Imagine yourself before your bathroom mirror. The door is locked. You are completely alone and nude, with the exception of your reflection, which stares boldly back at you in its definition. Unless you are in absolute denial, you are now observing at least your facial features. Following the observations, hand-in-hand, comes the criticism.
Gradually, you recreate a new, improved, and pleasing self, then frame it and hang it over the mirror. But it is still a work-in-progress. You now turn to which ever direction the full-body mirror stands and proceed to continue the critiquing process on your torso and limbs. The love-handles vanish, your legs and arms are sculpted and ridges form on your abs. You pivot on your delicate and small feet to view your buttocks which is now firm and round leading back up to your smooth, tan back and shoulders. You neck is long and your jaw line is distinct. Your soft, full lips spread wide into a smile, exposing your straight, bleach-white teeth ... then...suddenly it disappears in an instant. You stare at the reformed figure before you , fixing your eyes on those elaborately perfected ones and quickly sink into a state of nausea.
Nausea evolves into resentment; Resentment of the perfection, the flawlessness, the expectation, the inevitability of this ... “beauty”. Is ideal beauty too much beauty?
What can be done with fair skin? No art is needed for fair skin. No application of make-up, no struggle to become comfortable with blemishes. Fair skin is a blank page for peers to build on, but you do not want to be built on. You want to do your own building. Sure, sculpted legs and arms are practical but uncharacteristic. And yes, soft, easily shaken fat may not be the ideal, but a compromising median is what makes you you. In some occasions even, the fat is assisting in making up for the absence of curves. Small, delicate feet don't count for much, you will discover, in the middle of a three-mile race. And full lips can be burdening, perhaps overwhelming an intimate partner. As long as the teeth are healthy and can handle some heavy duty consumption, they will do.
Humans need contrast to grasp and hold their attention. It is a principle of art. Humans need something to look at, something to react to, something that will ignite a fire, however intense, inside of them. Red scars which echo the death of a pimple stand out against the smooth, peachy or soft brown skin color. In a sense, they decorate the T-zone like ornaments. Wide hips, large thighs, big feet, frizzy hair, round bellies, these are the characteristics that silently shout, “Hi, I'm so-and-so. Nice to meet you!”
So, Cosmo Girl, Teen People, Allure, Seventeen, grab a writing instrument and take notes because this is the “juicy info”. This is what every girl is dying to be told. This is what's “hot”. Uncontrollable hair is in, thin lips are sexy, fat thighs, big hips, and round bellies are irresistible. Big feet are impressive and can be dressed up or down on occasion. And scarring acne is a must-have!
posted by Language is for Lovers @ 6:48 PM
