Should You Get a Makeover? Exploring the Age-Old Question of Personal Transformation
Should you get a makeover? It's an age-old question that comes with a new beginning, but sometimes the answer is not quite as clear. Will a new look spark new confidence and new opportunities? And what if your face feels like Aaron Sorkin's words (the American screenwriter who loves to talk)? Does it only want what it knows? If you have ever wondered whether to hit the reset button with a new look, this post is for you! Let's explore this age-old question and find out if a makeunder is right for you.
A makeover isn’t about changing your looks: it’s about changing the package that holds your inner self. It’s like hitting your reboot button. Why couldn’t here Yumiko be any old person with bad feet? If and when we change our marital status, our living arrangements and our clothes, why would it matter if we also changed our names? And, in the end, just how much change is worth it?
Imagine you have been feeling stale. For several years now, you have been wearing the same clothes, and for just as long you have had the same haircut. Looking in the mirror: ‘Is this still me?’ Quite often you have the feeling that your life is getting dull, that you’re stuck in a groove. ‘No more of this,’ you tell yourself. ‘I need to shake things up a bit. I need to redraw the line below which I was still standing! I was still me back then.’ A thought fires your imagination. Perhaps you’re in need of some stimulation, of a bit of turbulence, of a rebellion against boredom. Perhaps you should get rid of the old ones, engage in a bit of cutting, and create new symbolic forms: ‘Cut the hair. And then dye it. No more black. Now, no more brown either. Now: silver.’ But for some reason, something tells you that all this is somewhat off-piste, that this cutting into yourself is not of the true being; it is more like the game of the designer.
But, before you go for that new haircut or buy a new item of clothing, ask yourself: What am I seeking clarity on here? Am I wanting others to be impressed with me, or is this an effort to improve my self-image? Your intentions are more important than you realise.
On the one hand, I’m not immune to the beauty of recreation – the thrill of emerging from the earth like a caterpillar transformed into an impossibly perfect butterfly. On the other, it’s important to remember that you don’t become truer to yourself by becoming someone you don’t already know. In a day of defunct days, being real always trumps being realist.
Just take the story of Emily (as I’ll call her), who radically reinvented herself so that she’d be more outgoing, sexually available and a little ditsy. The object of mockery of her 20s, Emily covered her flaws with plastic surgery, designer clothes and expensive makeovers. Now she’s a knockout. But no matter how much men drool over her, she still has the same sinking feeling of emptiness.
It’s a cautionary tale about the perils of self-acceptance – appearing different, even altered, might tweak the way others see you, but it won’t alter how you see yourself. You might look better, you might be more confident, you might earn more money, but you’ll still not be entirely satisfied. The individual we wanted to emerge after our ‘makeover’ probably was never buried there at all: we just couldn’t see beyond our wonky nose and decaying teeth. For most of us, happiness subsists in the event of us as we are – the dent we make on the couch and the fan that revolves around us as we speak. We should embrace our dimples, our lopsided teeth, our sagging thighs, our unsightly moles, and accept them as the vessels in which our sense of self exists – this is the key to overcoming the void. Perhaps, in the end, all we ever wanted was a spa session or a revitalising haircut.
Nevertheless, there is nothing wrong with the desire to look and feel fabulous; if a makeover genuinely thrills you and fits with your personal values, go ahead! Experiment with fashion, colours and so on, until you find your authentic voice.
A makeover can be an act of self-care – of pampering. It can enhance your own sense of confidence and feeling of being vibrant. Go for that hair change, however subtle or dramatic, that makes you feel good about yourself! A wardrobe clear-out is an act of rebellion, adding pizzazz to your look, salvaging your sense of self. If you worry about what others will say, say it with me – fuck ‘em. Life is short. Get a life, baby.
Remember, though, that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. What appeals to one person might be of no interest to another. Don’t bow to the rigid expectations of what you should look or behave like. Rather, celebrate your uniqueness, and how you are like no-one else.
In conclusion, should you get a makeover? That’s completely up to you. see what your gut tells you. The ultimate determining factor should be your heart. Makeover or not, wear that dress to the ball anyway. Be proud and confident because the most beautiful thing you can wear is confidence; now go get ’em!
Questions And Answers
A makeover: Is it a terrible idea to do it?
Far from it! A self-makeover can be both enjoyable and perhaps likely to open you up to new avenues of possibility and even actively step outside of your comfort zone. However, the point is that it is to take you to better versions of you – not to ‘destroy’ you entirely.
Do I need to get a complete makeover in order to update my look?
A good place to start is by spring-cleaning your closet. Put everything away neatly, throw out old items, find dresses and outfits that suit the contours of your body, and search online for inspiration for what looks good on you. Trends are meant to be taken as inspiration, not to be copied blindly!
If you have no clue what your style is, what should you do?
Give it a go! Try on clothes and see which ones seem easiest to feel comfortable and confident in. If you want their honest feedback, you need to not be afraid to approach your BFF or even a salesman you like and trust.
