Thursday, June 6, 2013

'Getting Ready' as Performance

I want to touch on my relationship with make up, the act of getting ready, and clothing.

Women must navigate for themselves how they wish to appear. You can manipulate; you can look different every single day. This now involves many decisions and ways to express oneself, coinciding with a scale of femininity to androgyny to masculinity. Women's appearance is constantly debated and discussed. There are certain norms widely accepted and followed, while some women seek to actively break these boxes. Should women wear make up and how much should they wear? What are repercussions, if any, to wearing/not wearing make up? There is power in being able to transform one's face, to make yourself look the way you wish for yourself. There is an even greater power, I think, in transforming your gender or blurring the line of genders with makeup and/or clothing. On the other hand, it is refreshing, freeing even, to wear no makeup what so ever.

Putting on makeup is of course, an art form. All the basic elements of design are there: color, line, shape. I prefer to sit on the ground, cross-legged in front of the mirror. It's a meditation on action. Music most often is playing. There is such great comfort in knowing a process and system. I relish in the act, taking my time whenever possible, making sure to get everything just right. I am by no means a conniseur of this I might add. Clean face. Toner. SPF moisturizer. Eye-lid primer. My go to color's for eyeshdow include a light shimmer for the base and purple to shade. I am a huge proponent of the cat eye with liquid eye liner. My advice for this has always been keep your hand as steady as possible and get as close to the mirror as you can. It is an artisanship. I have no brand loyalty, and I like it being so. I am a trial and error/there are pros and cons to everything kind of gal.The exception to this is Maybeline's Great Lashes--you know the one, neon pink and green tube. This goes on next. Then blush. Blush and mascara are magical wands of beauty that do most of the work. Depending on occasion, I may put on lipstick and/or a face powder last. It's tried and true, it may not be perfect but it is mine. I helped create these steps for myself.

Perfume is my cohesion. I love smelling good. As a sweaty backpacker, I would admire women who were well put together and just looked like they smelled good. Smell of course is the largest memory inducer and I am sentimental.

Are these things like the fluffing of our peacock's feathers? If these things make you feel good, then do it. If not, don't.

In regards to clothing, I hate being a slave to fashion. Yet I love the personal adaption available. I can borrow from time periods and trends for expression. Most of all, I love the inherent tacitility of clothing. With fine arts like painting, sculpture, or even textiles, you are forbidden from feeling the tempting allure. Fashion welcomes not only your touch but your entire body. The ingenuity of clothing is beautiful. These clothes began simply pieces of cloth. 

Is this like, an actual blog post turned on it's head? A play on "what's in your bag; What's your beauty regimen?" I like shouting in the abyss of the internet. It's not that I want someone to care but rather I simply want to shout things and thoughts, even if it's just to hear my own echo.