“My interpretation of the word ‘ugly’… I like ugly beauty. That can happen. In France, we have phrase ‘jolie laide.’ We like certain women who are not pretty or cute – it’s the opposite in France of pretty. It’s more strange and interesting.”
Francois Nars
Would you rather be considered beautiful or interesting? I saw this editorial of Frida Gustavsson for Marie Claire Russia May 2019 and found her funky and casual outfits such an interesting contrast to her sumptuous surroundings. I also saw the quote by Francois Nars and started thinking about the changing concepts of beauty.
Some concepts of beauty will remain the same – big eyes, thin nose set in luminous skin. Yet once in a while there are breakthrough beauties that make us expand the definition of beauty. Lauren Hutton’s famous gap in her teeth were never fixed. Today Winnie Harlow has celebrated her vitiligo or contrasting skin tones. Ashley Graham isn’t a typical Sports Illustrated model size, but still graced its cover.
I wouldn’t have called any of these women ugly beauties. But I do love that women are owning their appearances and confirming their beauty first to themselves, and then proudly to everyone else. It is also affirming that the sense of beauty is slowly expanding beyond the typical definitions. Of course there will always be some that will be considered beautiful. But let’s keep pushing, considering and including more in what is beautiful.
Have a lovely week!
Fun editorial and such good words to accompany it! it’s true, we should celebrate who we are even if we don’t fit in the ‘standard’ beauty mould – and we should celebrate the women who are challenging traditional (and outdated standards!)
Hope that your week is off to a good start 🙂
http://awayfromtheblue.blogspot.com.au
I think i’d like to be both beautiful and interesting, and while we have a long way to go, it’s refreshing to finally start seeing more inclusive standards of beauty.
Chic on the Cheap
Yes, own your appearance. I like the idea of jolie laide. It’s certainly more interesting, and interesting is a much better compliment than beautiful, imo.
Yes, what an interesting coney and better to be interesting and unique! The comment posted!
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