The May issue of Marie Claire hit shelves and mailboxes this week with much ado surrounding its cover shot and photo editorial spread of Jessica Simpson. Appearing with no makeup, air-dried hair and, perhaps most noteworthy, no photo re-touching, Simpson’s willingness to go au naturale is startlingly brave. At a time when digital technology is allowing models to appear more unnaturally perfect than ever, this kind of mainstream exposure of natural beauty is a site for very sore eyes.
It’s worth acknowledging that even on her worst day, Jessica Simpson is probably stunning, and this photo shoot, which utilizes natural light and Simpson’s best angles, is indisputably gorgeous—there’s not a bad shot in the bunch. While some blogs are magnifying the images in an effort to figure out if she’s wearing a smidge of mascara or a hint of blush, I say, who cares? That’s exactly the kind of nit-picking that got us to the point at which we demand our models strive to look freakishly perfect for fear that someone might see that they might have—gasp— flaws! Given the candor of the photos and the accompanying interviews with women of all shapes and sizes, it’s hard to dispute that Simpson’s heart is in the right place: her intentions clearly are not to mislead, they are to educate and empower.
This issue of Marie Claire coincides with the airing of Simpson’s VH-1 show “The Price of Beauty,” a series that takes Simpson around the world to discover firsthand the often archaic and unusually extreme measures women take to be considered beautiful within their own cultures. From skin lightening in Mumbai to “fattening huts” in Uganda, the lengths that women will go to in order to be beautiful may seem alarming, but no more so than Westerners’ meticulous carb counting or frequent injecting of Botox. Simpson’s series is not only a critique of the beauty industry at large, but it also shows viewers that, at least culturally-speaking, beauty is completely subjective. How refreshing is that?
As if she weren’t walking the walk enough already, Simpson’s other beauty-related endeavor is an outreach initiative called A Beautiful Me, one that has her working hands-on with grade school to college-aged students to improve their self-image and self-esteem (and, oh, how the two are always indelibly linked!). Helping young people recognize their own individual beauty gives them the tools they need to combat the thousands of images of unattainable “beauty” that we’re all confronted with on a daily basis. As we mature and grow more comfortable in our own skin, it’s easy to forget how fraught youth is with insecurities about looks—and of course, for some of us, that never goes away completely. Raising three school-aged girls, I’m witness to that struggle daily, and can see firsthand the importance of having positive role models and healthy concepts of beauty that I can show them. If only there were more of them in the mainstream!
Jessica Simpson’s newly found commitment to positive self-image is especially resonant since she’s had her own fair share of media scrutiny (her recent “Mom Jeans” photo controversy springs to mind). In an industry that’s ruled by empty promises and hypocrisy, it’s truly beautiful that Simpson is willing to embrace her inspiring philosophies on the cover of a national magazine. Given Simpson’s oft-seen past persona as a ditzy bombshell, it’s particularly exhilarating to see a woman reclaim and rewrite her own identity. I never thought I’d say this, but I’m impressed with you Jessica Simpson!
