Go Skin

Yesterday afternoon I was hanging up our office holiday(1) decorations and I was thinking about clothing. I was wearing a sweater yesterday on top of a buttoned t-shirt,(2) and since I was going to be working with pine needle-covered items I naturally removed the sweater before starting. Naturally, as in I didn't even think about as I was doing it. In fact, none of this occurred to me at all until I was finished and washing my hands and I noticed those tell-tale red dots on the insides of my forearms. You see, if I had been wearing the sweater, then those dots wouldn't be there, but then I probably would have numerous nicks and pulls in the fabric, which would be almost unfixable. Instead, I had very small spots on my skin that would disappear within hours.
Maybe you haven't noticed, but what I'm getting at here is that our skin is plenty strong and durable on its own, much moreso in fact that the clothes we spend so much money to cover it.
One thing I learned over time as a runner is that if it is raining and the temperature is remotely warm (anything approaching 70 degrees), you are much better off running shirtless because your skin is far better at dealing with water than any textile. This is only worth mentioning because for most people their approach is just the opposite: to put on more layers of clothes when it rains.
Our skin is pretty impressive on its own. Protection from cold is really the only biological reason to ever wear clothes.(3)(4) Remember that as you're standing in a mall looking at all the ridiculous price tags this season.


1. I put up a fake pine tree and decorated it with lights and ornaments. I also put up pine-roping things and draped them in the elevator lobby. These are "Christmas" decorations. There is no reason to act otherwise. I don't really mind respecting others by using the "holiday" designation when referring to the season in general, but I do get a little pissed when someone says we are not supposed to call things what they are when what they are is "Christmas." Next time I hear someone call something a "menorah," I will correct them and say, no, that is in fact a "holiday candle."
2. At this point in my life I know both that wearing button-up t-shirts is scorned and that I will never ever stop doing it. Try to think about the many times in your life that you've been happy to have a sleeve buttoned tight around your wrists. Anytime I wear a fully-sleeved shirt, I will always just unbutton the wrist and roll up the sleeves anyway. Give me comfort.
3. Shame or embarrassment are not a biological reasons.
4. Socks and shoes being the only exception.