| teenager most of the girls are poring over | | | | mythic ideal. Of course, when you're a teenager |
| Cosmopolitan or some other magazine, they gaze into | | | | conformity is acceptance, and acceptance is |
| the mirror, trying unsuccessfully to see how their face | | | | everything. Fortunately women grow up and learn |
| might compare to the pictures of the perfect models | | | | about themselves separate and apart from the rest of |
| on the page. | | | | the world. |
| According to the fashion and beauty doyenne, you | | | | When a plus size woman looks in the mirror, her |
| had to wear your hair a certain way, figure out how to | | | | self-esteem looks back at her. Unfortunately, in our |
| shade, camouflage, and otherwise persuade your face | | | | society there is little correlation between high |
| to conform to the classic oval with mile-high | | | | self-esteem and large body size. In fact, studies |
| cheekbones. | | | | confirm that even thin, attractive women don't like their |
| At sixteen plus size girls feel like they have an "ugly" | | | | bodies or themselves. Clearly, thinness is only part of |
| body and they try so hard to do as much as possible | | | | the self-esteem issue, but you can't discount its part in |
| to rise to the challenge. For example they grow mousy | | | | making plus size women love or hate themselves. I |
| blond hair very long to meet rigid teenage social | | | | think the major issue with mirrors is this: Women |
| standards, and spent hours forcing out the natural | | | | don’t have a real gauge of what shapes, lines, |
| wave so that when parted it down the middle it fell as | | | | colors, textures, and patterns flatter their bodies and |
| straight as a stick, Do you remember the gossamer | | | | why. Most of the women lack the training and skills to |
| tresses of Jan on the "Brady Bunch"? Her lovely oval | | | | achieve what they want for themselves. So looking |
| face supported the style well. Next, the go for the | | | | good is driven by whether their bodies are small and |
| bleach bottle when Mom wasn't looking, to achieve | | | | whether they are wearing the latest, most expensive |
| that Christie Brinkley/Cheryl golden-blonde goddess | | | | plus size fashions. |
| look. Then, with the help of a lot of blue eye shadow | | | | Good news! On the path to looking good (and the high |
| and a "healthy" tan, their look might fit in well enough to | | | | self-esteem that comes from liking and respecting |
| escape rejection. How many of plus size girls suffered | | | | ourselves as a beautiful plus size woman) there is an |
| the pain and blisters of turning unwilling white skin | | | | alternative course to looking thin it's dressing right for |
| reddish brown for a few days? How many of plus | | | | you. It's about understanding proportion and balance, |
| size women will pay a second time for adhering to | | | | and about choosing color and texture that will flatter |
| unrealistic or even unsafe beauty practices like this? | | | | your plus size body, your style personality, and your |
| Now when I walk through malls and see teenage plus | | | | lifestyle. Dressing well and looking good have more to |
| size girls suited up to follow the lead of strict social | | | | do with easily learned skills than the size of your bank |
| codes of dress, makeup, body posture, and attitude, I'm | | | | account and how much time you have to devote to |
| always struck by how every single plus size woman | | | | shopping. Getting dressed can be simple and fun, not |
| could look much more attractive yet fashionable if she | | | | an exercise in feeling bad about you. |
| dressed with her own body in mind instead of some | | | | |