are you ruled by the question "how do I look?"

[Barb Gordon]

Recently in my English class, our teacher gave us a quote involving the question "how do I look?" and then we had to write about it. After that, we read, Mirrorings, by Lucy Grealy (which I recommend you read, you can find it online). I thought it would be quite interesting what people think about this: that society, everyone is ruled by the question "how do I look?". Do you base your opinions of people, of yourself, on how they/you look? How important are appearances to you, if they are at all?

Barb^-^

[SilentBobWooHoo]

I don't give a crap about looks (well, I won't hang out with someone wearing something like 5 sizes to small for 'em, but you get the point). I just wake up every moring, throw on a shirt (usually one of my Jay and Silent Bobs, Slipknot, or Incubus) and a pair of jeans and leave. But is society ruled by that question? Sadly...yes, it is. You wouldn't believe how utterly pathetic some people in my school are. This one girl gets pissed if you leave a window down on the bus because it messes up her hair...but I don't associate with people that don't give a damn about anything but looks...

[Stardust]

I don't care quite so much about my looks. I don't wear makeup, I make sure my hair's presentable (now it's short and it's easier to manage...sort of), make sure I look presentable, and then I'm off to class. Some days I want to look nice cuz the guy i like is in 2 of my classes, and there's 2 other cute guys in 2 of my other classes. but overall, i don't really care. i won't check every 2 seconds in the mirror, but i mind when someone messes up my hair because it gets dry and staticy easily with the cold weather coming around. last semester my friend said i dressed "frumpy" which i thought was hilarious. :) these days i like to dress nicer though. Thursdays are my easy days because I get to dress in army clothes, so no worries for me except to put my hair up. :D

[Naraht]

I dunno.....I'd like to think I don't...lord knows I don't take care of myself, but I think I do...which is dum...and probably why I like the internet so much.....cause you jusge ppl more on their actions, and not their looks....

[Wyloms]

I got to look good you know I wear ecko mostly. Being in high school theres some good looking girls and you can't just throw on something.. But I dont trip when my hairs messed up or something like that.

[Barb Gordon]

I've always had my own personal style, and, unlike some girls who just had to have every fashion, I just wear what I like and what I think I look good in. The only type of makeup I ever use normally is just lipstick and some cover up powder for when a pimple comes along or something. And I have enough sense to know what makes me look nice, and what doesn't. Some girls I see try to wear what's "hip" at the moment, and they always looks fat, or silly or just plain sad in the clothes, because the clothes are not right for their type of body whatsoever. I'm not run by how I look, but I do like to look nice around people. But I'm not always looking like I'm ready for a fashion show like others, or that I just came to school in what I wore to bed last night. People take it to both extremes, they either care nothing about how they look, and it shows, or they're obsessed about looking good. I like to think that I'm in the happy-medium.

Barb^-^

[Shifty]

I cant stand people who base people on the brand of clothes they wear or their hair style. I throw on the first thing i see, comb my hair, and leave. I have never cared what people thought about me. I just wear what im comftorable in.

[Wyloms]

Originally posted by Shifty
I cant stand people who base people on the brand of clothes they wear or their hair style. I throw on the first thing i see, comb my hair, and leave. I have never cared what people thought about me. I just wear what im comftorable in.

I don't wear ecko to be cool I wear it cause I like it.

[optimal321]

Well, i live based mostly on this principle "no one thinks i look good when i think i do, so can i really be that less attractive if i don't care?"

Like Barb, i just try to wear what i like. But i realize that it's trivial enough for me not to obsess over.

I always make sure i wear clean clothes and i make sure my hair sticks up in front, and i'm good. But it's just because i like it like that.

[SilentBobWooHoo]

I wear Old Navy Jeans...I have a hatred for Tommy and Abercrombie and all the expensive namebrand crap...really, why the hell do people wanna pay like $80 for jeans just because they say "Tommy Hilfiger"?!?! :confused:

[Bud 'n Lou]

For myself, I care about looks. I think everyone does to a certain degree. I like to look cute. I like cool clothes. I like to play around with my hair. It makes me feel good to look nice.
For other people, it depends. Obviously, when dealing with potential mates, attraction is a component. It's not the only thing, but let's be honest. As much as we say we don't care about what they look like, if we had a choice in the matter, I don't think anyone would object to having a good looking partner. It's ideal that they have the whole package: brains, job and, yes, looks. Looks are, in many cases, what draws a person to another person to begin with. And then you get to know them, and find out if they're a good match for you. Not always, of course. But often.
Do I judge people on their looks? Sometimes. And everyone does it. I don't mean that I decide I don't like a person or something based on what they're wearing, but you can learn a lot from people based on what they're wearing. I don't look down on people who don't wear name brand clothes. I usually don't myself. I try to get cheap clothes that look just as good, but cost much less when I can. Sometimes I get name brands though. But the more I think about it, the more I really hate the name brand thing...I mean, you're like a walking advertisement with the company name pasted across your chest. It seems a little silly to me, and actually makes me feel like a bit of a sucker. I mean, you're pretty much paying THEM for the opportunity to advertise THEIR product for them.

[Barb Gordon]

It's funny, I wear a lot of name-brands I realized. But I don't do it for the price or the name, I liked it, so I bought it. But, then again, I also have a lot of no-names brands and I tend to mix and match the clothes for what works. Go figure,lol. Anyhoo, here's another question: Do guys tend to care less about their apperance and what they wear than girls?

Barb^-^

[Failure]

The world is very much run by the "how do I look" question. Rarely will you find an ugly person in a high position of power or status. Attractiveness is the unconscious persuader. And as we all know, this is particularly so in the entertainment business.

Me? I wear whatever's around, I dont fret too much about my looks. I'm not Hollywood gorgeous, but I'm confident. I don't worry about the fads, I'm not an anti-fashion person, I just don't pay attention to it at all. Whatever I like, I like. I dont wear cologne, mostly b/c I'm a cheap-ass and I dont like spending money on fashionable things. :) My hair is all spiked right now with gel, but it's cool cuz it takes me like 30 seconds to fix it, compared to when i used to have to comb it. Actually, now that I think about it, I'm totally about convenience. If I have to go out of my way to look good, forget about it.

Actually SilentBob, I bought my first "Tommy" shirt recently. Part of me felt like a traitor because I've felt the same way as you about loads of $ on clothes. But on the other hand, it was on a massive, after X-mas sale, so it was pretty cheap. All in all, I'm still true to my beliefs!

[Failure]

Originally posted by Barb Gordon
It's funny, I wear a lot of name-brands I realized. But I don't do it for the price or the name, I liked it, so I bought it. But, then again, I also have a lot of no-names brands and I tend to mix and match the clothes for what works. Go figure,lol. Anyhoo, here's another question: Do guys tend to care less about their apperance and what they wear than girls?

Barb^-^

That depends, how much do girls care about what they wear? Based on stereotypes, I'd say guys care less.

I wear a lot of name-brands too. Usually like Nike or Old Navy or something like that. I don't think that's a surprise though, name brands are the most available. You find them everywhere. These days, it takes more effort to find no-name brands than name brands.

Bud 'n Lou:
I'm in complete agreement with you. As much as we hate to admit that looks are important, it's often the first thing that draws us to people. It's mean to say, but you usually don't hang around people if they make you cringe when you look at them. (I'm talking more natural beauty here than their fashion style.) And that's not necessarily vanity, I think it's something more subconscious.

That said, looks probably affect my initial perceptions of people more than I'm willing to let on. But I still go past that and try to get beneath the surface. I think as long as you make a sincere effort to work past your subconscious tendencies it's cool.

[Wyloms]

Walking advertisement board? I guess if you don't want to represent your own style thats bad. But for me everyone in my school wears Tommy and Polo so I like to wear something different and add my own style I don't mind If I am a walking Advertisement board cause I want everyone to know I ain't wearing what all the other people are wearing.

[Scythemantis]

Actually,I`ve never thought about how I or others look,and the same goes for everyone I know...it`s not something we avoid or go out of our way to express distaste for,we simply don`t even think about it.I didnt actually realize how many people cared about appearances until reading this thread!

I think people are divided into different worlds...each world has its own 'set' of things that exist and dont exist.Almost any time I talk about one of the many odd subjects i`m interested in,I usually get the response "wow! I didnt know there was so much to [insert subject]" Everyone is vaguely aware of the things that exist outside their world,but they dont think much about them.The things that exist inside their world,however,are considered absolutely essential to existence.

Fashion,style and all things appearance related are far outside the world I have chosen to exist in.

[Bud 'n Lou]

I just think that caring about looks is part of human nature. It's instinct. You try to select the best/strongest/etc mate you can find, ya know?

[Wyloms]

You got a point there

[Sango]

In a way, I do care about my looks, but I don't do anything to improve them. :p I just put on whatever I want. I never look at brand names. I just buy the cheapest thing I can find at Wal-Mart...

To be honest, I really don't like how I look at all. Not that what I wear is bad, I mean how I actually look. I've been trying to get over it, but I'm having a hard time. Society just places so much emphasis on being pretty. All the guys at my school do is make fun of the ugly girls (including me) and it just makes me really self-conscious. :\ I hate it when people do stuff like that! Some people can't help how they look. :mad:

[Failure]

Well, there's nothing wrong with caring how you look. Like Bud said, it's instinctual, it's a part of us.

But there are lines.
#1 - Vanity is the point of annoyance. And moves forward to obsession, etc.
#2 - Using looks as a cue to trying to size someone up is natural as well. But, obviously, it doesn't mean you go persecuting people you find "ugly."

So here's a question, how subjective is beauty? Person to person it's very subjective, but from a societal standpoint it sure looks like certain types of beauty are held in higher regarded than others.

[Fish]

For me looks count, but not in a dominating way. When I was younger I wouldn't wear anything but Nike clothes, after that I was obsessed with skater brand names.
but I don't ever think I judged ppl by their apprerances - I might have though - wow that's an ugly shirt or horrible looking pants, but that really doesn't affect my judgement of people. My rules is that as long as you fell good in your clothes it's cool with me!
Right now I wear whatever I think is cool and different too. I like to wear my pikachu shirt cuz ppl go " are you a pokemon fan??" and I saw "SO? what about it?"
For my graduation I wore my Batman Tshirt (and the pikachu one too *G*)...just to be different from all the others.


I care about my looks to a certaint extent but I'm not obsessed about it.


<>< F I S H ><>

[DR. BELCH]

--I like to be clean. I comb my hair and beard and try not to get stains on my shirt--but I'm not adverse to wearing boots with shorts, loud bandanas tied around my head like something in a Cheech and Chong movie, and loud, decidedly un-brand name shirts. My brothers get onto me for my total lack of style, esp. wearing open button shirts over T-shirts (which is warm in cold weather and on hot days there's the whole perspiration thing, so when I strip down the air hits my skin and cools me...plus I have a pocket to put things in). They say I'll never get a woman that way. :rolleyes: At this point I launch into the "I had a woman" rant, and they back off (my third ex, who was really into the designer stuff and who I don't think cared for the way I dressed either--but I still miss her and have been trying to affect a reconciliation for a while now). So I'm looking for a girl who's also decidedly self-styled with that quality of offbeat prettiness....

[SilverKnight]

Originally posted by Barb Gordon
Recently in my English class, our teacher gave us a quote involving the question "how do I look?" and then we had to write about it. After that, we read, Mirrorings, by Lucy Grealy (which I recommend you read, you can find it online). I thought it would be quite interesting what people think about this: that society, everyone is ruled by the question "how do I look?". Do you base your opinions of people, of yourself, on how they/you look? How important are appearances to you, if they are at all?

Barb^-^

I normally don't base things like vanity at any importance. Only on special occasions (dances--which I hate going to, due to the importance of looks, award ceremonies, etc.) do I ever wear makeup and a dress. Other than the special occassions, I wear baggy shirts, baggy pants, and only two rings that I got from my sister at Christmas. I despise make-up with a passion, and I can't stand wearing shirts/pants that ride up into areas that (in my opinion) shouldn't be emphasized. Society has a way of saying "If you're not beautiful, you're a horrible person". Well, you know what I say to that? ***** society. :)

[Batman 80]

I have some name brand clothes but not alot of them. I like to wear what I feel comfortable in. My main concern is being clean. I'm not a super model looking guy. I consider myself to be very average looking and I have had women tell me that I'm handsome but I think their just being polite. I mostly like average looking girls who don't obsesse about makeup and clothing and are down to earth. I very rarely fall for the supermodel girl( I did go out with one a long time ago). I guess you can say I like a "Plain Jane".

[Leaping Larry Jojo]

I care about hygiene. If you smell really, really bad (whether by dirty clothes or no deodorant/perfume) or there's lice dancing in your hair, I'm outta there. People can't help bad breath all the time, though. That's why I have a pack of Certs in my pocket all the time...

I don't care what you wear, but neatness has a certain degree of niceness to it, in my book.

[NewMaxFranklin]

I hardly ever buy new clothes. Seriously. I have bought myself two ties, a belt, and a pair of boxer shorts in the last year. That's it. All through high scholl my mother and younger sister bought all my clothes. They like to shop. I don't.

My mom knew my basic criterion:
-Dark colors; Black, Forrest Green, Dark Blue.
-No highly visible brand names of overly flashy designs.

She'd bring the stuff home and I'd keep what I wanted. It was a good system.

I always kept my hair quite short. It always pretty warm in Hawaii and my thick black hair was best when trimmed.'

I just wash my face before bed and rinsed it in the afternoon. Never had a problem with acne.

Now I think I'm a little more concerned with my appearance. I work out, but, that's mostly because it makes me feel stronger and more energetic. My hair is longer now. I grew it out when it got colder and I kind of like it. I just put gel in it and comb it back.

Shaving is a tremendous hassle. I only shave when I have to work.

I just try to stay presentable enough to attract a nice girl who'll shop for me.

[Nightflower]

I've got some really strong opinions about this subject, but I don't know whether I'd be hypocritical or not expressing them. They're nothing new of course- I don't know anyone who would think (or admit) that they cared a lot about their appearance here.

I hate the emphasis on looks. Very much so. I hate how everyone at school looks almost exactly the same- the girls with their bubble butt jeans, blowdried blond hair, eye makeup, coverup makeup; the boys with their gelled hair, baggy pants, Gap/Old Navy shirts (Well- all right, I confess. I don't have a problem with those any more than I do with regular t-shirts, and to despise t-shirts because they're popular is just silly).

Fashion

Let's see.... I don't wear makeup. Mostly because I'm too lazy, and also because due to lack of practice due to aforementioned laziness, I have a bad habit of poking my eyes out. 95% of the time, I don't do anything with my hair- no ponytails, no butterfly clips, no bobby pins. This is also due to laziness. I do brush it though.... most of the time. :o

Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein? Forget those. I won't even step into The Gap, Old Navy, or any of those stores. Paying for overpriced cheap merchandise really doesn't appeal to me. I go to department stores about once a year for new clothes :D I am guilty, however, of buying flared-style jeans and tight-ish shirts....
so I guess I'm not that far from the "I buy things because I like them and they only happen to be popular" crowd ;) (That wasn't a dig, btw.... just being tongue-in-cheek)

Don't really have trendy necklaces or bracelets. The necklace I wear is a gold chain with a golden flower, a present from an aunt, not ruled by fashion and therefore doesn't count :P

Whoa, what's that funky smell?

All right.... I'm apathetic and lazy.... but I'm not that bad :P I don't smell, I don't have lice in my hair. I'm fortunate enough to have been born with relatively good genes, so I don't get dandruff or acne that much. Which is good, since I'm lazy! Mwahahaha

I feel Pretty!

I'm not so hypocritical enough to admit that if you were to scan a crowd, I doubt you'd be able to pick me from the crowd. I don't really attract much attention.... in class, I'm usually the one in the corner buried in a sketchbook. I like to think of it as being a Bohemian artist ;)

But to answer your question "how do I look"? Or rather, "How do I think I look?" I don't care about physical appearances in terms of clothes, make-up and hair. But in terms of the features that I can't change and that I'm stuck with (Well, I guess there's always plastic surgery....ah, the wonders of the modern world :p): "Not good enough".

I used to have really low self-esteem and thought I was ugly. But thanks to a nice boyfriend (*happy beam*), I don't mind anymore. I'm not exactly proud of the way I look like, but I'm not unhappy either. Still, I don't think I'm particularly special-looking or anything (no, the good special! :P) and one can always look better, eh?

Other People, Significant Others and Significant People

As for caring about what other people look like.... I really don't think I notice at all. It always surprises me when people say some girl is ugly, or some guy is hot, or some girl needs to lose weight. Those thoughts never seem to occur to me. (Well... once I say this, I hope they don't- I like to be honest) I get left out of a lot of conversations this way. :\

Conversations about how certain people don't take care of themselves and need makeovers really irritate me- as I'm sure they irritate you people too :p One of my hobbies is to draw people around me- once you do that a lot, everyone is so different-looking, that they eventually all become the same to me. Doy, that didn't make sense.

About choosing "mates" by appearance.... as I said before, to be honest, my last boyfriend wasn't particularly good-looking, and I guess by terms of "hot" and "not", I suppose my boyfriend is average-looking (He's hot to me though :P). Personalities and what I know of people tend to color how I see them and whether they're attractive or not... I'm sure a lot of people are like that.

Is society ruled by "how do I look"? Of course! Did newspapers not cover stories for days on end about how Julia Roberts didn't shave her pits?

Man...... I applaud anyone who read all that. My apologies and I'll never do it again. :p

[Kal-el]

I know I like to look good, or at least nice, wherever I go. I work in a professional setting so dressing nice is expected. When i go out, of course I like to wear something that looks nice. I kow what clothes I like and feel that I look good wearing. I'm no slave to fashion, but I'm not totally blind to it either.
When i was in college, what I wore wasn't a big deal. Now that I'm in the working world, it is something to be aware of. A standard of dress and appearance must be kept up.
A funny thing, too, that has stuck in my mind ever since I can remember is when my mother would always tell me to look presentable because I was representing not only myself but my family. It sounds corny, but makes sense to me.

[SilentBobWooHoo]

I know you'd rather hang out with people that look like rock stars rather than hobos...but c'mon, it's not that big of a deal! I'm not a goth, but I hang out with them because some of 'em are just so damn cool...others say "They worship satan!" but that's the biggest bunch of b.s...I don't have a problem with most of 'em.

I'm also not the best looking person in the world...but I'm highly likeable, so no one talks about me. Well, most of 'em like me...and whoever doesn't is probably too scared to say anything about me (I tower over most of the people I know). And about g/f's...I would like to have a good looking one...but I don't want a brainless ditz or anything like that. I won't go out with a humongous person, but looks isn't everything that matters, ya know?

[Failure]

Originally posted by SilentBobWooHoo
I know you'd rather hang out with people that look like rock stars rather than hobos...but c'mon, it's not that big of a deal! I'm not a goth, but I hang out with them because some of 'em are just so damn cool...others say "They worship satan!" but that's the biggest bunch of b.s...I don't have a problem with most of 'em.


I dont know about that. I'd rather hang with regular people than "rock stars" or anybody involved with the glitz and glam type of thing going on.

[optimal321]

Originally posted by Nightflower
Conversations about how certain people don't take care of themselves and need makeovers really irritate me- as I'm sure they irritate you people too :p One of my hobbies is to draw people around me- once you do that a lot, everyone is so different-looking, that they eventually all become the same to me. Doy, that didn't make sense.

Actually, that drawing part makes perfect sense to me :D . I know from experience that there are a few excellent artists who just can't draw a decent looking picture of themselves. They're too concerned w/ how they want them to look instead of how they actually look.

When i made a self-portrait, i went in w/ an unbiased approach (the "am i really going to look that much more unattractive" thing again), and i thought it turned out nice.

That kinda goes the same w/ when i draw other people too. It's harder because i don't know every nook and cranny of their faces like i do mine, but i always just try to tell it like it is.

Sorry if i drifted a little off topic there :p .

[Nightflower]

Tell you what. If a hobo is more interesting than a rock star (And...won't.....rape, kill or steal from me in a drugged rage...), I'd soitainly hang out with him.

[SilentBobWooHoo]

Bah, I said "people that look like rockstars" not "rockstars" :confused: And I don't plan on hanging out with any druggies or rapists neither... :D

[Nightflower]

Originally posted by SilentBobWooHoo
Bah, I said "people that look like rockstars" not "rockstars" :confused: And I don't plan on hanging out with any druggies or rapists neither... :D

All right. If the person that looked like a hobo was more interesting than the person that looked like a rock star, I'd hang out with him. People who look like rock stars generally have a bad potential to be vacuous anyway.... not all, but a good few. I think it stems from the fact that most people would have to put in effort to regularly look like a rock star, and if you actually cared enough in the first place to put in that effort, you and I probably wouldn't get along.

[Failure]

Originally posted by SilentBobWooHoo
Bah, I said "people that look like rockstars" not "rockstars" :confused: And I don't plan on hanging out with any druggies or rapists neither... :D

Sorry, I also meant "people that look like rockstars" and not "rockstars." Didn't mean to misquote u.

Hobos are cool. :p I've met many a hobo in my days. Well, some of them were jerks.

[batE]

I identify a lot with what Nightfloer has posted, re: looks, clothes, and that fun stuff. I loathe most chain stores like the Gap, Abercrombie & Fitch, etc. What I live for is the thrill of the hunt . . . in vintage thrift sotres and consignment places. There's nothing I love more than to have some of my holier-than-thou co-workers compliment me on a pair of shoes that cost me $4 at the thrift store. I also like thrift shops because you can get relatively one-of-a-kind stuff there. The clone look that I see so much among women in colleges, high schools (and even in the workplace) gets pretty boring, actually.

I struggle a little with self-image because I am black with very strong "black" features (no button noses here), and as I work in an almost all-white office, my different look stands out, and not in a good way. I try hard to fit in when I can, much to the detriment of my physical and mental health. Right now, for example, i have pretty bad chemical burns on my ears, neck and scalp from a chemical I had put in to make it straight. Why? Because I felt that coming into work with my narutal afro hair would have freaked people out. It's weird.

I have good hygiene -- I think most women, do, actually (or, at least, most women I know.) And it fells good (IMO) to be clean and smell nice. There's nothing like a good shower . . . especially when you've got all sorts of body washes and scrubs (I'm a beauty-product freak).

As for guy's looks, well, I've always gone for the slightly-off-kilter-looking guys. I like people who don't necessarily look like everyone else. But a guy has to be clean and neat -- I don't really care what he wears unless it's loud or tight or obscene somehow.



batE

[atf487]

Im kind of late posting this, but I hate the fashion, dressing stuff etc. I'm just mad at some of the girls in my grade, because they don't talk to us, but they have eyeshadow, and all that crap(im in the 6th grade, btw). My friends and I never really have any fashion guidelines, or just something that they think is cool. I only wear this sweatshirt i have because of A weird incident during the pledge of Alegiance; I had the hood over my head, and I was pretending it was a fake costume, and I relized the pledge was going through about halfway before it ended. (sp), and most kids think I like it alot. And there's a kid that comes in everyday with a skate boarding t-shirt, but other than that, looks don't matter. Im not that pretty myself, but I don't go crying about it, or make fun of kids that are ugly. I only make fun of fat kids. I know thats mean, but I think they need to lose weight. So, in conclusion, this post means nothing, or "a relationship based on looks is stupid and superficial". And my rambling ends.

[Nightflower]

Originally posted by optimal321


Actually, that drawing part makes perfect sense to me :D . I know from experience that there are a few excellent artists who just can't draw a decent looking picture of themselves. They're too concerned w/ how they want them to look instead of how they actually look.

If they think like that, then they aren't excellent artists at all. Artists are considered excellent because they have the ability to draw what they see. (Well....some people consider artists to be excellent if they can draw a huge reaction by their work....but THAT'S another argument altogether...) See with their eyes, not with their mind. If an artist can't get over the hang-up of keeping oneself looking good, then IMHO, s/he has the wrong mindset.

But I digress.


Im not that pretty myself, but I don't go crying about it, or make fun of kids that are ugly. I only make fun of fat kids. I know thats mean, but I think they need to lose weight.

Disclaimer: I want you to know that I'm not attacking you personally, but only hope to have an enlightened discussion. And rail like the cranky old woman I am. What do you mean I'm only 18? Dang.... I can't wait till I'm 30... then I can rail all I want like the cranky old woman I will be. ;)

Anyway....if I step out of line, I do apologize and I'll meekly submit back into the darkness.

Yeah, that is mean. So what if they're fat?
I think the only reason you think they need to lose weight is because it's been ingrained into us by society that fat=ugly. I think therefore you make fun of them because you DO think they're ugly.

You may argue that being fat is preventable, and being ugly is not (Except maybe plastic surgery....but never mind!). Okay then, let's look at it another way: long nails are preventable. Would you make fun of a girl if she had long nails? No... I don't think you would. Why not? Because we've been indirectly taught that the length of our nails neither adds nor subtracts to a person's overall attractiveness. Apparently weight does. This goes back to my argument that society has made people think this way.

I have to ask again: so they're fat. What's wrong with being fat? Are all fat people mean? Stupid? Do they lack a sense of humor?

Whoa.....some things just push my "rant" button (It's big and red....you can't miss it). As I mentioned a couple times before, I have freaky hypermetabolism which basically means I have to eat about five major meals a day just to keep my weight above 80 lbs (I'm kinda like the deer-sucking girl in Smallville....yecch). People whining about their weight or making fun of the weight of others just irritate me. People like me, or worse (I'm thinking about several models at the moment) look just as bad as overweight people, if not worse. If you must make fun of fat people, make fun of the thin people too.

And don't worry- if you laugh at the girls with eyeshadow in grade 6, a bunch of people are laughing right with you. Make-up won't make them cooler, older or more mature- only age does that. Age, or possibly a sexy attitude. Make-up at such an age (Just to clarify, kids were using make-up when I was in grade 6 too, which was not so long ago) just makes them seem insecure and young.

Well- that's what I think anyway. And what the hell do I know? :p

[Failure]

Originally posted by Nightflower

Well- that's what I think anyway. And what the hell do I know? :p

I'd say you're batting a good 1.000 or so. :)

In terms of the real world, I think charisma, confidence, and yes even personality are more important than looks in the end. Looks can only get you so far. They can open new doors for you, make things a lot easier, but if you don't have any substance behind it you're not going to be able to take advantage of the opportunities. Or if you do, you're going to wind up being throttled in the end (see: drug addicted models).

Charisma and confidence can get you further than you'd ever imagine. And it's a lot less subjective than looks. While, it seems not many ugly people are "famous" it also works the other way in that once your "famous" suddenly you're "hot."

Well I've started babbling and I've completely lost my train of thought. I hope this makes sense.

[Karkull]

Originally posted by Nightflower
As I mentioned a couple times before, I have freaky hypermetabolism which basically means I have to eat about five major meals a day just to keep my weight above 80 lbs (I'm kinda like the deer-sucking girl in Smallville....yecch). People whining about their weight or making fun of the weight of others just irritate me.

Damn, I'm jealous, :D.

I pay attention to how I look, but I dress according to my own tastes. Hawaiian shirts year round (dress shirts when it's cold), black jeans, black trenchcoat or leather jacket, and maybe a beret or top hat if I feel like it (but only very rarely...I don't like wearing hats). I just dress odd...and I don't really care what other people think.

I also try to keep clean and well-groomed. I keep my hair real short so I don't need to comb it. I wash my face at least three or four times a day (I have greasy skin). I shave just about every day, but it leaves a nice razor burn on my neck.

Is that too much information? Sorry if you had to read through this crap.

[Barb Gordon]

I always love it when my posts get a lot of responses :D
anyhoo...I've got a lot of the stereotypical girls at my school, some smart, some not. The blond hair, makeup on the face all the time, wearing the latest and hottest things, the most talked about, always seen at dances, always doing this, always doing that,etc. I use to think that I envied them a little, then I checked back in with reality,lol. I wont say that I'm pretty good looking, or more than good looking....because then I'd certainly be a person with a HUGE ego...but let's just say that people tell me these things alot :p I try to ignore it though. It's nice though, because I know that I'm not a superficial beauty. People are attracted to me not because I have bleached blond hair, hip hugger jeans, and a made-up face. They like being around me because I'm intelligent, funny, a great person to talk to and be around in general. Things really shouldn't be based on looks, but they tend to be. I find myself doing it from time to time and it drives me insane. It should be personality that counts, not how hot someone looks. But everday, in media, in cartoons, in newspapers, how people should look and such is getting shoved down our throats. When I pause to think about, I certainly haven't been the best person I'd like to be. I have based things on looks. I didn't like not having straight teeth, so I got braces. Hated having braces, got them off, had straight teeth. Wanted perfectly white teeth, so I got perfectly white teeth. Now what can I do to "make me look better?" was what I always seemed to be asking myself. Need to work out at the gym and be slimmer, need to have beautiful flowing hair and a clear complexion. And the biggest thing of all, my nose. Which isn't bad, it's not like all the others girls...but that's what I didn't want, I wanted to have that cute little princess nose like all the rest.

Man, how pathetic am I? Well, how I used to be. Just reading back on what I wrote, I can't beleive that I seriously used to think like that. And I can bet that a lot of other people think like that as well. But, it's really great to know that there aren't so many people out there that base things on looks, and who are not obsessed about their personal looks, and who care more about personality then facial features. Like all you awesome people who have replied to this :)

Beauty is fading, and I have a lot of sympathy for all the super skinny, pretty girls at my school. Because as the years go by, the "cute" look will get old, they wont stay so skinny much longer unless they start working out, and they'll start to lose the good looks that they counted on in earlier years. And those kinds of people will have a hard time getting by in life, never happy. But those of us with brains, personality and all the right stuff, good looks or not, will do quite well later in life. ot necessarily money wise or anything, but inner self wise, and that's what really counts. And I'm getting too philosophical here I think,lol.

Barb^-^

[atf487]

I was kidding about the whole fat thing. Personality=all that matters.

[Danielle]

It's good to wear nice, neat things and not to look like a total slob. But to wear so much lipstick people will think your gums are bleeding.... :rolleyes:

[Failure]

And lipstick tastes bad to boot. Umm, not that I've eaten any... recently or umm ever. What I meant was uh... dang. Sometimes you just gotta keep your mouth shut.

[Danielle]

Originally posted by Failure
And lipstick tastes bad to boot. Umm, not that I've eaten any... recently or umm ever. What I meant was uh... dang. Sometimes you just gotta keep your mouth shut.

LOL. :D

Lipstick. Tastes just like glue. Yuck.

{pause}

YES, I'VE TASTED GLUE! I WAS FOUR YEARS OLD, FOR **** SAKE! :p

[Jimmy Kustes]

I am not sure. Sometimes I look ugly sometimes I don't.

I hate wearing dress clothes and a tie (which I wear everyday to school) because I feel all confined, and stupid. But them are the breaks, at least I won't have to worry about it when I am a cartoonist.

[DR. BELCH]

As the late Lewis Grizzard said, if it wasn't for wanting to look good to the opposite sex, it wouldn't matter if one looked like two tubs of lard. I started jogging in college for the phys ed requirement, and then realized I enjoyed it--never been fanatical about physical exercise, but it's nice to be in shape for the sake of one's heart, if nothing else. The key to weight loss is to train your metabolism--we can't all be hypermetabolic girls like Nightflower--through exercise and proper diet. I dicovered a product last summer that helps one burn fat more efficiently during a workout, and I used it for months because it got results. I've skinned off a pant size can even go weeks at a time without using it because the effect is cumulative--it builds up in the tissues.
As for shaving, some women complain when their men don't and they get bristly...but actually the hairs grow in heavier the more they shave, so ironically the women just make it worse for themselves. If they're patient the hair will grow out and become softer. Women, I'd think, probably hate shaving worse than we men do, because of the sheer surface area involved, and I'm not one to demand it of a lass...I figure most do it for the sake of cleanliness and comfort anyway (I have asked, and at least one who felt comfotable about the subject--surprisingly most don't--answered honestly), without being persuaded/nagged to.

[LastSonofKrypton]

Nah, I don't care how I look. I mean, I follow basic rules of hygiene but as far as personal appearance goes, as I started getting older, I came to the realization that I'll always pretty much look like five miles of bad road, so I don't sweat it anymore.


Originally posted by Barb Gordon
Recently in my English class, our teacher gave us a quote involving the question "how do I look?" and then we had to write about it. After that, we read, Mirrorings, by Lucy Grealy (which I recommend you read, you can find it online). I thought it would be quite interesting what people think about this: that society, everyone is ruled by the question "how do I look?". Do you base your opinions of people, of yourself, on how they/you look? How important are appearances to you, if they are at all?

Barb^-^

[Barb Gordon]

I wonder if it depends on how you were brought up, or how you're parents dress. My mom and dad always dress right for the occasion, and I know my mom always made sure I was pretty when I was little; she'd make sure I had the cutest, most dressy shoes and fluffy little dresses. There are times when my mom, sis and I may go real bummy, but all in all, I get the feeling, rather, I know, that we like to look nice and try to do so. My dad too. i really admire my dad's dress sense, he always looks nice though he likes bumming out for a whole day or two sometimes too. It's not necessarily that he wears really nice clothes, but it's how he wears them and how he looks. Also, I think what you do or like depends on how you dress and how you're view about dress is. I horseback ride and so I normally wear dirty old jeans and a t-shirt when going to the stables. But when going to church, the play or maybe out to dinner with friend's of the family, I try hard to make sure I look nice. But these are just my opinions and thoughts, and no one is ever wrong....though I've been known to be still!

Barb^-^