Friday, December 07, 2007

looks can be deceiving

I am realizing something these days and I'm not sure how happy I am about it. Tell me if you can relate. Sometimes I see old pictures of myself and I'm like, "why in heaven's name did i get my hair cut like that??" or, "did i really not know how to dress myself then?" (and let's not even discuss my eyebrows and how i'd never seen tweezers until college) And then i'm like, whew, I'm glad i look normal now. It's comforting to know that i've possibly learned a thing or two and i'm out of the awkward stage. The problem is, it's not just high school where I feel i had my one ugly phase or whatever. It has continued throughout the years. So what does this mean?? That I'm not as cute as i currently think i am? that this time next year i'll look back to now and be like, "what the crap was i thinking?"

Shoot, what do i do? And really, what does this say about my perception of myself. I mean, we all critique ourselves probably a little too harshly but i try not to focus too much attention on it. Does this simply mean that i'm really vain? That i have a skewed sense of what i look like but only at the present moment?? <--hmm. maybe that is a GOOD thing, actually. It's a way for me to not be too vain, so now, these days, i can be like "don't be too proud of your supposed 'awesome' hair today because it's probably really ugly and you just don't know it yet."

anyway... i think there's still more about this to ponder...

4 comments:

Joel said...

For the truly insecure: Rate My Looks

Ashley said...

That's funny, Jen. I have had similar thoughts, but I ponder more often about the general clothing styles during periods of my life. I think, why did I decide to wear a lacey cream vest over a pink t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up in our family picture? But then I thought I was pretty cute. And then I think about what I'm wearing now and how it's sometimes somewhat fashionable, and then I consider how I'll probably look back in 10 years and think "What was I thinking?" And I'll probably think that about what everyone is wearing. Someday the 2000s will be like the 80s, you know? It's a vicious cycle. (P.S. Trevor just read my comments and told me that he used to wear jean shorts over a pair of jeans. I'll let that sentence stand on its own.)

Brooke said...

I look good in no pictures, so I never get too deluded about good looks. :)

You make interesting points, J.

Rachel said...

A big amen. Especially when it comes to bangs. ha ha. I just cut some. And eyebrows for that matter. Love it. People look better in person.