The woman who became the ‘Face of Fashion’: Twiggy
Since the advent of iconic models such as Twiggy in 1966, the antelope-legged and doe-eyed world of models has been the subject of passionate engagement. Whilst many have accused models of propagating unhealthy body images and even eating disorders, others have worshipped them as though they are superhuman platonic forms, whose looks are an eternally renewable wellspring of inspiration for any artists. Whatever merits either of these perspectives have, my problem with both is that they tend to keep models bound up all too tight in that glossy two dimensional magazine spread world.
Recently, I was privileged enough to be able to attend Vancouver Fashion Week on behalf of Her Campus UBC. There, under the unforgiving lights of the cat walk, blemishes and body hair revealed themselves to not be the added details to the organza as my eyes had told me at first glance. At this point I finally realized that it was time to start considering models as human beings. This began with asking the question: If we could purely either hate or love models, than why is it that we can neither ignore them nor grow bored with them?
For me, answering this begins with the obvious, that perfection does not exist in the earthly realm. There is no perceivable flawless face or perfectly proportioned body. In fact, the more I reflect on the topic, the more the prominence of physical quirks amongst top models becomes revealing to me. When I think of Lily Cole’s wide set eyes or Vanessa Paradis’s teeth it seems clear that these features do not take away from the allure of these women, and perhaps they even enhance our fascination with models. So why is it that quirks on a model become their calling cards, while the rest of the population tends to think of our own kinks as hang-ups?
Model Lily Cole, known for her charming wide-set eyes
If you ask me – as an anthropology student – I believe that the answer to this comes from the daily lives of models. Sure, every job has its fair share of trials, but imagine what this particular job would do to your character – for example, if you were being constantly confronted by rejection based on your looks, or having to question why it is that it takes an army of beauticians and technicians to take one acceptable photo of you. Perhaps, what these processes build into the women that become models, is a strength and self-awareness which translates in photos as that fire behind the eyes which sizzles as is it says “I’m going to burn my presence into your mind in spite of my imperfection”.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not recommending that you go take a thousand selfies frantically searching for everyone of your unflattering angles to become more self aware. Because, really, the only road this will lead you down is one where you end up wearing a dollar-store wig in a courtroom defending yourself after a certain bong throwing incident. No! Please, don’t go there.
What I am suggesting instead, is that we start questioning why it is that we all too often take those negative thoughts we might have about our looks and let them burrow themselves so deep into our skin. This is especially when it seems that the most captivating, and powerful beautify that exists, even in the world of models, is one whose energy pushes forth from the inside out – and more often than not, these include the ‘imperfections’ that have made the career of many a model. Embrace yours – they are what make you unique, and what truly defines ‘beauty’.