Woman Unadorned

Yesterday I did a very brave (crazy) thing. I agreed to be  apart of John Wood‘s photography project, Woman Unadorned.  Mr. Wood is photographing women over 40 without make-up with their hair wet and combed back. Am I  nuts?! Well, I think we all know the answer to that.

When I saw his post on Island Moms looking for women to model for him, I didn’t hesitate to volunteer. Not because I think I’m model material but because I frequently run around without make-up on (except for lipstick. My mother trained me to never leave the house without lipstick. I would try on new clothes for her and she’d ask me to put on lipstick. I was 15. She was from the south). I thought it wouldn’t be such a big deal to be seen without make-up in a photograph.

I think I’m 19 you see. What was it Ramona Singer said about her uterus? It’s 23. Well, so is my skin. Or at least I think it is. Obviously, not really. I do own a mirror or two.  But what’s a stray chin hair here? A dark spot there? An acne scar or a fine line here or there (or everywhere)?

Do I honestly think I’m that pretty that I could be photographed unadorned and put on display for all to see? No. But I also don’t care. And that is something I definitely would not have felt at 19 or 23 or 33. It’s such a cliche, but it’s true: I’m 43 and I’m the most comfortable in my skin I have ever been. Flaws and all.

So why did I do this project? When Mr. Wood asked me that (because I am a writer who has a flair with words) I said because I thought the project was cool. (Maybe my brain is 19). I do think it’s cool. But also? I have 3 daughters. One of whom is already worried about her puffy hair (her word, not mine) and how she looks in her clothes.   She’s 8. I would like her to be comfortable in her skin, find beauty in her flaws and accept herself as is well before she’s 43.

(She has a website she asked me to plug, too. And I think this is the perfect post to do so. She actually has two but has abandoned the first one for now).

Maybe by seeing Mommy up close with no make-up on with her hair wet and off her face will help her to see that there is beauty in our flaws. Or maybe she’ll be mortified and run from the exhibit. Hot on the heels of everyone else. But, I’d like to think not.