I stood in front of the mirror this morning, trying to turn my gloomy, sun deprived skin into a healthy looking one. A bit of foundation, a bit of blusher and quite a bit of concealer. It always work wonders.
How would people react if I went into work without make up? Probably wonder if I was ill. However, if I met someone for the first time they'd most likely think nothing of it. Perhaps even think I looked more "businesslike" than I would with a made up face?
As I was brushing on the bronzing blusher this morning I started to think about this. About appearance vs. opinions and preconceptions of people...
... Once I was at an interview for a post graduate archaeological position in the Netherlands. The professor asked me if I would be "willing to dig, considering I had polished fingernails?". I explained that I wouldn't care for polished nails whilst digging, obviously.
... And once I was up north for my friend's wedding where I was to be the maid of honour. Myself and a few of the other guests whom I didn't know spent the night before the wedding at a mutual friend's house. It turned out I had forgotten to bring my make up remover and asked the others if anyone could lend me some. "For an archaeologist you seem to be unusually keen on skin care" one of the guests replied. I then explained that I was to attend the wedding as the maid of honour and not as an archaeologist. Obviously.
It pisses me off. It really pisses me off when people think they can judge my level of knowledge by the colour of my fingernails. Or when my intelligence is reduced to the colour of my hair.
It so happens that I really enjoy make up, fashion and changing my hair style. But I also enjoy working, studying, reading and using my brains. Why is it people seem to have an aversion of that particular combination? I don't get it.
