Strut your Fluff!

By Liz Egger     In which I  muse on pubes, and the fashion for pubic grooming.  (From Feb 2003)

I don’t know whether you’ve noticed, but pubic hair - especially female pubic hair - is big news these days. No longer a private part of one’s anatomy, the pubes have become part of one’s fashion ensemble for the great, the good and the glitterati. It is openly discussed in a way that would have been unthinkable even five years ago. It is expensively styled, used as a fashion, advertising and political statement, and is the centre of a growing, million dollar industry. 
As a naturist gal, I’d never given it much thought. It was something we all had, to a greater or lesser degree, and which, like the rest of one’s body, needed to be kept clean, sleek and well groomed. 
I was of course aware that some of my friends and acquaintances on the nudist circuit favoured the “smooth” look, whilst others opted for what we used to call “The Clarkie”, after the slim, trimmed moustache sported by Clark Gable. We even have one friend who chooses to dye hers various colours, one month black, another blonde, the next auburn, and so on. 
But whilst I’m used to having hair ripped from along my bikini line for those occasions when I’m unable to use a nudist beach, the thought of grooming and styling my pubic hair into a fashion accessory just never occurred to me. 
Which apparently makes me hopelessly unfashionable. 

Chic to be sleek

Because these days it’s chic to strut your fluff. Apparently the latest pubic fashion is the “Beckham”, from Japan, where young women trim and style their pubic hair after the hairstyle worn by David Beckham, an England and Manchester United soccer superstar. Just in case you’re not familiar with this sporting icon, Beckham used to tease his blonde locks into a sort of crest over the top of his head, like a fish’s dorsal fin. Although he has since reverted to a more floppy look, the dorsal fin style is the pubic cut of choice in Japan. I don’t think I’ll try this one personally. The crest can only be kept in place by copious amounts of hair gel, which is very sticky. The thought of pulling out most of my pubes every time I take off my undies does not appeal. 
Last year’s craze was the ‘Brazilian’, because the ladies of Copacabana Beach like to wear such miniscule thongs that they remove all of their pubic hair except a small rectangle. My husband refers to this as the ‘landing strip’. But then he would. This is the style apparently endorsed by celebrities such as Gwynneth Paltrow, Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw, singer Jennifer Lopez and ex Spice Girl Victoria Beckham amongst others, although I wonder whether Victoria now sports a “Beckham” in support of husband David. The poor girl certainly looks in pain. 
And now that pubic hair - and sometimes the lack of it - has become a fashion item, the styles are changing from season to season, just like clothes or shoes. 
The latest new style - so new that it doesn’t yet have a name - is a variation on the Brazilian, with the hair shaped into tufts before being dyed a colour of your choice.  But the very hottest new look promises to be the “Tiffany”, where your locks are sculpted and dyed into a plain blue square, in honour of the jewellery store’s gift boxes. 
Smoothies can also join the fun. 
For instance, the Pout beauty store in London’s Covent Garden does a range of sparkly stickers that are applied to the waxed and naked flesh and spell out words like “Flirt” Apparently they stay on for about six days, even in the shower. Should you prefer the more artistic look, you can buy stick on tattoos to decorate your lower slopes from .The comprehensive artwork ranges from animals, through hearts and flowers, to tribal and wrist and ankle tattoos although I couldn’t find any “No Entry”, or “Open Other End” signs. No imagination, some people. 

Bush politics.

Even more astonishing than the rise of pubic grooming in the beauty arena is the growing use of nudity - again almost always female - as a political tool. The widespread and continuing nude protests against a war in the Middle East are likely to make the conflict remembered as a “Bush” war in more ways than one. It is a little ironic that the growth of the pubic hair (no pun intended) cult should have been fuelled by non - naturists. In a textile environment, the opportunities for showing off your tuft, no matter how artistically decorated, have to be very limited. 
In the nudist world, on the other hand, we are up against no such limitations. Given that opportunities for most normal fashion accessories disappear with our clothes, maybe this could become the next BIG THING . Perhaps we can look forward to seeing fancy shapes, rainbow colours, glitter or stick-on tattoos enlivening our camps and resorts. Move over body painting, lets have an annual “Ms Strut Your Fluff” competition with the first prize of a thousand pound pubic makeover. Just remember that you heard it hear first. 
As for me? Well, having waited so long for the damn fluff to arrive in the first place, I can’t bring myself to go totally smooth. But maybe I could try a little something fancy for my club’s Valentines Day party. Perhaps a little heart shaped number? 
Now, where's my razor and shaving cream? 

'Til next time,
Liz

Related links:

 The Body Bare Personal Shaver for men and women will shave your pubic area closer, easier and most importantly safer than anything else on the market!   (And it's the one I use!)
Hot Pink -The Girls' Guide to Primping, Passion, and Pubic Fashion . This great e-book is the definitive guide to pubic styling.

(This article may not be published or otherwise used without the written consent of the author.)
Back to top