Project Perfect.

This post is a little bit out of my comfort zone. It has only the most tenuous links to fashion & is a little more personal than I usually go, but having seen it on Flaws and All and Tilly Glitter, I got really into the idea of Project Perfect. The idea is basically to get as many people as possible to write a post/make a Youtube video that's full of image-based positivity - a photo of yourself you like & why, three things you dislike about yourself & why others might love to be that way and 3 things you like about yourself.

Negative body image is so common these days, and most people find it quite hard to compliment themselves, for fear of sounding vain or conceited, because being self-deprecating is so much more socially acceptable. Also, in such an image-based culture where we are bombarded with ideas of "perfection" we inevitably end up over-scrutinising our own appearances, which only makes it easier to find flaws. I think it would be brilliant if loads of bloggers would write a post about themselves that is positive and shows that everybody is beautiful in their own way. People all need to be a little kinder to themselves, and realise that it is absolutely fine to love yourself exactly the way you are!

Project Perfect seems like a good way to start a little bit of self-esteem boosting positivity, and I hope you guys all take the idea on board, and maybe even write a post of your own.. If you do, link it back to Amy at Flaws and All. But for now, here is my contribution to Project Perfect.

A photo I like of myself.

 This photo is the original of the image on my 'All About Me' page, and it is now actually rather old (taken on a photoshoot with my friends around July 2011) but it is one of my favourite ever pictures of me. I may be posed, styled and completely made up, but I still look and feel comfortable & natural. Plus it is one of the only photos of me where I am not picking out all the flaws, I just like this one too much.. it's the hair, the bold dress & makeup and the contrasting background. Oh, and that bright orange nail polish.

Three things I dislike about myself, but with a positive spin.

1. My hair. I can practically hear the world screaming "WHY??", since my hair is naturally thick and straight, but honestly, the thickness & stubborn resistance to curls really limits my styling options. Plus my appointments at the hairdressers are ridiculously long. But people always envy thick hair, and I suppose it is preferable to really thin hair...

2. My face shape. It's kind of oval, but with a jawline that's a little too square, and cheeks that are a little too chubby in my opinion, especially when I eat unhealthily (I seem to get facial water retention!). I wish I had a smaller jaw and proper cheekbones.  However, other people might like an oval face since they do suit most haircuts, and I do agree that slightly chubby cheeks can be quite cute.

3. My legs. After 8 years of gymnastics I seem to have some muscle memory going on because even though I stopped around 7 months ago they have stayed quite muscular and toned. You're probably wondering how I can dislike this, but honestly it is not lean muscle, it is chunky muscle that has a tendency to make my legs look big (thighs especially) and sometimes sticks out awkwardly. But I guess if you don't have much muscle and your legs tend to store fat, you would much rather have this problem!

Three things I do like about myself!
 

1. My height. I am a pint-sized 5'0, and for most of my life I wished to be taller. I still get irritated by the mickey-taking that goes on around me, and my inability to reach the top shelf. But I have realised that I love being small because I can always wear high heels & bold patterns, and it makes me unique. Being petite is part of who I am, and I wouldn't change it for the world!

2. My figure. It is slightly boyish, and at the same time is not quite as toned as I would like, but in general I like the fact that I am proportionally small. Of course, I envy my curvier friends because they are so much more feminine looking, but now that I know how to dress my small frame to its advantage I quite like it. Being quite straight up-and-down means that the majority of clothes work on me, and honestly this figure suits my height much better than Kim Kardashian curves ever would.

3. My mouth. I don't possess a Hollywood pout like Lana Del Rey's but my lips are just full enough to soften my face, and they are quite symmetrical. I used to dislike my teeth, but since my overbite sorted itself out they manage to look straight and reasonably white. The main reason I like my mouth however, is the fact that it suits lipstick so well! I love bright lipsticks and stains, so I am really glad that they work so well on my mouth.

This post was ridiculously challenging, because it made me look at myself in a different way. I find it quite hard to pick out things I really like about myself, and I surprised myself with some of the things I said. One thing I really realised was that I need to take some more recent, flattering photos! Aside from my outfit post pictures (which are more about the outfits than making me look stunning) I only have photos from parties to choose from, and they are generally candid and unattractive.. This must be remedied!

Anyway, I have done my part for Project Perfect. Kudos to Amy for thinking it up! Love and kisses, Tara xox