My good friend, Susan Schwartz e-mailed me a link to an article by Elise Sole titled, “Models are the most physically insecure women on the planet.” about the TED Talk given by super model Cameron Russell.
Wow. It really turned things upside down for me.
We expect what we see on the outside to match the inside. So a very strikingly beautiful woman seems like she should be strikingly beautiful on the inside and not “insecure.” But it actually makes sense if you think about it; Modeling is a field where “Women are primarily valued for their physical appearance.” Cameron won the genetic lottery of having great symmetry, being tall, slender and white skinned. She is a very beautiful model who fits the “legacy” look, and is highly desired in her field. However, she stated that once she was established as an underwear model, she no longer got to speak. The fashion world only cares about her physical appearance and how they can “construct” it into desirable photographic images for advertising. All her pictures are constructions from very talented artists, photographers, etc. and she states, “That is not me.” How would it feel when people only care about your outside appearance? Models come by their insecurity naturally.
Each and every one of us longs to be recognized for who we are, the inside and the outside together. Some of us have it easier one way or another, but I believe we all have a challenge to have both recognized at the same time. Cameron’s current outside image in her job outshines her inner beauty, however, in this talk, she got to speak up, wearing clothes that show us who she truly is. Her relaxed, comfortable appearance allowed the audience to connect to her and her message.
What I do is help women find ways to have their outer beauty convey their inner beauty and intelligence. Let’s not overly value (or discount) people solely for their physical appearance.
- Clothing is the most powerful non-verbal communication tool we posses. Use it with intention.
- Learn to visually communicate what is important to you.
- Let your image on the outside show what is in the inside.
You are not a construction and it is important to let the world know just what you are made of ~ reveal your true self and be able to say ~ Yes, that’s me!