For my topic, I chose girl culture
because it is such a relevant topic in the world today. Woman are always being judged no matter if
they are doing the “right” thing or not, and if they look “pretty” enough. Like Lauren Greenfield’s Photo Essay depicts,
beauty norms play a big role in girl culture throughout society. Society forms these norms, which can include
long/dark eyelashes, clear/ flawless looking skin, and for women, a girly girl.
This photo shows a woman putting on makeup and getting ready to go out for a typical
day. As you can see, she is focused on
not making a mistake or that could throw the whole look off. The woman’s makeup
shows a more “natural” look; eyeliner, mascara, eyeshadow, lip gloss, some
foundation and powder, and a touch of powder to give her look a little more
glow to her face. “Natural” in makeup
basically means using makeup to cover blemishes or uneven tones on your face
but still using colors to match your skin tone the best as possible, and not
exaggerating the look, such as red lipstick or a bright purple eyeshadow. The angle of this photo shows how young
people, mostly females, look up to art of makeup. A lot of young girls are inspired by how
their moms do their makeup or watch makeup tutorials and look up to the women
who are teaching them. A lot of young
people who are trying to get into the makeup industry also look up to a
professional’s work, that way they can learn from the best. Framing in this picture serves as a symbol in
a way. The up-close angle closes out all
of the negative space and covers it up, just like makeup can cover up blemishes
and scars to block out negative comments people may have said about those. Makeup creates a sense of fitting in/
sameness. There are a lot of tips,
tricks, hacks and tools out there to help with makeup. For example, I have seen eyebrow stencils
with different shapes. If people buy
eyebrow stencils, all of those people would end up with the same shape eyebrow
(not that it’s a bad thing). There are
also popular styles for makeup like I mentioned before, a natural look, or you
could go on the internet and type any kind of look you want, and you’d find
it. Girl culture influences gender
socialization in several different ways.
For example, if a girl posts a picture with a full face of makeup,
people who need some makeup inspiration may ask her for tips or hacks on how
she made her look so flawless. Others
who see the post, may like the full face or not like it because it “enhances”
her beauty or “hides” it.
1 comment:
From: Penelope
I really like the idea behind your project and the meaning behind the elements you used to get your point across. What you said about the angle and framing of the picture representing makeup covering up insecurities and negative comments from others was an insightful way to show that to the viewer. When you say girl culture influences gender socialization I agree because of the immense pressure girls are put under to look a certain way. Your image shows these gender stereotypes by the placement of. I like the way you explained her being so close to the mirror was because she was being careful not to make a mistake. I think in this context making a mistake would cause issues for the girl herself since if her image to the world is not what society expects and calls for, she will be rejected. This image shows the struggle of girl culture and the outlook on beauty in women. Women are told how they should look, but what if that image is not attainable for them? I like what you said about the camera angle being a symbol for how young women look up to the makeup world. Makeup is a powerful world that can consume young girls looking for a way to fit in. Instead of them being able to have fun and enjoy the creativity, they are forced to think they must do it a specific way or they will not be accepted.
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