When I have a brand-new hairdo...

...with my eyelashes all in curls
I float as the clouds on air do
I enjoy being a girl!

A little thought on "beauty". I know that even in the c90 years post-suffrage we're still flagging somewhat in embracing a more eclectic spectrum of beauty. Magazines (the ones with less integrity) are constantly citing female celebrities as 'hot', 'gorgeous' and beautiful -- and I sometimes wonder who set the standards these women have attained. This song from 1933, Keep Young and Beautiful, covered by Annie Lennox in 1992 (when you'd think we'd be more progressive, though let's hope it was covered with tongue firmly lodged in cheek) embodies all that is wrong about the perception of beauty: that only those deemed to be beautiful will ever be loved. And beauty by traditional standards does not embrace imperfections.

But every once in a while, no matter how we feel 80% of the time (and recently "dog-rough" has summed me up), the moment we invest a little me-time and embrace ourselves, we too can feel beautiful. Remember this Gap advert featuring Sarah Jessica Parker, from a few years ago?



I dunno about you but I think, much respect to SJP. This advert featuring the song 'I Enjoy Being a Girl' from The Flower Drum Song is fabulous; and she projects the kind of self belief that actually we could all do with every once in a while. (If you listen to the whole song you get the feeling it's all just a little bit sexist -- it was written in the 1950s -- but still quite sweet really!)

So in short: today I got my hair cut back into a bob. Admittedly a lot of the credit lies with my hairstylist but -- it looks cute, it really does. It's tidy, I have the fringe I wanted; and to celebrate I invested in some new makeup; just some mascara (Maybelline Falsies mascara) and lipgloss (can't remember the brand!) and some new jeans (Emporio de New Look) and feel, though temporarily, fabulous. So am now singing the verse above in my head just to pep myself up. :-)

Because even quirkesses with distinct noses deserve to feel gorgeous every so often.

(Of course I'm possibly one of the least photogenic folk I know so pictures of said hairdo on self are being vetted as we speak. Vain, moi? Non...)