Since enrolling in Parsons, I have not had much time to focus on my blog, but that does not mean that my interest in beauty and fashion has waned. In fact, my passion for these subjects has grown stronger the more I learn and grow.
Living in NYC –particularly at Parsons, one of the most creative environments in the world, we are privileged to be able to see some of the important global trends emerge. Designers such as Heron Preston, Alexander Wang and Marc Jacobs all attended Parsons.
Fashion is an art form and can be very empowering. Like art, it can help one express oneself and be very liberating.
Like fashion, beauty can be empowering, too, but is comparatively less expensive. Perhaps this is why it has become one of the defining trends of our generation. With the popularity of smart phones and selfies, beauty and fashion have become more important than ever. Our whole lives now seem to revolve around getting the perfect selfie. This means we have to look better, dress better, travel to more beautiful places, be seen with cooler people, etc. Fast fashion and beauty have become the norm, One can only wear an outfit once before it becomes too old to wear in a selfie again. And we have to make sure our hair and make up is just right for that photo too. Beauty has become such an important trend, the industry is now worth an estimated $445 billion according to Forbes.com (https://www.forbes.com/sites/chloesorvino/2017/05/18/self-made-women-wealth-beauty-gold-mine/#34b56c852a3a)
Thinking on this, beauty empowers people to feel better about themselves. With a good wig, a woman suffering from cancer who may have lost her hair from chemotherapy, can feel better about herself. Another girl who is overweight, may be able to help herself look and feel prettier by using make-up to help accentuate her face. An older woman can make herself look and feel younger with the help of some face and hand cream to lessen the appearance of wrinkles. Then there are fillers, micro-blading, botox and even plastic surgery to help a myriad of other beauty issues.
Having said that, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I do not mean to say that wearing makeup is the key to looking and feeling better. It is fair to say that a woman can look beautiful without make-up, too.
Some women, like Athena of the blog Athena Talks, say, “There is no room for an industry that teaches women that we must invest time, money, and energy in order to change our appearance, that our bare faces must be augmented and altered, that our “flaws” are something that should erased instead of embraced.” And I most certainly agree with this, too.
The power of beauty comes from within. And as women, it should be our choice. If we want to go make-up less, wear make-up, or cover our faces for only our husbands to see. The point is that it should be our decision to make.
This goes for men, too! If a man feels better wearing makeup, whether on camera or on the street, that should be his choice. If he identifies as a woman, that too should be their choice. Same for a woman identifying as a man. And, if make-up helps, great!
Over the next few weeks, I will examine some of these trends, the power of beauty, and how beauty can empower us all!
Photo credit: https://www.elnuevodiario.com.ni/variedades/416725-beauty-boys-chicos-expertos-maquillaje-que-revoluc/
