It’s been a while since I’ve written a Women are Fantastic Friday post. And because I’ve stumbled across a couple of articles and blog posts lately that have made me think about my distorted self-image as a woman, I felt that I should revive Sophie’s meme and delve into something womanly-ish—the topic of beauty.
However, let it be known that I feel a bit hypocritical writing about beauty. And I’m not talking about the kind of beauty you associate with landscapes, butterflies, children, or even inner beauty. I’m talking about the kind of beauty that Hollywood and the glamour magazines sell. The kind of beauty that is for the most part unattainable and artificial. And why do I feel hypocritical writing about this topic? Well, maybe because over the years I’ve been silly enough to buy the fool’s gold.
Sadly, I have spent countless, hard-earned dollars on hair products that promise to make my hair sleek and sexy, makeup that guarantees a flawless complexion, exercise equipment that will magically flatten my stomach, and countless diet books (I can think of 7 in my bookcase at the moment) that promise I will lose 30 pounds in one month without even working out. Basically, I am a slave to beauty. More accurately, I am a slave to the false image of beauty.
You see, I grew up in the 80s at a time when the Cindy Crawfords and Christy Brinkleys were taking the world by storm. As a teenager, I spent hours paging through Teen Magazine and Seventeen searching for the trade secrets to make me look like the fresh-faced, carefree models splattered across the glossy pages. (Hey, wasn’t I fresh-faced and carefree at 13?) Apparently, all I had to do was buy the products and clothes that the models were touting, and I could be them. I could have the perfect body, the long, flowing hair, a beautiful smile, and a gorgeous boyfriend. Hollywood was selling it, and my self-esteem was paying a dear price for it.
And I wonder why I was so consumed with trying to attain this image of beauty that these models were projecting? And why do I find myself, at 36, occasionally slipping back into that old persona? Logically, I know the difference between real beauty and Hollywood’s image of beauty. But irrationally, I still struggle with a negative body image and the quest for perfect hair. And a great fitting pair of Calvin Kleins. Brooke Shields
looks(ed) good in them; why can’t I?
Anyhow, I’ve come across a couple of items that I would like to share with you that touches on the warped image of beauty that is sold to women every day.
This particular item may be old news to some of you, but it’s worth mentioning again. And again. The Campaign for Real Beauty by Dove targets young girls and women of all ages, letting them know that normal is the new beautiful. Click here to read an enlightening article about the percentage of women (based on a study by Dove) who describe themselves as beautiful. And click here to learn more about this awesome campaign.
And if you’ve never seen the following short clip by Dove about what it really takes to get model-glam looks, you must take a gander…
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYhCn0jf46U]
And if you’re as frustrated with your hair as I constantly am with mine, click here and view the short clip, “Uncover the Truth Behind Hollywood Hair.” Actually, I’m guilty of using some of those Hollywood hair techniques (i.e. torching my hair daily with a blow-dryer and straightener). GR warns me that I will one day be bald if I continue.
Also, my SIL—Big H—sent me a link to iWanexStudio—a professional photo retouching service. On this site, you can view before and after photos of their celebrity clients. You’ll see the magic that Adobe Photoshop can wield on these “naturally beautiful” Hollywood celebs. It makes me feel good all over just to see it. Follow these steps…
- Go to http://www.iwanexstudio.com/.
- At the top of the page click Portfolio.
- At the bottom of the Portfolio page, click on a thumbnail picture to enlarge it.
- To toggle between the before and after shot, hover your mouse over the picture, and then move it away from the picture.
- Click on the picture again when you are ready to close it.
I also recommend checking out this post, Smart Girls are the New Black, by Madame Queen. She talks about Danika McKellar’s (Winnie Cooper of The Wonder Years fame) new book, Math Doesn’t Suck: How to Survive Middle School Math Without Losing Your Mind or Breaking a Nail. Madame Queen also offers her insight into the image that Hollywood should be projecting to young girls today. (Oh, and while you’re there, you must check out her young son, Bubba, in his baby Elvis costume. It’s a hoot!)
I’m feeling so much better now.
And lastly, if you’re looking for some spirited and eye-opening reading about “fat acceptance,” go check out Kate Harding’s blog, Shapely Prose. She would nevah accept me as a commenter on her post because I’m a fanatic about my weight (remember? I have a negative body image?), but this girl is a scream. And maybe a little angry. But she definitely has a handle on the whole body image thing.
Now, to wrap this up, I want to task all of you women with finding the nearest chalkboard and writing the following phrase one-hundred times. Move it, girls! It’s great therapy…
And now, I must go eat my allotment of 7 almonds. Have a great weekend, y’all!
Wow! Pretty amazing, I don’t understand why we all care so much about what the “celebrities” look like, after they are finished photo-shopping them they are unrecognizable. Crazy stuff!
I posted the answers to the Rebus puzzle on my TT.
Gee, Mr Darcy (Matthew MacFayden) looks like he was hit upside the head with a frozen boot in his ‘before snap.’ And Eva Longoria is pretty enough with out needing to be plasticized.
That video is my new job. i will be making women go crazy, because of my great artistic skill of turning a woman into a Godess. YES I CANT WAIT.
I remember seeing that video a while back. Makes me feel much better about myself.
This post is fantastic! I’m addicted to that celebrity before and after site. I just need to tack it up by my mirror so I can remind myself every morning!
Well done Lulu! I sent that link to my girlfriends and we have started this email back and forth listing out what makes each other beautiful…because it’s not just the outside that makes you gorgeous! So Lulu, this is what makes you beautiful!
Lulu is the most energetic and eager woman I have ever known! She has an unfailing love for family and animals (sometimes one and the same!) and would give away her last piece of hot buttered bread if someone needed it. She is an incredible mother, being both fun and strict! I know her son appreciates all that she is! She fails to realize that she is physically a beautiful woman! She is petite and athletic with an infectious laugh and smile. She also has amazing legs! (She doesn’t realize I covet them!) And as everyone has read, she has the greatest sense of humor! I look forward to her posts and emails, knowing that I will always have a laugh! Thank you Lulu, for being the epitome of “Woman!”
Lulu, you deserve a big award for this post; it is wonderful, you fantastic woman, you! I wish I had written it myself.
Since I walk over to your cube and rant at you regularly, you know that this topic is one that is near and dear to my heart. (Not only is Lulu smart and pretty, folks, she is also very patient to put up with my ranting.)
Here’s another great read for you: Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls by Mary Pipher. Since I have a daughter, I need to read it again, and again. Here’s the link at Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Reviving-Ophelia-Adolescent-Ballantine-Readers/dp/0345392825
Shannon - celebrity worship is an interesting thing.
Makeup Artist (ALMA!) - We must never refer to Matthew MacFayden as Mr. Darcy on this blog. Only Colin Firth will do.
Chuckles - you are such the evil one!
Kailani - There’s something about this video that makes me want to watch it over and over again.
Leandrea - After looking at the celebrities again, I’m really not sure why most of them needed photoshopped at all!
Big H - I’m printing your comment and posting it to my bathroom mirror!
An now that I’ve wiped the tears from my keyboard, I will write about what makes you so be-yute-aful!
Big H is one of the most confident women that I know. She also has a razor sharp wit and can tell a story (and she has many) that makes you feel like you were there—two traits that I would give up an arm for. She’s an incessant reader and is SO smart that I sometimes have to hold back what I want to say for fear of sounding like an idiot in front of her. But she wouldn’t mind. She has a great love for her family, husband, and friends, and would fight tooth and nail for them if anyone dared to cross them. And she IS cute as a bug—inside and out. She has great fashion sense, and I’m so envious of the fact that she doesn’t have to fret over makeup and the such—she has such beautiful skin that there’s no reason to hide anything! And the nickname “Big H” is a complete misnomer. She gets up at 4:30 each and every morning to run on her treadmill before she heads off to the office. And finally, she is fun-loving and free-spirited, and it’s no wonder she’s always surrounded by her amazing friends. I am lucky to have her in my life!
Sophie - thank you so much for your kind comments! And as I commented on your blog, I will read the book that you recommended in hopes of instilling confidence in my neice and helping her through the beauty jungle.
Oh Lulu, you make me want to cry! You’re the best SIL ever!
P.S. You have an amazing eye for decorating and you’re the ONLY person I’d trust with my house on Trading Spaces! Love you girl!
Lulu this was a great post!! I love beauty products. I am a total sucker. AND my 30th bday is in 2 wks so I am preparing to yield to my feminine image-anxiety and drop a motherload on anti-aging goop. It cannot be stopped.
Thank you for this - it’s a refreshing reminder of all the hype that all of us inevitably get sucked into every once in a while. Through the barrage of ads and products we need a constant reminder that the pictures we see in those magazines are doctored to beyond recognition. InStyle’s recent photo of the lovely Catherine Zeta-Jones in no way resembles her ‘natural’ look I saw on another cover in which she wasn’t so dolled up (or photoshopped). Keeping it in perspective - that’s our goal as woman - so that we can pass it along to our daughters and be good examples for the young girls of today. We need to be our own models.
Speaking of books about that. There are these two books, that aren’t really about image but kind of are called Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot, with the sequel: Size 14 Is Not Fat Either. The third one is coming out soon called Big Boned. They are hilarious. I can’t wait until your next update.
Ditto to all of the above, Lulu. Great post and much needed for many of us.