What Girls Think When They Look In the Mirror

What Girls Think When They Look In the Mirror

I was in the bathroom today because I had really bad cramps (we're not going to dive into the details, but anyway), so I was stuck in a stall for a pretty long time. I don't really understand how one designs a bathroom stall. There are always cracks on the sides between where the door hinges or opens the stall divider. In the bathroom on the fourth floor of the library, one can discreetly peer through this crack and creep on whoever happens to be at the sink.

The first girl, a tall, stocky blonde with glasses swiftly brushed her out of her face. She stared at herself, her face void of any expression beside complacency, and after a quick glance, she preoccupied her eyes with the sight of the bathroom sinks or movement of her soap-blanketed phalanges.

The second girl had eyes lightly rimmed with dark liner, pale skin, and dark hair steeply parted to the left. Here's the great thing- she turned off the faucet, looked up from her damp hands, and gave her reflection a million-dollar smile. She looked really happy to just be herself.

But then, she started to check herself out... She lifted up her over-sized hoodie, revealing a model-status flat stomach over her tight-fitting jeans. Her face lost its million dollar smile. In it's place- scrutiny. A "hmph. Good enough."

F**k, if I had a stomach like that, I'd...

I would what?

Like my body?

Oh crap. Society's reeled me in like a salmon. A less-willing, squirmy salmon, but it's taken me in its hook none-the-less.

\

Thigh gap (n):
The gap in between one's thighs.

*eyes my own thighs*

Wait, what thigh gap?








Ugh. I've got MAN shoulders.



Thanks a lot, workouts. I still look like a cow.





God, why can't I just be... thinner...



Yet, curvaceous?



And undeniably HOT?

In the eyes of...
you know...
other people?


       Society has gone about portraying a woman's body in a way which induces self-destruction and dissatisfaction. According to society, bodies deserve to be scrutinized based on a set of non-achievable standards/ purely aesthetic criteria.

• Height
• Weight
• Figure (Curves)
• Sexiness 

       By focusing on these vain aspects, society collectively targets the vulnerability of women, creating a self-image many girls feel they must strive for in order to achieve the ultimate reward: beauty. People strive to be beautiful. Why? Why has "beauty" become the sun around which an artificial society revolves? It seems as if Americans long for beauty because it has become thought of as synonymous to desirability.

       And why have beauty and desirability become as closely linked as the notion of burning fossil fuels and global warming? One of my theories relates to consumerism. Companies selling goods must encourage consumers to buy their goods- a basic concept of economics. There must be a "need" involved that the product can fill. So, companies tend to, in a sense, construct our needs. Their medium for doing so is typically via media outlets: commercials, advertisements. They portray an image, honing in on a certain need and how their product can satisfy this need.

     The woman sporting a trendy dress on the cover of Glamour represents the need for style in order to be beautiful, in order to be desirable, in order to be happy through the eyes of society. This is how need construction occurs. These artificial images, in a sense, become our eyes. Thus, we begin to see through an artificial lens. The pretty picture of a perfectly made-up eye says, "If you purchase this mascara, you'll have pretty eyes, too." The pretty picture of a thin girl with a thigh gap says, "If you can mold yourself into this form, you'll be beautiful, too." 

      And it's not only the United State's who has bought into this beauty-hungry sensation. And the image of beauty is, by far, not new. 

     In prehistoric times, men and women would adorn themselves with clay paints or jewelry made out of shells or other materials. 

       During the Renaissance, in Italy, women were considered beautiful if they painted their face with lead foundations and plucked their hairs to have larger foreheads. Also, voluptuous women were considered wealthy and beautiful.

.

Botticell's "Young Woman With a Mythological Guise" c. 1475

Tempera on Oil Pane

     This is possibly an image of Simone Martini, who, during this era was considered the "Helen of Troy."

In Thailand, women begin wearing neck rings around the age of five (given a set of a few ring which weighs about 4.5 pounds) and rings are gradually added throughout the years. Long necks (like those of dragons) are considered beautiful. 

 Standards of beauty are studied. Some try to reinforce them with mathematics. (The Golden Mean)

 Or Philosophy. Some scientists believe men are more attracted to women with neotony which can arise via Paedomorphism, "the retention by adults of traits previously seen only in juveniles," essentially, a youthful face. 

Thus explaining why so many industries choose to market products claiming to fulfill one's need to look young. 

Eyeliner, mascara, and eye shadow are all products meant to enhance eyes via giving them a more "opened" or "doe-like" look. 

 Even when applied by the Victoria's Secret makeup artists in a smouldering, cat-eyed, angular way, one can't avoid creating an image of beauty without youth. Flawless skin. Bright eyes. Glossy lips.





Aaaannnndd.. now you feel like a pedophile for comparing a VS model with a baby. (Awkward)




     Anyway, let's just say media doesn't help promote positive body image.

Tumblr, anyone? Clothing websites?







Youtube?


      Sometimes fun to wish society would strive to encourage the motion that "beauty comes from within," ... but that concept is unmarketable and therefore, artificial beauty reigns.

That's enough babbling for now. Time to finish-up studying for finals c:
Coming up next: An article on judgement




Sources:

• http://news.urban360.com.mx/98505/una-nueva-moda-amenaza-a-las-mas-jovenes/
• http://www.theempressofdress.com/2013/06/08/surf-city-santa-cruz-california/
• http://www.thebeautybiz.com/78/article/history/beauty-through-ages-renaissance
• http://www.environmentalgraffiti.com/news-taboo-neck-rings-kayan-women-thailand
• Tyra Bank's show, "True Beauty"
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neoteny

Trend Alert! #PrepsterChic

       Here, in the land of toothpaste, snow had fallen and temperatures have dropped a good 20 degrees Fahrenheit since our last preppy college trend report. Something tells me forty degrees is too cold for printed shorts (Darn!). Thus, as the scenery's changed, so have the trends!


Day                    1             2              3            4

Sperrys	15	14	9	27
Brown Boots	29	45	14	4

Table  1: Number of Sperrys and Brown Boots (specifically mid-calf to knee-high in height) spotted by Cindy and me during the course of 4 days (October 29th-November 1st).

Table 2: Percentage of people wearing sperrys or brown boots. The same data in table one but represented by percentages (i.e % of sperrys/ (sperrys + boots)) as opposed to raw data.

29 Actual Temp 44° Lo 21° Hist. Avg. 53° Lo 35°

30 Actual Temp 51° Lo 33° Hist. Avg. 53° Lo 35°

31 Actual Temp 59° Lo 38° Hist. Avg. 52° Lo 35°

Nov 1 Actual Temp 67° Lo 51° Hist. Avg. 52° Lo 34°

Table 3: The weather conditions experienced during the course of our study.

Results:

      The abundance of Sperrys is correlated to the weather conditions- as the temperature increases,  the amount of people sporting Sperrys increases as well. Additionally, as the number of Sperry sightings increased, the number of boots seen decreased and vice-versa. Therefore, our study proves my hypothesis of the inverse proportionality of Sperrys and Brown Boots. However, trends are not a science, and this study cannot be taken as indubitably valid as many factors could have contributed to error and miscalculation: 1) Cindy and I each have different schedules, and therefore, did not calculate the number of people wearing brown boots and Sperrys in the same places which creates variability in sample size 2) sometimes, we'd just forget to count at different parts of the day... 3) If you went to the dining hall, there'd be an overwhelming amount of either footwear and counting without miscounting/ double-counting or...like, labeling each person (which is CREEPY) was difficult, and 4.) Sperrys are unisex, but high brown boots are typically not.

Now for the...

Trend Alert!
Men
Lumber Jack Boots


Women 
Olive Green Army Jacket


Tall Brown Boots






Unisex Bean Boots by L.L. Bean




 

Puffer Jackets/ Vests




What does Gian think about these trends? "I think we have to overthrow the patriarchal agenda! That is all."

References:

http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/hamilton-ny/13346/october-weather/334764
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=kKU21Hm_IGT-qM&tbnid=3OuzLGHs_dny8M:&ved=0CAMQjhw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwhatiwore.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F16578376716%2Fwhat-i-wore-bean-boots&ei=nGaGUqmiMObc4AP82IHYCg&bvm=bv.56643336,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNG5lps9hzGqEVarQcPOY-jTMgRstg&ust=1384626149766719

The L.L. Bean Website

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=dSz40fpSna3rAM&tbnid=zzBCCbSSWJRgPM:&ved=0CAQQjB0&url=http%3A%2F%2Ftheexeterdresscode.tumblr.com%2Fpost%2F40568426791&ei=0WaGUq-kO9ex4AOZrYDoDQ&bvm=bv.56643336,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNG5lps9hzGqEVarQcPOY-jTMgRstg&ust=1384626149766719

J Crew Website
Makemechic.com

TheBerry.com

Fashion Collage (:

Fall Fashion 2013

(Article in Progress)

Layering

     I don't know about you, but no look screams fall more than a layered look. Think, cardigans and coats over long sleeve tees or button ups. 

(From Christian Dior's Fall 2013 RTW Collection)

Here are some examples and tips for creating easy, effortless layered looks. 

Color palette:

• Ralph Lauren's collection employed the classic fall shades: olive green, plum, deep burgundy, and rich browns and black (the collection's primary neutrals)

Gettin' Graphic 

(From Christian Dior's RTW Fall 2013 Collection) 

I LOVE how Dior played with knitwear and patterns. Dior's collection employs a fun, visual take on the classic sweater dress. 

Dresses: Ballerinas Galore

Oh my gosh, she looks like a ballerina.






Holy crap, Urban Outfitters- What's with all the ballerina dresses?


Also, cut-outs are a thing. 



Black Beauty
Ralph Lauren's collection displayed an incredible collection of floor length black gowns, all with a long, lean vintagey (1930's) look. Many were embellished and others had fur accents. Tres chic.  Overall, the dresses were precisely tailored and much attention was paid to detail. Good job, RL.

An image of dresses from the 1940's



RL's Fall RTW (Ready-to-wear) creations

Hats

Glamour's Do's and Dont's List puts warm hats as a DO c:
I concur. (Especially since there's snow up here)




References: 

http://www.glamour.com/fashion/2013/02/the-dos-and-donts-of-fall-2013-fashion-trends#slide=2

http://www.vogue.com/fashion-week/

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=xinasHpkY4QEeM&tbnid=xfJXPRf-PG64XM:&ved=0CAMQjhw&url=http%3A%2F%2Fartdecoblog.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F02%2F1930s-dresses.html&ei=4kiGUrfCLonc4AOv84CwDQ&bvm=bv.56643336,d.dmg&psig=AFQjCNHX_U20tbfs213kp6ejltNejSlxdw&ust=1384618591104551

So, I burped.

Andy and Ali ":o"

Me "o__o"

Andy and Ali *clapping and laughing*

Andy "She burped! That's so cute!"

Humanities vs. Science (Colgate Students Engaging in Intellectual Activity)

Ali "I LOVE HUMANITIES."
Cindy "I LOVE SCIENCES."
Ali "You find sciences lively and liquid? Humanities are about humans. I love humans."
Cindy "I HATE PEOPLE."

Ali "Germans are the language of NIETZSCHE!"

Angela "Greek is like, the most BEAUTIFUL language! You can read the entire gospel-"
*cue me cracking up*
Ali "Why are you laughing?"
Me "I thought it was written in Old English or something..."
Angela "Well the Old Testament is in Hebrew.. but the gospel is-"
Andy "The real gospel is in CHINESE!" *Note: Andy's Chinese
Ali "You're not even Chinese!"
Angela "IT'S THE BEST!"
Andy "AHH! THE SKY IS BLUE!"

Where are you FROM?: Racism at Colgate University #rant

One of my friends is from Hong Kong, and people always tell her, "Wow, your English is really good!" 

And she replies with something like, "Oh, thank you." 

English is her first language. 

She told me that during one of her classes, she and her friend from Brunei were participating in a lecture when the professor said, "What is like to be white in America? Because, let's face it, most of us here are white." 

What does it mean to be white in America?

Well, no one compliments your English. 

And certain other scenarios wouldn't even cross your mind. 

My biology lab professor told us that when sending in her academic papers for peer editing, she'd receive nasty comments: "You have no logic" and other scrawls criticizing her writing style. And sometimes, she'd get, "Is English your native language?" because she's of Hispanic origin. 

      And when she told this to us, a Caucasian girl in my class interjected, "Ohmygod! That's horrible!" It is horrible. And it's something that she couldn't image, something that would probably never happen to her. 

But I guess if my Biology professor has to put up with that kind of ignorance (and she is BRILLIANT by the way), then I can take the ignorance, too. 

And I have. 

During a meeting with my art history teacher:

"I gave you an A-. I really like the way you write; it's like you're making comments about the artwork, and you have your own voice." I was feeling pretty good about my first essay until... "But you use certain words incorrectly. This means something else. And sometimes, you phrase things awkwardly. Is English your first language?

"Yes." There was an awkward pause. "I'm from California.."

"Do you speak any other languages at home? It's just that, I have a lot of Asian students... and I don't mean to assume..." Wait.. you don't mean to assume.. Then, why are you assuming?

"No..."

Also, when  you're white, no one tells you stupid things like, "All white people look that same!" 

This morning, I went to order an omelette in the dining hall.

"Could I have an omelette with bacon, cheese, and broccoli?-"

"Didn't you order one already?"

"What?..no."

He gave me a strange look. But then, some other Asian girl came to grab an already-made omelette composed of similar ingredients. 

And you never EVER get asked if you're a citizen of the United States.

My Chinese friend was ordering an omelette one day as well.

"It's pretty cold outside," she said, just making small talk with the chubby omelette dude.

"Yeah... is it not cold where you're from?"

"What?"

"Are you International? What country are you from?"

"I from Connecticut." 

For place prided on its diversity and academics, so far, Colgate has 

fallen short in terms of being an accepting environment. I have never felt so...

marginalized. 

My being "Asian" has never been so blatant

so noticed

the basis of how people perceive or judge me.

Does it matter?

Why does it matter that I'm Asian?

Colgate's Student Government Association e-mail: "You picked an enthusiastic and diverse group of representatives! We come from as close as New York and as distant as Hong Kong!"

What does it matter where a person is from?

Does one person represent the entirety of his or her country?

Does distance make someone unique?

Different?

Why does a school want so much diversity?

To be able to write diversity on a pamphlet? 

To advertise their 

collection of ethnic students?

Does distance make a difference?

Does diversity make a difference?

What does it matter where I'm from? 

Does that determine my character?

Does that help you assume things about my character?

Why do we assume?

Why do we pick out differences rather than see commonalities?

And I know that none of this bullshit would have happened at UCLA (UC Lotta Asians) or another Asian-dominated school. But the majority is ignorant so ignorance reigns. 

I'm looking for a boyfriend with (insert criteria here)

So, my friends and I always have these conversations about our "perfect partner" criteria. Here are some of the things they said... (Note that these are legitimate and rather personal preferences)

Angela "As long as he has a beard, I'm fine with everything." 

• I EFFING LOVE GUYS. I don't know how to specify that anymore. 
• As long as he has a FINE BEARD. [NO STUBBLE!]
• And is Korean.
• Well, he doesn't have to be Korean, but he has to speak Korean and like Korean food. 
• And he needs to go to graduate school. Preferably in MY field.
• And I don't want anyone who's majoring in music. NO! Or art. (Because they're crazy...) [cue me being offended]
• I like the quiet types (so he can listen to what I'm saying. I mean, I don't want a guy who talks a lot because I like to talk a lot). #Domination
• NOT GIAN. 
• Somebody's who's funny.... 
• and he can't be shorter than I am (because I want tall babies.) 

"And I think that's pretty much it— I'm not that specific."-Angela 

Cindy

• Cindy wants tall babies, too.
• I don't like Asian people (personal preference).
• I don't like beards. (Angela "WHY ARE YOU GOING AGAINST ALL MY POINTS!" Cindy "I don't think guys should have them.." Angela "THEY'RE THE MOST MAGNIFICENT THINGS IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD!") 
• He needs to be relatively intelligent. 
• His job can be whatever the hell he wants (as long as he's making money) 
• He can be.. nice
• Compassionate 

Angela "Any physical characteristics? Nice abs? Nice... cows?" 

Cindy "COWS?!"

Angela "CALVES!" 

(Yeah, at this point, Angela turned into an interviewer to "get more out of Cindy")

Gian "He has to be able to twerk."

Angela "Yeah! Like, any ... dance moves you want him to have?"

Cindy "No.."

Angela "WOW. YOU'RE SO SPECIFIC." 

• moderately athletic/ fit
• outdoorsy 
• likes dogs (Cindy doesn't like cats.) 
• He needs to not crush me to death when he's sleeping... so he can't roll around...  

Gian

• a girl shorter than him
• intelligent
• short
• cutesy and bubbly 

(This was dictated by Cindy and Angela because Gian was studying Chem. Gian "Wow, you guys remembered it." :)

Nick

• "Any girl..."
• "... with B-cup boobs (or bigger)."
• "And a butt. (Because butts are nice in the winter)." 

Paul (One of the whitest kids I know)

• Ethnic
• Tall

Amanda

• someone smarter (or just as smart) as she is (which eliminates 99% of our school)
• less than a foot taller than her (She's 4'11)
• relatively fit
• not a heavy partier
• someone who won't push his views onto her 
• someone less awkward than she is 

Adib

• Sexy
• Intelligent
• Someone with similar culture and religion 
• someone who's mean, preferably (to handle his sarcasm) 

OT

• isn't crazy
• has the "lost boy look"
• Can't illegally pirate music
• No glasses
• Needs abs
• NOT left-handed
• Birthday on the 26th of the month 

Andy

• Someone with personality
• bulky.. buff... rugged buff guys?
• Into anime 
• Nice

Cindy, "Why do we even have lists? because this doesn't even matter."

Angela, "Because I want a guy with a beard."