The business side of aesthetics - The Lure
Models. So aesthetically perfect, it’s enough to bring people to shame. Oh wait… it does. And that’s part of their marketing strategy. The modelling industry is where designers want tall, slim and ‘physically beautiful’ people to represent their brand. And why? Because the modelling industry runs off imperfections of consumers. When you look at a model advertising something, you yearn to have their body and be ‘aesthetically perfect’. A model’s job is to make the assumption that if you buy the product they’re wearing/holding/selling, then you will have the artificial aesthetics that society sees as ‘beautiful’ ie. you will be ‘happy’. Designers know that and they lure you into buying their product. Buy this foundation and your skin will be as clear as the photo shopped model, wear these skinny jeans and your short legs will look at long as this 6 foot model. Buy our products and your flaws will be coveted through materialism and the association with a model. Don’t be fooled… materialism does not equate to happiness.
But Andrea… isn’t your fave products section materialism central ?
First of all, my aesthetics could scare off honey boo boo, so there is no way in hell I’d be able to sell a product like a model. I’d like to think the products featured in my posts aren’t a necessity, but rather a want which can help enhance your wellness or is useful (I’m always very picky about the products I promote so I promise I won’t promote garage). And heck, I’m not saying that every object in this world that isn’t something we need is ‘bad’, I’m just implying that you shouldn't fall into the trap of assuming that if you buy a product a model or blogger is endorsing, that you will be like them and 'happy' as you are you and no amount of materislitc things will somehow change your beautiful self (embrace yo flaws people). You can read my article on 'materialism' here (after you finish reading this article of of course hehe).
Why being beautiful doesn’t equate to happiness
I’d be lying if I said I don’t care what I look like. There are some days when I feel crappy because I looked in the mirror and other days it’s manageable. But if you think about it holistically, does a skinnier waist solve the fact that that you’re irritable and angsty levels continue to verge? Will it change the fact that you’re still awkward as hell and can’t have an anxiety-free convo to save your life? Or the fact that you’ve been asked to re-enrol for your uni course and you don’t even know what’s for dinner let alone what you’re going to do next year. No it won't. Physical aesthetics is suerperficial, regardless of how you look, your mind process and life challenges are still the same. Your inner flaws and perceptions (which are more significant than your outer flaws) are still there. Your problems won’t be wished away through different aesthetics, your life won’t be ‘perfect’. Everyone has there own life problems regardless of how they look. Happiness doesn’t arise from how skinny you are, how big your abs are or whether or not your eyebrows are on fleek, although you may think that, this isn’t the case. For example, if you put make up, you may feel a brief sense of euphoria if your make up is on point (rarely happens to me, can’t put that stuff on to save my life) but after you stop thinking of how you look, your life is pretty much the same. Same thoughts, same insecurities, same thoughts of anxiety.
Change your definition of beauty
Beauty isn’t your weight, your facial structure or your body composition, it’s who you are as a person. The Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela, Oprah is who I see as beautiful people because of their innovative personality and the global differences they’ve made. Not because their eye shadow brings out their eyes (the Dalai Lama with eye shadow, imagine that). Beauty is being fearless when hell pours down. It’s being brave enough to mask anxiety when there’s intense eye contact going on. It’s hysteria consuming you after a long day. To me, beauty is our flaws - they make us unique and help you to shine, stand out from the rest.
So embrace yo flaws, let your inner beauty shine !
- Andrea x