I am a self admitted make-up fiend. No, I don't go the route of sharpie eye-brows and cake foundation, but I do like to have fun with it, especially eye-make up, and to a lesser extent, lip-stick. I work in an office, so reasonably I can say I wear it to maintain a professional appearance but let's face it.. that's a total cop-out. I just like to wear it.
I don't consider myself one of those women who refuse to be seen without being made up. Most weekends, when I'm doing my various running around, I don't bother with it. But depending on my mood, I enjoy the opportunity that make-up allows for me to create different persona'. Vamp today? yes, please. Perhaps tomorrow I will be a fresh-faced girl next door. Lipstick alone has the power to transform and project a particular ideal. A vivid red, and I hold my head a little higher, swing my hips just a bit more when I walk. Switch to a subtle pink and I'm demure, with an upturned Lauren Bacall gaze.
I'm reminded of The Bonfire of The Vanities and Thomas Wolfe's use of The Girl with Brown Lipstick as imagery. The brown lipstick seemed to symbolize sensuality, but with an earthiness, a wholesomeness justapoxed with conspicuous sexuality.
I'm by no means blind to the argument for make-up being a tool of the patriarchy to emphasize woman's worth being based solely on her aesthetics. But I also see no issue with engaging in the trappings of femininity (interesting phrase, though.. the trappings of femininity - as in, those things that keep us prisoner) when one is aware and critical of their social significance. One mistake that past generations of feminists have made is buying into the positive/negative male/female dichotomy, and eschewing those things considered feminine.
Ladies, there's nothing wrong with femininity. But always, always look with a critical eye to why you engage these 'trappings'.
But anyway.. in honor of "No Make-up Week" Here is me, sans make-up, in all my adult acne'd glory:
This should be an interesting week. Let's see how long I last.
You're quite attractive without. Might wanna consider going without more often. Just sayin'.
ReplyDeleteYou go, goddess!!! I love this project. And I love a challenge. :)
ReplyDeleteHmmn... apparently I've been doing "no make-up week" for like a decade. Ha! I probably wear make-up about 5 times a year, and one of those is always Halloween.
ReplyDeleteSo, have fun with it, and enjoy the extra ten minutes in your day!
I feel the same way as you about make-up. And I love what you said about there not being an issue with engaging in "trappings of femininity when one is aware and critical of their social significance." Well-said!
ReplyDeleteYou're plenty cute enough the way you are. My philosophy is that as long as a particular beauty regimen isn't a kind of mental or emotional prison, or an absolute obligation, then there's little to no harm in it. You're still in control and you can just have fun with it. When it becomes mandatory to feel attractive AND it's mandatory to *be* attractive, then there's a problem. I like to muck about without thinking about my appearance. Especially since I love camping and, well, campsites don't have lots of mirrors everywhere, as a rule.
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