Women, do you turn and stare?

Women do this all the time! I fully admit to it. “Did you see that girl?!” is a pretty regular phrase in conversation.

And anyway, it doesn’t bother me at all when guys turn to stare, unless they interrupt a conversation or something by doing so. Even then, I wouldn’t get mad, I just make a joke about it and move on. It’s almost instinct for people to do that. However, if a guy continues to hold a stare for an extended period of time, that’s when it begins to cross a line into bothersome and pervy.

Women notice good looking just like men.

I notice, but I don’t turn and stare. That could be considered crass. I might raise my eyebrows quietly and grin and nudge whomever I was with, but not turn and stare. I wouldn’t give the person the satisfaction of knowing he/she was turning heads. I wish I had the guts to yell, “Wowee!”

I appreciate some eye candy as much as the next person, but I’m not inclined to stare. I’d probably do what @Sunny2 does and give wide eyes to my compadre

Yes, and I’ve known many other women to do the same. Women evaluate other women constantly, not necessarily in a sexual way. Even if I’m not attracted – though I sometimes am – I think the human body in all of its forms is just absolutely fascinating, and when people wear tight clothes, it makes it easy to examine. Besides, if she wears something like that she’s expecting and to some extent inviting it. Plus I very much enjoy fashion as an art form, so it’s fun to see interesting clothes.

I agree with @Fly – an appreciative look is either neutral or welcome, to me, unless the guy just keeps it up. I just bought a sexy dress yesterday, and if I don’t get a few involuntary stares I’ll be disappointed.

When we beat up men who do the same thing, are we being hypocritical? In some cases, probably. But I think that generally speaking, women have more of a reason to be defensive about being looked at by men than by women, if for no other reason than because our culture has raised us to get our hackles up about that sort of thing. If a woman looks at me sustainedly, I’m probably inclined to either think she must be a huge bitch or that I have some horrible thing in my hair. If a man does this, I’ll think he’s a creep and start groping for the pepper spray.

What the hell people, we all like the nicer things in life. As long as we don’t leer or stare I think it’s okay.

@Adirondackwannabe I think everyone’s agreeing with you on that.

My granny always used to say, “What she’s wearing, a fucking belt!?!”
She wasn’t a fan of mini-skirts, bless.

I haven’t really thought about this. No, I don’t think I stare blatantly. If there’s something interesting to see (woman, man, stuff going on, anything really), I think human curiosity makes us try to see it. I just try to see something discreetly, I guess.

No because I don’t want to feel rude but friends and I have seen people in passing that we talk about after.

Sure, all the time. One friend and I have a pizza joint downtown where we go and sit outside just so that we can watch all the ladies in skirts walk by.

There are rules, though: Not in the workplace. If someone asks you to stop, you do immediately and without complaint. If we’re just out and about, fine, but Super Special Date Night is a no. Always maintain a firm distance away from slut-shaming and fat-shaming (eg. “Isn’t that a little short to be wearing in public?”; “I don’t care how hot it is, she should not be wearing those shorts”; etc), and obviously heteronormativity (we celebrate the men in pink shirts and skirts, not mock them).

I sometimes notice, mostly oblivious. When I do notice, I don’t turn and stare. I’m trying to think what would get my attention. I guess I notice hair.

We turn for attractive men, simply because they’re easy on the eye but also to see if he’s turning to stare at you! :)

No. Second glance at a man, maybe. However, some women are just dressed so outrageously it’s hard not to look.

I grew up in New York. Would I notice yes. Would I stare no. But I would wonder, Hooker or bad taste, or she simply doesn’t give a shit?
I tend to stare if something seems really unusual. Like tiny tiny waist. I once saw this young lady with such a small waist that she looked like she could snap in half. I kept wondering where her organs where. She was small but not starving. The rest of her was about a size 2. Years later and still wondering

@wundayatta for future reference, that kind of dress is described in shorthand as “cut up to here and down to there”, or more specifically, “neckline down there, hem up here”.

In any case, when she’s dressed like that, she’s trying to attract attention. I try to oblige, but not crudely.

@wundayatta I only turn and stare for 2 reasons. The woman is especially sexy and beautiful or she is so outrageously and badly dressed that it is almost comical. I can’t help but notice these things because I am constantly looking at the way people dress. I love it and am fascinated by it as a creative form of self expression. I would not be obvious about my staring though. Sometimes women do stare blatantly, sometimes with hostility. Their comments, often enough, can be catty.

I totally appreciate it when a woman looks sexy but in most cases the kind of dress you describe isn’t the kind that I like. It’s like the woman is trying too hard. Tight is ok, but tight and just barely covering the ass? It only makes sense to wear in a nightclub not on the street or in a restaurant. There are a few, a very few, women in my opinion, who can carry it off. Of course, most men feel differently about this :)

Anytime you want to see this fashion paraded I invite you to come to the Secaucus NJ train station on a Friday night where scads of young, scantily clad women tottering on stilettos they can barely stand on, let alone walk in, can be seen free of charge. I am not sure why they are always there or where they are headed but they seem to travel in packs. I heard from a model that I worked with that this is the standard type of thing they wear to clubs these days. I wouldn’t know, because I never go to clubs. I would love to hear from those who do. Where do you live and is this the current style in clubs where you live?

@CWOTUS, we (meaning women) might also describe an outfit that is very short by saying she needs a hairnet with that dress.

Yes, @wundayatta, I have experienced that type of conversation/behavior and been a participant in it also. It can be a conversation about an attractive female or male.

Sure, but I try not to let the object of my stare know I’m staring. Well, unless I was single and looking to get a stare in return.

The only time it bothers me if a man is staring at a woman is when it goes on for longer than is comfortable or is repeated over and over with one woman. Then it’s more like drooling than looking, you know?

I will look at other women to see what they wear, their hair, etc. I appreciate good looking people of any gender, although I’m not gay. If a woman is dressed to attract attention, I won’t stare at her. I was taught that it’s rude to stare, and I also don’t like giving extra attention to people who are asking for it.

I turn and stare. I don’t think men mind if women look them up and down do they? But ill only stare if he stares at me first lol I’ve seen a lot of girls turn around and do this. But when it comes to women starring down another woman…we try to be as discrete as possible…we don’t want a cat fight now do we?