As many of you may have seen via my social media platforms, I have recently decided to take some action steps toward a long time goal of mine—writing a book. So, brace yourselves because in true Candice Avery form, I will be taking you all along on the journey with me. I am currently in the “brainstorming” process around topics (I’d love to hear your ideas). Of course I hope to incorporate as much of my expertise as possible—psychology, body image, healthcare, self-esteem, etc. This step in the process has led me to some interesting research. Most recently, I came across an article in the January/February 2020 issue of Psychology Today that raised some fascinating points about self-perception.
The article, aptly titled “Immersed in Perfection”, tackles the taboo topic of photo-editing and how it has influenced many peoples’ ideas around standards of beauty. Apparently, gone are the days of bringing in photos of celebrities as “goals”–plastic surgeons are now seeing an influx of clients with photo-shopped images of themselves as their procedural aspirations. I found this very interesting: people want to look more like themselves, but not really. Further interviews (with the plastic surgeons who I work with) revealed that minimally invasive procedures like dermal filling, botox and lip injections are on the rise while more invasive procedures have decreased. In essence, it seems as though people simply want to look better for their selfies.
While I see nothing wrong with minor touching up of images, in this “social media” age, it is important that we don’t lose ourselves in ourselves. Persistent preoccupation with the unattainable standards of manufactured “perfection” can have serious mental health consequences as demonstrated by the rise in depression and suicide in the younger generation. Even the constant editing and filtering of our own images can lead to increased vulnerability and erosion of self-esteem due to the discrepancy between the “self” that is reflected on your social media timeline and the self that is reflected in your mirror.
As a disclaimer, this is not an attempt to knock self enhancement—virtual or actual—as it can be very empowering to feel that we have control over how we look. I do, however, feel that it is equally important that we take important steps in boosting self-image in a way that is less contrived.
When working with my clients, we focus a lot initially on “The Whats”—What brings you in? What look are you going for? What do you want to change about your style? However, I believe that what separates me from other stylists is that I always try to help my clients also understand “The Why”—Why do you feel like you need to change? As we navigate our various walks of life, understanding our Why is key in determining how we process the imagery while scrolling our social media timelines. My hope for you is that you have the ability to recognize and address the impact of negative self-perception as you travel your journey.