Thursday 27 January 2011

Pubic Hairstyles

Sharon Noble, an author of contemporary erotica, is our guest today. Her latest is Velvet and Topaz, a contemporary erotic ebook, released on January 18th. You can find it here.

So, Tuesday I discussed our hair limit, but apparently, I missed a very important part of the human body where there is hair. Sharon has graciously agreed to, ahem, cover this neglected part in this post. Yes, my husband has asked me to go bare or get a landing strip. My response: Only if you get yours waxed, too. (g) Needless to say, it isn't going to happen. (g)

Thank you, Sharon, for helping me out with this missed portion of the body and coming to visit us today. (g)

Thanks, Marci, for the opportunity to talk about a topic that, not surprisingly in my household, came up at the dinner table last Thanksgiving. We had a mixed group of about 10 sitting around after devouring a turkey, just having coffee and talking aimlessly. When the topic of pubic hairstyles came up, I came to attention and gave it my full focus. I'm always willing to learn something new. I didn't actually provide any input because to do so would have exposed my lack of knowledge in the sophisticated nuances surrounding the subject. I've been writing about people who don't barber their bodies, but, since I write contemporary romances, perhaps I should know something about what's out there. I haven't taken a lot of notice of this aspect of sexuality. Am I hopelessly out of date? I always thought pubic hair was nature's way of decorating out bodies, just like the hair on the rest of our bodies, but clearly not everyone agrees.

For those of you who write period romances, it probably doesn't enter the picture at all. But my guests talked about preferences for no body hair at all – ghastly in my opinion. Apparently some men shave off every single hair on their bodies except for eyebrows and head. Repulsive to me, but attractive to some women (I guess). Apparently women are shaving their vulvas in any number of inventive designs, taking their lead from the popular porno stars. And those piercings have to hurt. Although, if my vulva were bare, I'd probably glue a ruby on it somewhere – just for the hell of it.

So do any of you write about vulvas who have been treated to a Brazilian wax job? Do your heroes prefer vulvas naked, shaved to a landing strip, decorated, dyed some designer color, or au natural? Of course, it depends on the context. A female scientist working in the Amazon jungle isn't going to have the same aesthetic as a movie star who does naked scenes, so I get that. But do we need to address what seems to be a new aesthetic with wide preferences? Are they having fun or setting a new standard for pubic hair? I admit I've had the impulse to dye mine orange at Halloween, but I stifled that impulse out of consideration for the delicate skin underneath. Who would have ever thought we'd be considering hairdos for an area of the body that has heretofore been considered beautiful “as is.”

Then there's the topic of the merkin (hairpiece) for those who have scanty pubic hair. Yes, ladies, they do exist. My oldest daughter is a wig maker for film, TV, and stage, and she recently made a fluffy merkin for an actress who had a naked scene but didn't want her own privates exposed. My guess is that she didn't have pretty pubes. Those of you who write period romances probably know more about this than I do. Apparently merkins have been around for hundreds of years. Do you write about them in your novels? Is this a topic that might inject a sense of fun into a romance novel? I didn't ask my daughter where she got the hair to put in the merkin. I didn't want to hear the answer.

~ ~ ~

A little portion of the blurb from Velvet and Topaz:

When Caroline Benning's husband of 18 years divorces her on the eve of her 40th birthday, she is devastated. To boost her spirits, best friend Marjory treats Caroline to a month-long trip to England where they can indulge their long-held passion for Tudor history. History comes alive when the friends visit Hampton Court Palace, mingling with costumed reenactors populating the palace and the grounds, and they are virtually transported to 16th Century England and the court of Henry VIII.

One man in particular, a dark, bearded cavalier in black leather and velvet moves Caroline to unexpected sexual longing - so much so that she returns alone the next day just to see him again. In a shadowed closet adjacent to one of the bedrooms, they make love unlike anything she has ever experienced...

Read more.

27 comments:

Unknown said...

Can I just say that I love the idea that this came up after Thanksgiving dinner. Some of the most provocative conversations I have ever had came after a huge holiday meal and a few of us remained to shoot the breeze.

I have never heard of a merkin, but this is fantastically interesting and now I'm going to do some research.

Good grooming in the southland is must for me personally and whoever I'm with. I'd prefer not to face underbrush one needs to cut with a machete. ;)

Marci Baun said...

HAHAHAHA, Melissa. Good thing I was drinking anything or I would have spit it out. (g)

"I'd prefer not to face underbrush one needs to cut with a machete."

HAHAHAHAHAHA

Other than the area being clean, I don't worry so much about the underbrush. (g)

I think some of that has to do with most people being mellow after the dinner and maybe a few glasses of wine. Our conversations used to get pretty raunchy before my 6 year old daughter. (sigh) I miss those days. (g)

Anonymous said...

Silly me...when I read the title of the blog I thought it said "PUBLIC Hairstyles". WTF? Isn't everyone's hairstyle public? HAHAHA!

As for PUBIC hairstyles , I have to agree with Melissa up there when she says, "I'd prefer not to face underbrush one needs to cut with a machete."

I'm going over to Sharon's for Thanksgiving this year. She has much more interesting conversations at her dinner table.

Marci Baun said...

Yeah, her dinner conversations sound fascinating, don't they, Casey. (g)

Natalie Dae said...

AAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAH HAHAHAHAHAHAH HAHAHAHAHAHAHA @ I admit I've had the impulse to dye mine orange at Halloween.

O.M.G!!!!

:o)

Natalie Dae said...

Oh, Lord, I'm going to have sore ribs. LOOLOLOLOLLLLLLLLL @ Melissa: I'd prefer not to face underbrush one needs to cut with a machete.

:o)

Natalie Dae said...

Oh, for shit's sake! LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOO @ Casey: WTF? Isn't everyone's hairstyle public?

I need to get away from this damn blog before I do myself some damage.

:o)

Linda Kage said...

Oh I definitley have to weigh in on this conversation.

Yeah, I think an, ahem, full head of hair was perfectly fine in the 70s and 80s, or as comedian Andrew Dice Clay said, "I like to have something to wipe my brow on."

But today, trim is best. Or as they said on the new TV show: Mike and Molly - "No has a shag carpet anymore, just a little rug by the entry."

Great post. Loved it!

Faith Bicknell said...

LMAO @ your ruby comment! Cute post!

And Natalie, you got me laughing so hard with your replies I started coughing! Nutter!

Valerie Mann said...

Rubies on your whoo whoo? You're talking about vagazling. Everyone wants to vagazle their vajayjay with gems and glitter. Got to decorate that runway with some lights!

Faith Bicknell said...

ROFLMAO! OMG, Valerie!

Kate Richards said...

Ummm. Actually I did have one of the girls in Carnivore Club waxed. And the waxing girl will be in another book, because I loved her.
A wig? really? A personal/girly area style wig? do you take it off and style it daily?

Tess MacKall said...

Put me down for Thanksgiving next year.

And...well, a little sparkle on the yahoo never hurts I guess. lol

I've left some of my heroines au naturale and some are waxed or shaved. And then there was this one that I gave a landing strip too.

Shiela Stewart said...

LMAO! What a great post!
I am so with the machete part. I keep myself bare and tidy or as said in Mike and Molly, a tiny rug at the entry. LOL If you’ve got to hack your way through the forest to find the fair maiden or hunky hero, is it really worth the trip?

And it’s not just women. I like my man trimmed as well. Getting poked in the eye by crazy hair while doing a service really isn’t a turn on. LOL

Cassie Exline said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Natalie Dae said...

I shouldn't have come back here. I'm laughing at Faith laughing, and laughing at pubes poking people's eyes out, landing strips, and all sorts. My goodness ME this is funny.

And the bloody word veri is "sweatin"--I am so not joking. So now I'm imagining sweatin pubic areas, which is gross yet hilarious because I've been awake for too many hours and now every damn thing is funny.

:o)

Faith Bicknell said...

ROFLMAO!!! Don't feel bad, Natalie. I'm getting punchy too. I missed getting an afternoon nap. I was sitting here cracking up at Shiela's comment about getting poked in the eye as well.

I gotta agree with her, tho. Seeing what looks like a huge batch of tumbleweed coming at you with a tiny branch poking out to say howdy is such a total turn off.

Cassie Exline said...

Sharon, great post and thought provoking. Books sounds great. A little trimming keeps things neat.

Shiela Stewart said...

Right? Seriously, you're in the process and JAB, pube to the eye. You stop, rub your eye and you mate is like, "Come on baby, take it down." and you’re thinking, "Shave that damn bush and I might." LOL

"I gotta agree with her, tho. Seeing what looks like a huge batch of tumbleweed coming at you with a tiny branch poking out to say howdy is such a total turn off"

Faith

Ronna Gage said...

OMG! Jabbing pubic hair in the eyes, sweating pubes, lights, runways, jewels.....I couldn't stop laughing for 2 minutes or more. I almost peed my pants.

Shannon Leigh said...

That was so funny I had to read it out loud for my hubby. I think hr was amused. Maybe now he won't wonder what we women talk about.

Fiona McGier said...

I guess I'll be the dissenting voice here. In times past I have shaved and trimmed, and now I leave things as they are unless we are planning a romantic weekend and I want to surprise the husband. Why? It's too damn itchy when it's growing back in! And trimming is so time-consuming and ultimately not worth the bother. I've heard that male porn stars trim so that the tree will look taller, with the bush shorter. Husband has nothing to worry about since we are on quite the intimate terms after almost 30 years. And I find the idea of having hot wax applied to such a sensitive area to be downright frightening! In general, if any man doesn't like me as I am, then he isn't getting any! And as I've noted on other postings, I find hairiness on men to be totally arousing...no matter where it is!

Ronna Gage said...

This one if in reply to Fionna's comments. I too love a hariy bush on my man. I shave mine when I have planned an intimate weekend too. FOr the same reason...comfort. I don't want to walk around the house or community looking like I have somekind of affliction in my crotch. LOL.

Fiona McGier said...

Re: Merkin...being an English major I had heard of these, since they were in fashion when the black plague caused the loss of all body hair. Wasn't the one character in "Dr. Strangelove, Or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love The Bomb", named "Muffly Merkin"? (He was an officer in the army, I believe one of the roles played by Peter Sellers in the movie.)

anny cook said...

You learn something new every day...Personally, I don't mind the bare look as long as the house hunk takes on the responsibility for the trimming. And he seems to enjoy that...

The Paperback Diva said...

This is a fascinating post. I don't recall paying much attention to the descriptions in erotica I read, but I definitely will now. I can see it being a minor plot point! lol.

Faith Bicknell said...

Thanks for visiting, Paperback Diva! This post probably gets the most traffic every month, lol.