"I don't like standard beauty. There is no beauty without strangeness." -Karl Langerfeld
In today's society women are expected to live up to society's cookie cutter beauty standards. If you go to any of your local stores and walk directly to the magazine rack you are going to see magazines with these "picture perfect" women on the covers. I know what you are thinking, "why don't I look like that?", but I am here to tell you that in reality, these women aren't as perfect as they seem. The pimple that was on her face got edited out and that stretch mark on her thigh got erased. If these women were to have these blemishes on their bodies then would society really consider them beautiful? We have developed such a critical eye and such unattainable standards that women are subjected to live up to every day.
The "perfect woman" today is tall, skinny, and just downright gorgeous. So does that mean if we don't match all of these qualifications are we as women not beautiful?
Lets take a trip back to the 1950's when Marilyn Monroe was thought to be the most beautiful woman in the world. Marilyn was curvy and yet she was still considered beautiful.
So why is it not ok for us to look like this too? It doesn't matter if you are curvy like Marilyn or if you are a size zero, you are still perfect in your own way. Take the women in the Dove beauty campaign for example.
Each of these women have different body types and each of them are still beautiful.
Psalm 139:14 says, "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." God chose to make you just the way that you are and he doesn't make any mistakes. We were each created with such love and attention so how could we not be perfect just the way we are. Just remember that there is no one else in the world like you.
The fact of the matter is that no matter how hard we try to lose those few "extra pounds" or gain weight so that we won't look "too skinny," we will still miss the mark, and that's ok.
Ladies, I want you to stop what you are doing and go stand in front of your mirror. This might be hard but I promise you, you can do it. Now look at yourself and repeat with me, "I am beautiful." Now say it three more times, "I am beautiful!" The more you say it the more you will begin to believe it. No matter what society says, you are beautiful just the way you are. It isn't just looks that define beauty, it is about you being the best version of yourself that you can be. Beauty comes from within.
In the words of Demi Lavato, "What's wrong with being confident?"
