I love beauty and fashion. I have for as long as I can remember. I always liked the idea of self-expression through clothes, hair and makeup. Heck, I even dyed the under part of my hair purple my freshman year of high school (not a good look FYI).
As much as I love this beautiful world of glamour, I can also see the ill effects it has on people, including myself. When you look at magazines and runway shows and celebrities, you're shown a certain look that is superior to all others. To be attractive you need to be thin, have a well-endowed chest, hair sleek and shiny, and well, let's face it, you have to be white. If you don't have these features, you are told that you are ultimately unappealing and should probably strive to look like these models. So many young women look at these images and feel inadequate to these beautiful women that are photoshopped or spend hours in hair and makeup to look like natural beauties, not even thinking about how much goes into making these women look like this. Many of these women will say that they don't even look this good in their day to day lives.
Let me tell you a fun fact: Clinton Kelly said the reason why you see celebrities with perfectly fitting clothes, even when walking down the street, is because they buy everything a few sizes too big and then get it perfectly tailored to fit their body. So for all the women out there who don't understand why they can't look flawless in jeans and a white t-shirt like their favorite celebrities, now you know.
So I want to tell these girls that feel inadequate to please stop and realize that you are beautiful even if you don't look like the women on the magazines. I know what it's like to hate yourself, to think that everyone around you is stunning and you feel like an awkward potato. Let me tell you something, almost every other woman does the same thing. You are perceived so much differently by others. People see your smile or hear your laugh and think it's beautiful. If you dye your hair a crazy color there are women wishing they were as confident as you. Every little thing we pick apart about ourselves is stunning to someone else. We are far more radiant than we realize.
So if you're not a size 2, don't starve yourself to become so, love that beautiful body for what it is. Those of you that are size 2, don't let anyone tell you you're too thin or real women have curves. You are 100 percent a real woman. To all the beautiful Women of Color, you all are gorgeous and rare gems. If you have any kind of "imperfection," just know that those are what make you stunning.
I want to live in a world where we all can see our own beauty and I really hope this article helps that world come alive. Please do yourself a favor and put down the mirror to study all of your flaws in and pick up another one that shows you your worth. Look at yourself and realize you are a confident and strong woman. Screw the beauty standards that try to confine us.
