: There are plenty of sane, non-neurotic women (and men!) who will put on nice
: clothes just to put on nice clothes . Just because you haven't discussed
: this with those acquaintances of yours that do this (and I would nearly
: guarantee that there are some) doesn't mean it doesn't happen.

: I know a woman who does this occasionally just so she can look in the mirror
: and say "damn, I look good." This doesn't make her neurotic, or
: insane, or even out of the ordinary. It just makes her not fit into your
: myopically sharp-walled boxes.

I think the point Cody is making is that, at some level, "looking good" and the pleasure we derive from it is rooted in other peoples' opinions. I'm sure there are a lot of people who dress up, look in a mirror, and are pleased with what they see without any immediate or direct external validation. But their satisfaction is derived, mostly if not wholly, from the fact that they "look good" based on societal standards, i.e. what society has told them "looks good," which necessarily involves other people, in particular members of the opposite sex.

I'm actually a bit confused as to how we got here from the OP so there's a good chance I'm missing his point. But that's my take.