Newcastle Nightlife

I got back last night from a mini break in Newcastle on Tyne. I went with a coachload of people from our local horticultural society - All a similar age to me. I had never been to Newcastle before. 

There was supposed to be a festival all weekend, but it was cancelled at the last minute because of the weather. On Saturday night my group wandered out to look at the city centre architecture, particularly Grey Street. We passed through the huge square in the middle of the Life Centre - it's no exaggeration to say it was gob smacking. The bars & clubs in Newcastle had said they would give free entry to all the young people who would have gone to the festival. So there were massive queues of people waiting to get in. The whole city was heaving with young people on foot & cruising in cars. 

At this point I must say the old adage "don't judge a book by it's cover" is absolutely true. However I think we were all amazed at the sheer numbers of young people & more to the point what the girls were, or rather weren't, wearing. The skirts & shorts were pelmets, often not covering their buttocks. Tops were either very low cut or exposed midriffs, or both. There wasn't really much clothing at all. There was a lot of sparkle & some very high heels.

I had seen "All in the Best Possible Taste", a documentary Grayson Perry did with an episode about Sunderland nightlife. But seeing it actually happening was a whole different experience. It seemed quite tribal, the girls  & boys often in separate groups. Boys wear totally ordinary clothes, but girls really push the boat out & glam up in full make up. Lots of false eyelashes, eyebrows, lip dermal fillers & false nails. This image is relatively mild in comparison to what we saw.

 

Everyone was very cheerful. We got a couple of comments, because obviously we stuck out like a sore thumb. Someone told us we were wearing too much - it was wet & chilly. But by an large these young people were only too happy to chat & help. They were delightful & funny. Some of us never did get as far as Grey Street & gave up at the castle area. 

The thing is it would be very easy to criticise on the basis of what the girls looked like. I'm the generation of Mary Quant & mini skirts, so I do know what it's like to be young & fashionable. However I am concerned. 

We all make judgements about people on the basis of what we see. To explain what I mean - If women show off their bodies to this extent in public what are they saying about themselves? My concern is that the message boys & men will get is overtly sexual. Nothing is hidden, it could be interpreted as an advertisment for attention that possibly the women don't really want.

But what do I know? Sex is a commodity now in a way that it wasn't when I was that age. I suppose I just wonder if the men are confused & the women are naive.