Looks are everything.
There was a time when women wanted to be beautiful. But beauty is no longer enough. With the right foundation, the right contour kit, the right choker and hair cut, any woman can be beautiful and that’s no longer sufficient.
Now, we have to be perfect. There is a plethora of Insta models showing us every day that perfection is attainable if you only try hard enough.
These Kale eating, french braid wearing women with perfect breasts and full lips have shown us the way.
‘The way’ being a one way path to your nearest cosmetic surgeon for a shot of juvederm in each lip and some new breasts. I’m not condemning surgery. In 60 years I plan to be a Chanel wearing 87 year old with the complexion of a much younger woman thanks to the right Botox specialist.
That being said there is a genuine concern that we have become so accustomed to body modifications that natural beauty has become unnatural.
What’s more, men look at women with perfect breasts, small ski slope noses, thick hair and tanned skin and think that is what every girl should look like. They do not consider that many of these women whose Instagram photos they are liking have had 5 cosmetic procedures to create that perfect photo you cannot take your eyes off of.
Do not misunderstand me, if a woman chooses to have lip fillers or clip in hair extensions or false breasts to make herself feel more attractive then she is well within her rights to do so. However if another girl has the confidence to make it through the day bare faced and without so much as a false nail in sight, perhaps we can remember to celebrate her beauty too.
In fact, it is our differences that make us beautiful. So many of us are afraid of falling outside what is considered today’s ‘beauty norm’, when really what we should be worried about, is being exactly the same as everyone else.
The world does not need an army of large lipped, full breasted clones wearing over the knee boots taking photos against white walls whilst nonchalantly looking as the ground. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a great look. But it’s not the only look.
If you do buy into Social Media’s perception of what beauty is then you should know that you can apply false lashes, hair extensions, acrylic nails and have your lips done. You can learn to contour and even find the perfect lighting in your house in order to make your next selfie more flawless than the last. But in my experience once you have done everything you wanted to do, you will find something else you need to improve upon.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m the first to admit that looks are important, but maybe it wouldn’t hurt us to focus on some other things too. If we spent half the time we spend taking selfies, focusing on improving the other aspects of our life, I dare say Gen Y might be known for something other than it’s really good hair and on fleek eyebrows.
Yes, looking good is important. But it isn’t everything.
