Imagine yourself in the mall. You may see girls in short, tight dresses or short shorts and revealing tank tops. They have caked on makeup, thick eyeliner and too much lip gloss. The smell of their strong perfume fills the air. They talk about boys and fashion, but mainly how fat and ugly they are.
You may ask yourself, “Is that what I sound and look like?”
As young teens in a commercialized society, feelings of inadequacy are quite common due to the images of beauty that society displays on the cover of magazines, popular television shows and CD covers.
However, many girls fail to realize that those images are cut, cropped and airbrushed to look like society’s definition of “perfect,” when in reality the girl in the picture no longer looks the same.
In fashion magazines, such as Vogue and Seventeen, the models often wear short, tight dresses and ridiculous high heels. Is this the latest fashion, or just what society assumes is normal and perceives as beauty?
Take a look at the world around you: Why is this mindset acceptable in society? What happened to “modest is hottest,” or “everyone is beautiful in their own way”? Because young women often want to stand out, they may dress in revealing clothing.
I asked many girls about their personal opinion on style and the latest fashion. Many of them told me they think their personal style is being comfy and cute, or simply “being yourself” is the best way to look appealing.
I also asked a few questions about how they feel about themselves. Most of them said they had certain flaws, such as weight and skin issues. These young women felt that they were not very attractive, so they dolled themselves up every day with layers of mascara and lots of powder.
In contrast to girls who may obsess over their appearance, I am confident in my look. I feel that my style is personal and represents my character. I dress based off of who I am because I want to be original and one of a kind.
If you feel confident and cute in your outfit, then wear it. Not everyone around you needs to like it. Just be yourself, don’t always follow the latest trend, and put your own spin on the style. This approach has worked well for me.
In addition to my clothing, I feel my skin clarity affects my confidence. One of the major reasons I wear makeup is to cover my blemishes to boost my self-esteem. But what I recently found out is that what I see in my appearance is not noticed by those around me.
My family and friends usually do not pay attention to a pimple on my face. They care about my attitude, how I am feeling that day, and my well-being. Once people get to know me, they usually notice my outgoing spirit and joyful attitude instead of my physical appearance.
In a time of need, I lean on the Lord when I feel like I can’t handle the stress. When I feel pressured or upset, I pray and talk about it with a parent or friend. I know not to be ashamed because everyone has some type of insecurity.
The thing to remember is that God made everyone in His image and He loves you regardless of how you look. God does not care if you have purple hair and a green face or if you are the most beautiful person on the planet.
He loves you unconditionally and thinks you are beautiful. If someone tells you otherwise, ignore it. Everyone is beautiful in their own way.
For more opinions on beauty, check out the blog, Becoming me.
