I love me some What Not To Wear —or any makeover show, for that matter. I get a kick out of watching Stacy and Clinton take frumpy dumpies and zazz them up into snazzy sassies. I don’t always agree with the styling (what is this obsession with flat irons?), but usually, the afters are lots better than the befores.
Women on these show who start out resistant to the makeover process often argue that what’s important is what’s inside, that appearances are superficial, and that people should respect them no matter how limp their hair or saggy-baggy their clothes.
I agree, in theory, but that’s not the world we live in. It’s not even the world animals live in—appearance counts for them, too. The peacock’s tail isn’t exactly practical, but the ladies love it.
Lots of research has shown that natural beauty is an advantage in life, and natural beauty would be considered a biological phenotype. You’re born that way (or not). But recent research looks at whether the “extended phenotype” has any benefits. In the nonhuman kingdom, extended phenotype would be “the spider’s web, the hermit crab’s shell, the bowerbird’s bower and the beaver’s dam,” the researchers write. In the human world—at least in America—the extended phenotype includes cosmetics.
Maybe you can’t judge a book by its cover, but apparently we try because it seems women wearing makeup are perceived as more competent.
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Annie
7:53 am on
January 26th, 2012This article is disheartening to say the least. Why must a woman conform to society’s fascist beauty standards to be deemed acceptable? Articles like these contribute to all the artificial beauty and body images projected towards girls and women in every day media. It’s why so many girls have eating disorders, depression, anxiety, stress…etc. This is why I’m sad that of all places, I had to read this here, a mental health site. We should be promoting positive messages. Not telling women they must wear makeup because a ridiculous study said so.
It’s unnatural and demeaning that a woman must compete in the business world with makeup as the key to sure success while men would never be required of having to do the same. There shouldn’t be a separation here. We’re sold the idea that women who don’t spend tons of money on their clothing, makeup and hair are somehow depriving themselves of life’s accomplishments, pleasures and happiness. It’s consumerism marketing at it’s finest and it’s affecting everyone (yes, men, too.)
You can like makeup, you can like fashion, and you can even watch these shows like What Not To Wear. But you have to look at the big message the product and/or show is projecting, which is the often detrimental recycled, “you are not good enough,” nonsense.
Whatever you like, choose and feel most comfortable in is as natural as you can get.
It’s tough to push what the media says aside, but it’s much more liberating when you do. I hope to see more positive messages like these on Psych Central for all readers to digest.
I don’t disagree, but at least we don’t have to wear suits and ties.
Christine
2:37 pm on
January 26th, 2012I don’t deny the media push extreme versions of beauty that can lead a person to the “I’m not good enough” self-evaluation and this attitude toward one’s self can be dangerous.
The way I read it, Sophia’s not telling women they HAVE to wear makeup to be successful. She’s discussing the results of a study about how the use of makeup affected how people evaluated women.
I can’t disagree with her writing that how a woman presents herself makes a difference in how people perceive her. I’m tempted to add “like it or not.” To me she’s presenting “what is.”
Of course, in a perfect world people would be evaluated by what they are, not by how they look. However, people will continue to have opinions about what looks good and what doesn’t. In fact, every society in every age has different standards of beauty, and people try to change their appearance to match those expectations.
I’ll continue to believe I look better if I disguise the blotchy spots on my face. I also think I look better with my hair combed and my fingernails clean. And you may continue to insist I’ve been brain-washed by fascist beauty standards.
And we can agree to disagree.
peace,
Christine
Annie
9:02 pm on
January 26th, 2012Christine, hygiene is important. I even said you can like fashion and makeup all you like, but you have to ask yourself WHY you like it. Do you like it because it makes you feel good? Or do you like it because the product tells you that you’ll feel good?
There are jobs out there that force women to wear makeup because it’s in the dress code. And for what? To look “natural”? Makeup is not natural. Makeup should be a choice, not a standard.
Beauty can be subjective to an array of people, but it doesn’t matter what “they” think. It matters what you think of yourself. And hopefully it’s something positive.
I’m young. Only nineteen. I have a lot of pressures in my youth. But I’m thankful I can look past them and stick to what feels right for myself.
Christine
4:02 am on
January 27th, 2012I’m old, 62, and I certainly know what it’s like trying to live under the pressure of what “they” think. I wasted too many years of my life doing just that.
Maybe I came across as overly sarcastic; if so i’m sorry. In the 60′s – 70′s, during the so-called Women’s Lib movement, understanding how women were forced to live within society’s narrow expectations was huge. I know, I as there.
Sometimes when one of us had a job interview, we’d laugh about gaming or scamming the system by wearing the expected makeup, clothes, hairstyles so we could “infiltrate.” Often we’d be accused of giving in to “the man.” I think the important point is that we knew we were playing a part and fitting ourselves into society’s expections as a means to an end. Paying the electric bill is better than freezing in the Ohio winter.
Even now, I sometimes decide to wear more makeup than I usually do and to wear more stylish clothes. If someone comments, I might say that I decided to look like a grown-up, to play “dress up.”
I agree that we need to understand why we decide to wear makeup. We need to understand the reasons behind anything we think or do: “an unexamined life is not worth living” (Socrates, via Plato).
Having said all that, I still don’t think Sophia is “telling women they must wear makeup because a ridiculous study said so.” She told us about the results of the study. The more I consider it, she’s actually presented a way to “take advantage” of the situation. Not so much different than what we did back in the old-days.
I truly admire you for being able to look beyond what’s expected and stick to what’s right for you. That may be the most important battle we all face. As a good friend once said to me: Be strong.
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