The Herd

I’m not sure who Heidi Montag is, or why she’s famous, but I can tell you one thing: she doesn’t look like she did a year ago.

The other night, Kent and I snuggled in to watch The Late Show with David Letterman. When Dave’s guest, Claire Danes, took the stage, Kent commented, “She looks just like everyone else in Hollywood.”

What has Bruce Jenner done to himself?

I’m all for a subtle tweak here and there, but I fear our society’s obsession with youth, big lips, uber-golden-locks, and disproportionate boobs has reached an all-time, outrageous high.

I base much of my business on helping others look their best. I preach the gospel of Jackie O. Yet I’ve never suggested anyone go under the knife or have something injected in order to reach her style goals. People should look like …well…people.

I understand that celebrities must resort to certain measures in order to remain employable. In her book, Everything About Me is Fake and I’m Perfect, model Janice Dickinson discusses in great detail her ‘upkeep’ in order to keep working. With all due respect, Ms. Dickinson has crossed the line. Her once-gorgeous face now appears frozen, with only a slight hint of the beauty she once possessed. The same holds true for Meg Ryan. And I fear Nicole Kidman – one of my personal style role models – is dipping her toe a little too far into the scary plastic pool as well.

People with a little character to their faces appeal to me. My jaw literally dropped when Lauren Hutton guest-judged on last week’s Project Runway. She looked fabulous! Yes, lines have formed on her face, and yes, that famous gap between her teeth remains intact, but she possess a presence that so many models and actresses don’t.

And that’s what’s missing in the world of celebrity these days: a presence. It’s that sense of self-awareness and the ‘I’m somebody’ vibe that separates the delicious from the dull. It’s not about looking a certain way – it’s the confidence that one oozes when she (or he) knows she (or he) is fabulous.

Something tells me Ms. Montag, and so many like her, lacks that security. Thanks to reality TV and the internet, we live in an age where darn near everyone can achieve fame. As a result, those who may not necessarily have the talent to maintain that status may resort to some disturbing measures.

The overly-peroxided-blonde, big-boobed, bigger-lipped gals bore me to tears. I’ll take a flat-chested, red-haired Debra Messing over them any day. And while you’re at it, pass me Penelope Cruz’s nose and Catherine Zeta-Jones’s hips. Oh, I’ll take a few Mick Jagger crevices, too. Throw in a Tina Fey scar while you’re at it. It’s the little (and sometimes not-so-little) things, after all, that set us apart from the herd.

Beth Newman
Image Consultant/Life Coach
Newman Image
www.newmanimage.info
Look, feel, and LIVE your absolute best!