Day Five / Ten

friday 23 march
i'm feeling a bit gum today now that my friend has left cape town for good. she was always quite enthusiastic with helping my chose my trackpants in the mornings so i will miss that support :) fortunately i leave for england on tuesday, so i can keep focused on getting things organised before then! i triiiied to do some work...i did a little bit. but again i kept stuck inside toying between work and napping. and generally enjoying the start of my long weekend.
its definitely a lot more inviting to stay indoors and be less sociable when i know i havent dressed as i normally do, but i came across a website today which i found a tiny bit....sad?

http://community.livejournal.com/plain_janes_

also know as Plain Janes Anonymous is a blog where it seems women who class themselves as dowdy Plain Janes discuss their worries and tribulations for the day.
The ages of the women seems to vary, most are in their 20s and 20s, but there are some older women. i find this website i little depressing! Most of the entries start with the women explaining their appearances (the emphasis is generally on how pale their complections are) and how they feel they are OK-looking, at a push.

"..I also can't stand when somebody is criticizing the way I look. For example, when someone is telling me to put on some make up or wear a skirt because that would make me look so much prettier and more "feminine". Gah! I hate make up. The few times I ever wore any I ended up looking like a silent film diva, and not in a good way, lol. Plus, I've got better things to do in the morning than to put on make up. And wearing a skirt = being feminine? This is 2009, for God's sake...

I've also never had a boyfriend. I've never even kissed someone. There were guys who wanted to date me, though. But they all just pissed me off because I felt that they didn't even know who I was, and the only reason they wanted to date me was them thinking that they had better chances with me than with some better looking girl - because, plain as I am, I must take what I can get, right? I also hate the assumption that since I am very shy and plain-looking I must be soooo sweet and have such a good personality. I don't! I'm shallow and sarcastic and bitchy and have flaws like everyone else, no matter what they look like. Gah."

women can then leave sympathetic comments. many women on here say "its very lonely out there" and i feel bad that this is more of an agony aunt website, without any proper motivation. fortunately, it doesn't look like the website has a huge following, but i would like to see more motivational and uplifting aspects to this boring looking blog.

I'm starting to wish this period was over. hope the last half of the intervention isn't so gloomy!

Spot the Similarities

Plain Jane ------ Sex icon


Plain Jane -------- Ex-Playmate/ Sex icon



Plain Jane ---------- Sex icon (?icon may be a bit strong..) / TV airhead


Plain Jane ------ Sex Icon

Furthering my point that there is no space for natural Plain Jane's in the media.
I'm sure they were all talented before they became so Hollywood-esque. why was that not celebrated? The media is telling girls that to be natural is synonymous with being plain and these days you have to make an effort or a statement to mean something. even if you are coming down a red carpet in a dress made of raw meat. i think its ridiculous. i think all girls, including myself, can be suckers to trends that ladies like these set. It's just sad to see the extent of the changes that must be made before their presences are cemented in celebrity culture, and ultimately how their legacy is left behind.
its unrealistic.

Day Four / Ten

thursday 22 march
this morning i wrote my test at some god-awful early hour. i quickly came home and jumped in the shower and went off to spend the day with my boyfriend. i had quite a busy day today, from being up early and it was the day a close friend of mine was catching her flight to Holland so i was on the move all day and didn't really have time to focus on what i looked like or any of that. i've definitely become more comfortable being more relaxed in my appearance. I still think my eyes look like piss holes in the snow (terrible metaphor i got from my mum) but no one else seems to take that much of a notice. my skin is also feeling better for it. i've come to terms with my intervention, in the sense that i'm not even aware of how i'm looking. I feel more relaxed and it seems that people are still treating me the same, and i still feel like i did with some eyeliner and earrings on.
but as i said, i had little time to think about that today :)

Fashion tips

i found this video on youtube
the host of MTVs Plain Jane, fashion expert Louise Roe, gives some fashion tips....
to me they almost seem like rules. she mentions some crimes of fashion that she turns her nose up at.
maybe it's just in this video, but she does come across as condescending. She is obviously very attractive and it appears she really thinks about her outfits down to a T, including the 'cheap' cocktail rings she mentions. i would find this pretty intimidating if i were looking for fashion advice to get it from her. her approach here seems quite straightforward and i think for most women it is unthinkable to spend this much time thinking about what to wear. i know how inconvenient it is to think about the right bra for the right outfit. does it really matter if my bra strap clashes with my top?
i'm just still wondering if the media, including her show, is actually ready to promote natural, confident women as there still seems to be some confusion. im still getting mixed messages.



WHY ARE HER TEETH SO WHITE

Plain Jane Episode

Video - Plain Jane | 208 | Clip 1 - Plain Jane - With help from British fashion expert Lou...

MTVs Plain Jane

Researching some topics relating to Plain Jane in the media hasn't brought up too many results, but one it has brought up is the appropriately-named show on MTV called "Plain Jane". This is a series which:

"transform(s) ordinary, awkward and forgettable’ Plain Janes into sexy, confident women from the inside out

In every episode we meet a new “Jane” not only looking for a big change, but ready to reveal her true feelings to a secret crush.

With the help of British fashion expert Louise Roe, each Jane will get a head-to-toe makeover along with confidence-building skills that will help her to face her fears and try and make an important love connection. " - http://www.mtv.co.uk/shows/plain-jane

This lady is the host and she consults and sympathises ( and probably huuuugely intimidates ) the "unmemorable" Plain Janes into becoming more visually appealing, and Hollywood-looking for their crushes.

so there's a lot of this.....

so then ultimately the girls end up looking even more like her...and most of the time their crushes are game to go on a televised date with them.

Although it's a very cheesy show, it has that guilty pleasure quality to it. I'm worried it is sending the wrong message out to viewers. It is common knowledge that (most) girls have an issue with asking a guy out on a date, thats not really something that only Plain Jane's have to experience it. I know i hate to ask my friends sister to ask my date to MY matric dance because I was too chicken, but thats besides the point.

I'm all for the fact that this host (she is often accompanied by a dating coach) tries to boost these girls' confidence. But a large segment of the show really highlights how they transform very drab and dull looking girls, into something to superficial and commercialised that it makes them look like catalogue models. From my intervention so far i have realised that dressing nice does boost confidence, but i think this show puts too much emphasis on how girls need to look the part and dress out of their comfort zones to go on the "big date" at the end. They are young, beautiful girls and I would rather the show focused on the confidence boosting rather than making them all look made up and glamorous at the end.

Day Three / Ten

wednesday 21 march
today is a public holiday. Fortunately i'm also tired and lazy from last night, and i have a big organisational studies test early tomorrow morning. so staying at home with my textbooks is really allowing me to be Jane without even trying. It did feel good to get nicely dressed up last night, but i started to realise how i do almost behave differently when im cat versus being a basic Jane. i definitely feel more confident and it puts me in a sociable mood. i dont know how ridiculous that sounds, but i think you have a better energy when you know you have put some effort into how you present yourself. Today i do feel a bit lethargic, and in some ways im disappointed that i couldnt go out as Jane last night.
It does seem that dressing like Jane and behaving like Jane are two things im going to struggle with....Studying for my test tomorrow, i have managed to dress like her, tracksuit and bare face and all, but im still doing last minute cramming....procrastinating over series on my friends computer and trying to talk about anything but the theories behind Level 5 Leadership. This really is tough. But on the other hand this test is very boring so im sure any Jane out there would also struggle at this time. Onwards to tomorrow.

Plain Jane meets Average Joe

so this is interesting
im trying to find as much research on the internet on "Plain Janes" and what it takes to be her, and how she behaves in todays very critical society. i then saw the male equivalent - Average Joe - a term i have often heard but for some reason it doesnt connote such negative and unfortunate meanings as i would give to Plain Jane. so here are some definitions of an average joe, the ideal male counterpart to Jane:
"an ordinary person, especially a man." - www.thefreedictionary.com. seems pretty basic.
"An average joe is an ordinary person without anything exceptional about them" - www.usingenglish.com
etc etc. so he's just an ordinary man. why is plain jane an UNNATTRACTIVE, unmemorable, undesirable girl?? why isnt joe at least boring, unnattractive to the opposite sex or bland?
so you google Plain Jane images and you get this >>>


then you google images our friend Joe and you get this >>>

okay so his face really irritates me and its a bit cheesy, but at least he doesnt look like he could cry at any minute like our Jane.

Day Two / Ten

tuesday 20 march 2012
i had an early start this morning, as my first lecture was at 8.30. it was economics so was in a low mood as it was. i had other commitments out of Vega today, one being that a good friend of mine was organising her leaving party for later in the week and needed my help today. so i acted as a chauffeur for the day and didnt really get a chance to socialise or be out too much.
unfortunately...i diddd break some commandments tonight. her party was held in claremont and it was her last night to get dressed up and drink and have a "good night out" and i couldn't fight the urge to join her in that. so pretty much all my commandments went out the window today :( i knew this party was coming up over the weekend, but as tuesday came (and possibly with the influence of a lousy monday) i thought i better go back to my normal self.
it probably ALSO doesn't help that my boyfriend is the manager of the place where the party was being held and he's one person whom im having reservations about showing my Plain Jane identity to....
so i had a great night. bit disappointed i couldn't go out without the accessorized appearance. my friends (who know that im doing this intervention) just shook their heads and said "i knew you wouldnt be able to do it".
i'll pick it up tomorrow...... with the now lack of support of my friends...:)

Jane's Ten Commandments

so basically i am changing from a somewhat outgoing, cheerful, social girl to one which is drab, unmemorable, quiet, reserved and unengaging in social situations (ah.) In order to do this i need to stick to a 10-commandment guideline to make sure i do Jane justice!

1. NO MAKEUP. no eyeliner. no foundation. bare face. tired expression. everyone will see how small my eyes actually are. i will be sad.
2. NO JEWLRY. kind of. i always wear earrings, whether they are small ones for the day or big, outrageous gold ones in the evenings. those must go. i always wear my good luck evil-eye charm bracelet on my left wrist. gone. i have one exception - i will be keeping my nose ring in. for the simple fact that i have ripped it out before and forced it back in and that was no fun.
3. BLAND HAIR. this may seem a silly one, but i like to wear my hair up or style it somehow if i wear it loose. so now im sticking to the ordinary low ponytail.
   
4. NO COLOUR. clothes and shoes should be a shade of black/grey/white/beige. anything subtle. and monochrome patterns are out too :(
   
5. NO REVEALING HEM/NECKLINES. no skirts, v-neck tops. tight tops/leotards. another excpetion - i will be wearing leggings as all my jeans have holes in awkward places.
6. KEEP QUIET. try to become unnoticable in the classroom and around vega. sit at the back of the class. dont comment or ask too many questions.
7. DONT SOCIALISE. this pertains to Vega mostly...this will be easy in the classroom as i can sit by myself. but going to fetch lunch or go for a cigarette will mean i will have to try and stand by myself, or again keep quiet and try not to linger.
   
8. STICK TO DEADLINES AND DO WHAT IS ACADEMICALLY EXPECTED OF ME. i will be so chuffed with myself if i can stick to this! but alas, i will try to do my work, prescribed reading for each lecture and hand assignments in on time. seems like a pretty obvious commandment for any student..
9. LITTLE/NO SOCIALISING IN THE EVENINGS. socialising after college and on weekends is a huuuge hobby of mine. it will be interesting to place Vega and my studies in the forefront of my priortites and allocate most time to this. luckily i dont go clubbing, but its more the fact of sitting down with a drink and a cigarette that needs to be eliminated for ten days that will affect my comfort zone hugely.
10. ENJOY BEING IN THE BACKROUND. i hope to gain some things from this experiment, and one of them being comfortable with taking it easy and not always pushing myself to be entertaining, happy and eager to please at all times. it will be nice to relax, and not panic too much about what others think of me mostly. i like to think im not a materialistic girl who relies on appearance for attention - but even so it will be nice to not focus on that so much. this is a sink or swim intervention - either people will take no notice of me due to my physical blandness, or everything will remain unchanged, showing that i cannn relax with my appearance at times.

Overall im very much looking forward to this intervention. i hope you enjoy my journey with me :)

why i chose to start up this blog

i realised that i havent really discussed whyyy i am doing this intervention.
being a branding student, my studies often involve searching topics on "the self" and "the body". Now we have started our second year at Vega, and we are really looking into the ins-and-outs of these topics. Im finding this to be a very interesting course, as most issues of body image and representation in society is set in our subconcious - at least i feel it is for me. getting ready in the mornings becomes a ritual and it is interesting to step back and analyse whyyy i put make up on, or whyy i only wear bracelets on my right wrist and so on. its interesting to see how these little adornments and they way we portray ourselves to others actually carries a much larger meaning than we may think. anyways, this is the assignment i was given so that you can understand what this blog needs to accomplish :)
You live in two spheres of beauty. The first sphere is your physical reality, your own body. The other is less tangible. This second sphere lives only in your aspirations: your own concept of ideal beauty that you would like to attain. Realistically, these two poles will never meet. The distance between them might arguably vary from those of the person sitting next to you in class. How attainable these ideals prove to be for you personally, and how important attainment of it is on a personal level, will dictate how these two poles are situated in your life.

By emotionally stepping back from your own situation, you need to unpack your aspirations and your own level of discomfort with non-conformism, in order to do this you will be required to execute a body intervention, make a body blog and finally write an academic essay.

Day One / Ten.

monday 19 march 2012.
today was my introduction to jane's world. after having a very lazy day yesterday, it was quite simple to find my outfit. i stuck to my tracksuit pants from last night and took note to choose a top that was not too revealing. my whole getting ready process was unsurprisingly quick so i found i had some extra minutes to plan my day ahead and what lectures i should prepare myself for.
surprisingly, arriving at vega was not a problem. a friend asked me "why do you look so different today...why dont you have any make up on?" and after telling them about my new identity i was told "wow, its actually so strange how different you look". i knew that my appearance would bring the most responses today, so that response was definitely expected.
after a few lectures, my new persona started to affect my mindset. i found myself feeling more isolated, self concious, quiet and most of all tired. i felt that i had a very low energy and was not so engaged in my classes, choosing not to answer questions or offer any comments.
i was relieved to get home.
i had a strange desire to do some work when i got home which was a good surprise.
although, it is monday. i cant blame my low energy and eagerness to work on this intervention just yet. i start every monday like that..generally by tuesday im bored of the week so we'll see how tomorrow goes :)

Who is Jane?

For this assignment researching our "phobias" i toyed around with many ideas. In general, I think i am a pretty relaxed girl - i enjoy going out with my friends, spending time at home and generally spending time and doing things that make me feel comfortable. Obviously. Thats generally what most young people do. When it came to sitting down with my process book and listing what are my "hot potatoes" i discovered that i have many more than i thought. and maybe im not to relaxed as i thought.
through this process work i have decided to become a PLAIN JANE. in my eyes (and through my friends' impressions of me) i like to stand out in some way. i generally like to look nice, i am someone who doesn't like to leave the house with no make-up and i have discovered that i do take a lot of time deciding how to present myself each day. even in the college environment, or any social space for that matter i like to seem involved and i like to engage with people. i note that as a strong personality trait of mine.
so here are some definitions of what it takes to be a plain jane....
"a drab, unattractive, and generally uninteresting girl or woman" - www.dictionary.com
"not fancy or glamorous : ORDINARY" - www.merriam-webster.com
"Plain Jane describes a girl that is plain, ordinary, and not specially memorable or special" - www.yourdictionary.com
Sounds thrilling. A little disgusted there is actually a category or a group in our society called that...so let's see how the next ten days work out...!