ELZ WORLD: Own Your Look

Today, instead of our usual Monday morning lectures, we were welcomed by a guest lecturer - an ex-Front Cover cosmetics executive - who gave us an thoroughly insightful and interesting approach into the different sides of the fashion industry. 'Fashion - Are You in or out?'
During this lecture, Rachel touched upon many aspects of the industry that are preferred to be kept under wraps. From environmental issues and exploitation, to ethnicity and body image. Something that caught my attention (there were many but this is perhaps the most unusual) was an article embracing self beauty; titled 'Own Your Look'. The campaign features nine different women who are not conventional fashion models, they are subjective to the stereotypical 'beauty', yet each have embraced their 'flaws', proving that confidence is more important than opinion. These models include: Brunette Moffy, the cross-eyed model, Melanie Gaydos, the 'ugly' model, Diandra Forrest, the albino model, and Andreja Pejic, the transgender model.
Personally, I think this is so important. It's important for young girls, especially, to understand that one can accept their insecurities and like these women, turning them into your biggest virtue can make you more special and individual than ever.
It's rare to ever see such a campaign embracing unconventional beauty; it's usually an aim to look a certain way, be a certain size, have a certain skin tone, no matter of the impossibilities. I hope this inspires other women, and men, to feel more comfortable in their own skin and realise the importance of loving oneself before anything else.