Dove Self-Esteem Weekend: Confidence is Beautiful

Recently I’ve been reading a bunch of books on the French, particularly their eating, exercising and beauty habits. The perceived snobbery French women are saddle with in these areas comes up repeatedly. An American woman, it seems, would be horrified if a friend suggested she would look better in a different cut of trousers or a brighter shade of lipstick (Lori Gottlieb wrote a great article about this), even if it’s true. French women apparently tell each other such things and not because they’re snobbishly sabotaging one and other, but because they want to pass on knowledge and expertise to one and other.

Author of Chic and Slim, Anne Barone says that they help each other out, boost each other’s confidence by operating in this sort of subversive sisterhood to figure out what works unqiuely for each woman and her figure, skin tone, complexion, hair type, etc. Knowledge is power in all areas of life even beauty, dears, so the more you know about what works on you, what’s real and false in the media, what you can realistically expect of yourself in terms of weight and looks, etc. will give you power in the form of self-esteem.

So when Dove – who we’ve loved for years thanks to their Dove Beauty Bar – announced their Dove Self-Esteem Weekend from October 22nd to the 24th , our hopes were raised that such camaraderie, such sharing and boosting of self-image through knowledge could start to happen on this side of the pond. We could start teaching girls to feel best in their own skin rather than silently chasing aspiration images in the media! Events will be held nationwide by individual groups and partners, including Girls Inc., The Boys and Girls Club of America and the Girl Scouts of America. Simply click on the map or enter your location to find out what’s near you. If you want to organize an event for the weekend, click here for The Dove Self-Esteem Toolkit.

Back to France. They also have the concept of jolie-laide there – essentially being attractive without being conventionally beautiful. It translates literally to pretty-ugly, but don’t be fooled. It means more that you look good – quirks and all – instead of cookie-cutter, a generic Playboy Girl Next Door. You can have a bump in your nose and still be attractive or have wide hips and still be an interesting person. You have value even if you don’t fit into the narrow, Hollywood-fueled, airbrushed mold! Imagine such a world… it’s hard for most American women to do.
Granted, it’s no excuse to not take care of yourself (because, believe me, those French women do, bumpy noses and all), but the message that you can be beautiful without being cut from the same cloth as fashion adverts and their brethren holds value.

And that’s what Dove’s trying to teach generations of American women weaned on glossy advertising campaigns filled with false images of an unattainable feminine ideal.

Well done, Dove.

Image Source: flickr.com/photos/mikebaird/2678310549/sizes/m/in/photostream/