I’m one of those people who has resting bitch face. No, I’m not in a bad mood, I’m not mad at you (trust me, you’d know if I was), I’m not scowling, that’s just my face. The amount of times I’ve heard things like “You would be prettier if you smiled” and “cheer up love, it can’t be that bad” must number in the hundreds (if not thousands) by now. Here’s the thing though – my face is fine just as it is. Some days I don’t feel like plastering on a smile just to make myself more pleasing to someone else, and I shouldn’t have to. Except sometimes I feel like I do…
Even when I am having the worst day, when I’m stressed, when I feel rubbish about myself, I put on a smile to face the world. When I first started blogging I didn’t smile much in my photos – not because I wasn’t happy, but because I just don’t walk around with a massive grin on my face all the time! I had so many people commenting on my photos telling me to smile, that I became self conscious of my resting bitch face and started plastering on a fake grin in every single photo that I took. I developed a “photo face”, like a mask that I would put on when someone pulled out their camera.
I didn’t even realise that I was doing it, but I started criticising my own appearance when I took a selfie where I wasn’t smiling. My natural neutral face became “not good enough”. Imagine my shock when I had to get my passport photo taken recently – you’re not allowed to smile in those at all and I had to wear my hair tucked behind my ears so it didn’t obscure my face. I actually posted a selfie on Instagram later that day to make up for looking “absolutely vile” in my passport photo. But I don’t, I look like me. It’s my face, it’s actually what I look like. Smiling or not smiling, there’s nothing wrong with it, and to be honest, I’m a bit angry with myself for talking to and about myself in such a negative way.
Self love is a constant journey for me (and I’m sure for most people). I don’t wake up every day feeling fabulous about myself and my body, despite many people thinking that my self esteem levels are through the roof. However, I do wake up every day and make a conscious effort to love myself as I am, and this is especially important when I’m feeling a bit shit about myself. So from now on, I’m going to be embracing both my resting bitch face and my smile. I’ll smile when I want to, but I no longer feel obliged to do it because I think that it’s something I “should” do. And if someone tells me I’m prettier when I smile, I’m going to tell them to bugger off.
Do you have resting bitch face?
Let me know if people tell you to smile more as well
Meagan wears:
Dreammaker Sweater Dress from HarlowHarlow (L)
Dances With Wolves Necklace from Polly Collective
Canvas Shoes from Kmart (8)
Oh my gosh! I can relate to this SO much! I have resting bitch face too, and I always fake smile in my blog photos. I got that fake smile down pat now.
Heck yes. It reminds me of my dancing smile haha
The sooner we all accept that doing what pleases ‘us’ as individuals is not being selfish, it is being honest with ourselves. RBF or smiling; you are what you are & you are merely exhibiting how you feel at a particular moment in time. Five minutes after someone sees that RBF- look you might be giggling your heart out. So-be-it, we are changeable beasts. Why fake it to please others? After all, others aren’t aren’t walking in your shoes, are they?
I’m very much the opposite in this situation. I’ve always had a really friendly, smiley face. My whole life people have smiled at me in the street, said hello and even waved, complete strangers. My mom would ask me who they were and I’d have no idea. Maybe I just have an open face? But I’m a bit of a book so if I’m annoyed, it’s also very clearly on my face. I have had people move out of my way at the supermarket just because I gave them a grumpy day look haha.
I think sometimes I do too!! I think your face looks just perfect smiling or not smiling 🙂 And you are so right, it’s very important to love yourself just as you are. Love your attitude. PS I don’t think passport photos will ever be the best photos of ourselves!!