I feel that one way out of the problem I described in the last post about appearance is to try to create new models of beauty. (Like Laura said in her comment) To push the envelope of the status quo. Take what I like from the culture I'm in and leave what I don't like. Look to other cultures or other sources of inspiration and take what I like from there.
Here is an example a friend presented once. She is half American and half African. Her hair is fairly short and not treated. On the day I noticed this, she was wearing an African skirt and top. They were made of a green cotton print. The color and design of the fabric were very attractive, as was the cut of the dress. The skirt was just below knee length, and I noticed that here legs were not dehaired. And she was wearing comfortable shoes. That's about 100 points on the Sashwee Scale of Political Dressing. It made me happy to look at her. It was philosophically satisfying. I have to admit that it wasn't as immediatly aesthetically pleasing as something that is more typical, like...I don't know...a skirt, blazer, stockings and heels. Or maybe it's not a question of aestheica but a question of being able to place her look as "ready for the office" or whatever. Anyway, even though I embrace the concept, I would still need to learn to appreciate it on an emotional aesthetic level. But I very firmly believe that our sense of beauty is maleable and can be stretched. I know this from experience.
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3 comments:
I agree, beauty doesn't boil down to the latest Valentino dress, stiletto heels and hairlessness. Often we find beauty in elements which we may never have considered before, like, how comfortable a person looks or how appropriate their dress is for the task that they are carrying out. For example, I think house clothes and an apron can look very elegent and beautiful if one is spending the day in the house doing house work :)
"our sense of beauty is maleable and can be stretched"
Lovely and true. It is our duty to stretch our concepts, thus infecting others.
Wow, I’ve been thinking about this recently - mainly because the effects of time and gravity have forced me to rethink my ideas of beauty.
It seems reasonable to dress appropriately for the occasion or to dress to show respect; otherwise I’ve given my appearance a low priority. But with time and experience, I’ve reluctantly come to accept that many people do judge you by your appearance and, unfortunately, it influences how they treat you.
I also have mixed feelings about having to spend money, time and effort on clothes, hair styling, etc., but it can be fun. Selvi, do you remember when we spent an afternoon practicing the art of wrapping ourselves in a sari? It takes a lot of practice …
I still believe in the beauty of the whole person – if you are physically and mentally healthy, you will look good. Having good taste and a sense of personal style are the finishing touches.
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