micro-braids/) [Ashleigh Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashleigh-murray/) ## More by Germaine Greer > [You're only young once, but you can be immature forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/you-re-only-young-once-but-you-can-be-immature-forever/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [Is it too much to ask that women be spared the daily struggle for superhuman beauty in order to offer it to the caresses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/is-it-too-much-to-ask-that-women-be-spared-the-daily-struggle-for/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [“Female castration results in concentration of her feelings upon her male companion, and her impotence in confrontations with her own kind. 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She is self-deprecating; he is ludicrously vainglorious. She is a mistress of understatement; he is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/gillard-is-as-likeable-as-rudd-is-charmless-she-is-self-deprecating/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [“Liberty is terrifying but it is also exhilarating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/liberty-is-terrifying-but-it-is-also-exhilarating/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [It is often falsely assumed, even by feminists, that sexuality is the enemy of the female who really wants to develop these aspects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/it-is-often-falsely-assumed-even-by-feminists-that-sexuality-is-the/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [Women who were housewives, who were pretty miserable ... felt inspired by her book and their life changed. They didn't become megastars, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/women-who-were-housewives-who-were-pretty-miserable-felt-inspired-by/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [It is in our interests to let the police and their employers go on believing that the Underground is a conspiracy, because it increases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/it-is-in-our-interests-to-let-the-police-and-their-employers-go-on/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [Rescuing women from their burden of unwarranted guilt is going to require 'educational practices and socializing agents' even more effective than the ones that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/rescuing-women-from-their-burden-of-unwarranted-guilt-is-going-to/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [Men have still not realized that letting women do so much of the work for so little reward makes a man in the house…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/men-have-still-not-realized-that-letting-women-do-so-much-of-the-work/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) [Explore all 232 Germaine Greer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) ## More Fashion quotes > [“I can either be a victim—or a winner. Fuck victimhood. I don’t wear it well; it clashes with my wardrobe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/i-can-either-be-a-victim-or-a-winner-fuck-victimhood-i-don-t-wear-it/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Personal Style comes from within. It's when the woman, her individuality and spirit come through. She uses clothes to express who she is and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-karan/personal-style-comes-from-within-it-s-when-the-woman-her/) [Donna Karan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-karan/) > [There are various orders of beauty, causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-various-orders-of-beauty-causing-men-to-make-fools-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [I'm a business first and foremost so whatever my business is, it's separate from my personal. It's like whatever I do business wise, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/snoop-dogg/i-m-a-business-first-and-foremost-so-whatever-my-business-is-it-s/) [Snoop Dogg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/snoop-dogg/) > [To me, the beauty of a quilt or a dress lies within the stitches and the thought of the person who made them. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalie/to-me-the-beauty-of-a-quilt-or-a-dress-lies-within-the-stitches-and/) [Natalie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalie/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [Never in a million years would I imagine Calvin Klein flying me out to my first men's fashion show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-dallas/never-in-a-million-years-would-i-imagine-calvin-klein-flying-me-out/) [Cameron Dallas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-dallas/) > [Be neither too early in the fashion, nor too long out of it, nor too precisely in it; what custom hath civilized is become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/be-neither-too-early-in-the-fashion-nor-too-long-out-of-it-nor-too/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [No one knows whom the shoe pinches - no one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sholom-aleichem/no-one-knows-whom-the-shoe-pinches-no-one/) [Sholom Aleichem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sholom-aleichem/) > [Every man must wear out at least one pair of fools shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-derr-biggers/every-man-must-wear-out-at-least-one-pair-of-fools-shoes/) [Earl Derr Biggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-derr-biggers/) > [I have always been too round to do fashion shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-klum/i-have-always-been-too-round-to-do-fashion-shows/) [Heidi Klum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-klum/) > [My friend made me a leather dress for the MTV awards. It gives you confidence, wearing something you love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cat-deeley/my-friend-made-me-a-leather-dress-for-the-mtv-awards-it-gives-you/) [Cat Deeley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cat-deeley/) > [I've retired my sneakers for stilettos, baby!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivica-a-fox/i-ve-retired-my-sneakers-for-stilettos-baby/) [Vivica A. Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivica-a-fox/) [Browse all 19,830 Fashion quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fashion/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It is commonplace observation that women are forever trying to straighten their hair if it is curly and curl it if it is straight, bind their breasts if they are large and pad them if they are small, darken their hair if it is light and lighten it if it is dark. Not all these measures are dictated by the fantom of fashion. 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