The Right to Bare Arms

Aside from the typical oppressive humidity of summer (usually May to October), D.C. has pretty moderate weather. Winter days in the 40s or 30s are most common, with little snowfall to speak of (at least not the inches-deep kind that often fell in the hills of North Carolina during my youth, closing schools for days on end.)

Given my upbringing, I retain and nurture a healthy appreciation for snow days. I look as eagerly (if not more so) at the "schools closed" crawl on local forecasts as my pumpkin does in the aftermath of winter storm warnings. I smile opaquely when people complain about DC drivers not knowing how to drive in the snow. Why should they? Snow days are for staying home by the fire in pajamas with a good book (or netbook) -- popcorn, homebaked cookies and hot chocolate intermittently at hand. I was a tad miffed when President Obama scoffed at the DC area's response to a modicum of snow (schools closing or opening late) a few weeks ago. This ain't Chicago, pal. This past winter has been colder than any since I've lived here, I believe, but I have yet to see President Obama in an overcoat (maybe during the Inaugural Parade walk in 15 degrees). He's typically shown going hither and yon in nothing more than his suit coat. The First Lady, sensibly, does wear an overcoat when she's outside, but underneath it, chances are, she's sleeveless.





Yes; sleeveless.

Now, I don't recall any rule about going sleeveless, certainly nothing rigid like "no white before Easter or after Labor Day", but I do believe I have never seen a sleeveless sheath or other sleeveless daytime attire worn in these parts, before, at least, the Ides of March! Michelle Obama has been, some say, "flaunting" her flawless shoulders and biceps since January. Even David Brooks, (though, one wonders why he even has an opinion about it), snarked to Maureen Dowd about the First Lady's sleeveless tendencies in "Should Michelle Cover Up?

Haters.

In a world when even Beyonce' can nudge a little jiggle from under her forearms in the video for Flaws and All, any woman in her forties and beyond who manages to have arms that don't flap when she waves can bare them as much as she wants!