For the first days post I'd like to take the time to explain what exactly "10 days plain" means as well as my reasoning for choosing it.
I would like to explore the mythologies behind the concept of beauty and the current realities surrounding it. Yes, this is, indeed already a topic of much interest to many, and the choice might be somewhat unoriginal, however, I feel that this topic relates most to me as I too am more often than not a victim of what society dictates to be beautiful.
I find myself knowingly trying to mold myself into this perfect creature that I am taught to believe I should be, and despite knowing all of this and especially studying a degree such as advertising, I still choose to try pursue this idea of beauty.
It is very rare for me to step outside my house without makeup. Not because I feel I am ugly without it, but because I like it. It is a choice for me. I like the way makeup looks and I use it as a form of self expression. I treat my face and body as a blank canvas every morning. One of the motto's that I live by is "Life's too short to blend in." - which is exactly what I plan on doing for the next 10 days.
I feel my idea of the body and the way I 'dress' it is similar to the concept that Merleau-Ponty put forward about the idea of dressing being an "object of consciousness"(Entwistle, 2000: 19) and that it is the "constant dialectic between body and self" (Entwistle, 2000: 19). I externally represent who I am internally according to how I dress my body.
I usually spend a good half hour every morning simply picking out my outfit for the day and deciding what makeup will compliment it most. The way I look is very important to me. Also coming from a Ukrainian backgroud where a woman's beauty is heavily emphasised alongside her worth, I feel it would be interesting to see how comfortable I actually can be, or can't be, without all the daily fluff and effort.
Starting today:
- I will not wear ANY makeup.
- I will not take more than TWO minutes to decide on what to wear.
- I will leave my hair in its NATURAL state.
In essence I plan on removing all the unnecessary "visual fluff" and will try keep my looks as natural as possible. Wish me luck ;)
Entwistle, J. 2000. The Fashioned Body. Cambridge: Blackwell Press
1 comments:
I can understand why doing something like this is very difficult. It may be seen as silly or superficial by men or women who dont wear make-up, but once you get used to using it make-up becomes a part of you in the sense that it's almost like a mask. You can manipulate this mask to show the world what you want them to see, and without it you are just you, exposed. I myself also wear make-up everyday and if I had to walk outside without any on I would feel vulnerable. So I would say that it has gone from self-expression to a comfort zone.
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