Dutch Government Wants Citizens To Dress Well And Get Married

by Ruthie Friedlander | 1:48 pm, June 11th, 2010

We found it strange when news surfaced that a publicly funded high heels walking class was being offered at South Thames College in South-West London. But it seems as though governments around the world are becoming more and more fashion-focused — and another country has found room in their budget for some sartorial goodness.

According to Stylelist, the Dutch government is offering unemployed women free online dating services and full makeovers valued at almost $2,000. Haircuts, wardrobe consultations, and a professional photograph to post on the dating websites du jour are being given out in hopes of women landing both jobs and husbands.

The classes are, in fact, offered to both men and women in three of the country’s councils in hopes that a boost of self confidence will improve the general ennui of it’s citizens, and ultimately help the economy.

We’re all for governments helping their citizens find jobs — but dating services? How does that factor in exactly?

“This is a total concept of trying to get people out of social security,” Radboud Visser, managing director of Mens & Relatie, a matchmaking agency told the Times.

“We know from national statistics that people in a relationship have better health, more happiness, make more money, and live longer lives. They make less use of medical systems and social security. So in Friesland they thought, We can try to get people out of social security by bringing them to a nice new husband.”

Free classes in walking in heels and government funded dating advice? What’s next? Speech classes to teach us how to pronounce designers’ names? Funded courses in what to wear when you meet the parents?

[via Stylelist]