When it comes to fashion, flawless makeup and making a statement, I am incredibly inept. I have no idea what’s in fashion. As long as I still look good in a T-shirt and jeans, I am unconcerned with the politics that is high fashion. If I’m in a good mood, then I’ll throw on some lipstick, and if I’m in a better mood, then I’ll wear a chiffon shirt, no matter how uncomfortable it makes me feel. I’m not a fashionable person and that’s alright with me. I don’t need an expensive jacket or a sky-high pair of heels to feel comfortable and well-dressed.
For this reason, I become highly unsettled when someone makes a comment about my appearance that has nothing to do with who I am. Sometimes the comment comes from a stranger or acquaintance who does not know me but other times it comes from those closer to me. They’ll comment on the style of my shirt, as if that actually matters or on my tattered Converse, which are unbelievable comfortable, thank you very much. These comments, as harmless as they may seem, are not flattering and reduce me to an image to gaze upon, rather than a human to discuss matters with. My mind will always be more beautiful than my face and I wonder how we came to value appearance over intellect.
Our society has become an arms race, with everyone racing to beat everyone else in the game of Barbie dolls. In many ways, this is incredibly harmful. We raise our children to believe that appearance is absolutely everything, when your mannerisms and personality are often better indicators of character than your clothing. However, our world does not believe that character is everything; rather, our appearance and how we look and what we wear are what matters the most.
On average, more “attractive” people are hired more, paid more and less likely to be fired. This seems excessive, especially when we consider that appearance has nothing to do with quality of work. In many cases, I’m sure quality is overlooked when the person producing it is good-looking. This is meaningless and shallow. Our work should reflect our character and vice versa.
A few weeks back, I read a small study that mentioned the following: women who wear makeup are more likely to get hired and be well-liked in the workplace. Makeup is something that many women enjoy wearing, but it should not dictate our ability to be hired. What exactly is that teaching us about ourselves? Are we only worth a second glance when we look attractive or are wearing makeup? Apparently so.
I enjoy wearing comfortable and convenient clothing. I also enjoy wearing dark lipstick and smoky eyeshadow. This does not make me a contradiction or an anomaly, and it definitely doesn’t dictate how well I perform at my job. We need to realize and practice the idea that our appearance is not everything, and how intelligent and talented we are is not shown through uniform or makeup.
