Personally I strongly dislike what the media has done to our minds.
Ever since I could really understand about appearance and being attractive, I have doubted my beauty.
Since starting secondary school and during the first years it was evident that I was "The ugly nerd" within my class. I was the girl who never had a boyfriend, who was never asked to prom, who was never told I was "fit". In fact, I just got teased and bullied for my looks and style (and brains).
What bugs me is that the definition of beauty and being attractive is things like perfectly smooth skin, thin face, perfect bone structure, pouty lips, long flowing hair and a thin body.
I have also seen that a lot of people tend to focus on the whole Blonde hair and blue eyes kind of beauty.
The way the media have gone on about beauty, in my opinion, has had a very harsh effect on society. I mean, how many people do you know who dislike their appearance? Maybe you are one of those people. These days, we all feel the need to wear layers of make up and diet to fit in and look like those girls on the front cover of your favourite magazine, and the models on posters in shop windows.
I am one of these people who is very self conscious because of having to live up to the medias idea of beauty. Yes, I get upset a lot and get this sickly feeling when I'm out and about and I see someone who my male friends say is "fit". I mean, I'm 16 (nearly 17) and I haven't yet been in a relationship. I'm not conventionally beautiful (to the medias eyes - therefore, societies eyes) and I'm small and not exactly thin. I try to feel better about how I look all time; I finally get to the point of confidence in appearance, and then I'm put down again by seeing how I'm supposed to look to fit in.
Whilst watching "Britain and Ireland's next top model" last year 2013. There was a girl named "Emma" on it. She was tall and thin, she wore rarely any makeup, had short blonde hair and had such a unique face. I thought she was beautiful. She was exactly what I wanted to see on there.
She had braces and had such a funny, quirky personality. What I loved most is that she spoke in such a funny accent. I was so glad that she got through to the real competition from the beginning. She actually got through to the last three (I think!). Even after being criticised because of her appearance all the way through it.
One sentence that Elle said to Emma was "You aren't as conventionally beautiful as other girls", in a negative way about why potentially she shouldn't go through. I was completely gob smacked at hearing this! I couldn't get it into my head why someone would actually say this to another person. I would have felt crushed if I was Emma. .jpg "Emma from Britain and Ireland's next top model.")
Above are images of Emma from Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model.
This is just where I think it is all wrong. Everyone is beautiful. Why are there certain things we have to do and have, to make us attractive? Why is being thin made out to be the thing that makes you attractive? It doesn't make sense and is something that is stripping the confidence of a lot of people in society. The models in the magazines are photoshopped to fit the perfect image the media have made. Girls try their hardest to look like them and get disappointed when they can't. This is because it is impossible, some are modified by computer programs and are shaped and smoothed over.
Appreciate yourself and your natural beauty. It is something that is so difficult, yet you must learn to take pride in your appearance, no matter how you look. Everyone is beautiful, whether they are tall, small, slim, curvy, freckly or smooth. Natural Beauty is the best in my opinion. Yes, wear makeup to boost your confidence, but please avoid feeling "ugly" because of how the media says you should look. As Mindy Lahiri (From The Mindy project) said : "Sometimes you just have to put on lip gloss and pretend to be psyched". This is very true. I have lived by this advice for a long time!
The way I get through this self consciousness is to find inspirations and aspire to them. Admire their style and try it out. Find how they apply their beautiful eye shadow and try it out. Read up on their stories (guaranteed you will find they have felt how you feel when they were younger!).
I have a group of inspirations who I look to for fashion and advice, but I also make sure I am comfortable in myself and am staying true to who I am.
I use Pinterest to find wonderful fashion and inspirational quotes, highly recommended!
One website that gets me through the day is called "HelloGiggles.com". There are lots of women who write articles about tonnes of different things that teens and adult women love to read about. It is almost therapeutic! Their are articles on fashion, relationships, friendships and just problems that women face sometimes. I say give it a little look at if it's something that sounds like your cup of tea.
So yes. I probably rambled on a bit there...
But, still. It was all relevant, I hope!
You are beautiful, yes, you reading this.
Even if I don't know you. You are still beautiful.
Do not let anyone tell you otherwise, okay?
To the right is a picture of me strutting my stuff. Yes I am very self- conscious, but sometimes remember you have to "Put on Lip gloss and pretend to be psyched" ;)
Smile :)
L
xxx
Ever since I could really understand about appearance and being attractive, I have doubted my beauty.
Since starting secondary school and during the first years it was evident that I was "The ugly nerd" within my class. I was the girl who never had a boyfriend, who was never asked to prom, who was never told I was "fit". In fact, I just got teased and bullied for my looks and style (and brains).
What bugs me is that the definition of beauty and being attractive is things like perfectly smooth skin, thin face, perfect bone structure, pouty lips, long flowing hair and a thin body.
I have also seen that a lot of people tend to focus on the whole Blonde hair and blue eyes kind of beauty.
The way the media have gone on about beauty, in my opinion, has had a very harsh effect on society. I mean, how many people do you know who dislike their appearance? Maybe you are one of those people. These days, we all feel the need to wear layers of make up and diet to fit in and look like those girls on the front cover of your favourite magazine, and the models on posters in shop windows.
I am one of these people who is very self conscious because of having to live up to the medias idea of beauty. Yes, I get upset a lot and get this sickly feeling when I'm out and about and I see someone who my male friends say is "fit". I mean, I'm 16 (nearly 17) and I haven't yet been in a relationship. I'm not conventionally beautiful (to the medias eyes - therefore, societies eyes) and I'm small and not exactly thin. I try to feel better about how I look all time; I finally get to the point of confidence in appearance, and then I'm put down again by seeing how I'm supposed to look to fit in.
Whilst watching "Britain and Ireland's next top model" last year 2013. There was a girl named "Emma" on it. She was tall and thin, she wore rarely any makeup, had short blonde hair and had such a unique face. I thought she was beautiful. She was exactly what I wanted to see on there.
She had braces and had such a funny, quirky personality. What I loved most is that she spoke in such a funny accent. I was so glad that she got through to the real competition from the beginning. She actually got through to the last three (I think!). Even after being criticised because of her appearance all the way through it.
One sentence that Elle said to Emma was "You aren't as conventionally beautiful as other girls", in a negative way about why potentially she shouldn't go through. I was completely gob smacked at hearing this! I couldn't get it into my head why someone would actually say this to another person. I would have felt crushed if I was Emma. Above are images of Emma from Britain and Ireland's Next Top Model.
This is just where I think it is all wrong. Everyone is beautiful. Why are there certain things we have to do and have, to make us attractive? Why is being thin made out to be the thing that makes you attractive? It doesn't make sense and is something that is stripping the confidence of a lot of people in society. The models in the magazines are photoshopped to fit the perfect image the media have made. Girls try their hardest to look like them and get disappointed when they can't. This is because it is impossible, some are modified by computer programs and are shaped and smoothed over.
Appreciate yourself and your natural beauty. It is something that is so difficult, yet you must learn to take pride in your appearance, no matter how you look. Everyone is beautiful, whether they are tall, small, slim, curvy, freckly or smooth. Natural Beauty is the best in my opinion. Yes, wear makeup to boost your confidence, but please avoid feeling "ugly" because of how the media says you should look. As Mindy Lahiri (From The Mindy project) said : "Sometimes you just have to put on lip gloss and pretend to be psyched". This is very true. I have lived by this advice for a long time!
The way I get through this self consciousness is to find inspirations and aspire to them. Admire their style and try it out. Find how they apply their beautiful eye shadow and try it out. Read up on their stories (guaranteed you will find they have felt how you feel when they were younger!).
I have a group of inspirations who I look to for fashion and advice, but I also make sure I am comfortable in myself and am staying true to who I am.
I use Pinterest to find wonderful fashion and inspirational quotes, highly recommended!
One website that gets me through the day is called "HelloGiggles.com". There are lots of women who write articles about tonnes of different things that teens and adult women love to read about. It is almost therapeutic! Their are articles on fashion, relationships, friendships and just problems that women face sometimes. I say give it a little look at if it's something that sounds like your cup of tea.
So yes. I probably rambled on a bit there...But, still. It was all relevant, I hope!
You are beautiful, yes, you reading this.
Even if I don't know you. You are still beautiful.
Do not let anyone tell you otherwise, okay?
To the right is a picture of me strutting my stuff. Yes I am very self- conscious, but sometimes remember you have to "Put on Lip gloss and pretend to be psyched" ;)
Smile :)
L
xxx
