Anyone who knows me, knows that I HATE having my photo taken.. For various reasons, too numerous to list. I often think that if the kids want to one day look back at the photo albums, they won't find very many of me! I'm always the first to volunteer to take everyone else's photo, and unless forced hardly ever appear in group shots.
Hopefully this will now all change..
I recently met an aquaintence that I hadn't seen in a while (this girl ALWAYS looks great - put her in a black bin liner and she would look chic), and commented that there was something different about her, that I couldn't put my finger on. I was then told that she had participated in a makeover organised by the UK magazine Real People.
Later on that week, one of my colleagues commented to me that I would be an 'ideal candidate' for a makeover as I was a blank canvas (never wear make-up).. After getting over my indignation at being called a blank canvas, and slowly coming to terms that, in actual fact they were absolutely right, I contacted the magazine to see if they would be interested in 'taking me on'. I roped a couple of other girl from the office in, so as not to be entirely on my own. I was told that they regularly flew to Tenerife to shoot layouts for the mag and they would include me for the next feature!
The girls arrived in resort and we all met for a 'get-together' to see which fashion layout we would be suitable for. We then had our photos taken for the 'before' shots. I was told to look as miserable as possible for the photo. Easy, I thought. She took my photo, slouched and hunched, looking thoroughly miserable and reported back that I looked awful (in a good kind of way...).
I was told I would be doing a double shoot for jeans with a size 16 girl called Liz. I couldn't wait.
The day arrived and I turned up for my makeover. I told them that they could do absolutely anything they wanted to me, as I needed some (free) professional advice about what they thought would really suit me, rather than what was easy. My hair at this stage was long (for me) being just below shoulder length. The hairdresser (Tracey) said that she thought I should have a dark colour with highlights at the front and a shorter length, flicked out at the sides.
Tracey transformed me and then the makeup girl set to work on me. I don't own alot of makeup, and so will have to make some purchases, as most of the 'stuff' they used on me, I have never heard of.. I was given false eyelashes (something I've always wanted to try, but never been brave enough to buy). They used liquid eyeliner - to the makeup girls' dismay, I didn't realise the full implications of the word 'liquid', and so once she had applied it, she had to start again, as I failed to keep looking down and smudged it all into my lids (oops!!) - well I AM a novice!! The makeup took about an hour to apply (yikes!), and then we headed off to do the 'shoot'.(This is me trying to take a photo of myself in the mirror)
I had to walk past the bar on the way to the location, and was pleased with the inital response I got from Adrian - wolf whistles and all (bless), and so felt like a real glamour queen.
At the shoot, I was asked to try on several different outfits and stood in some awkward poses. On more than one occasion I commented that the poses seemed like evil yoga postures - hard to get into, and even harer to maintain for any considerable length of time. But I pulled through like a trouper, having a new found admiration for hairsrpay and Kate Moss. No wonder she looks spaced out, it's BORING, trying to remember to smile :) and not frown :( everytime you changed your pose.. something which I did alot apparently...
At the end of the shoot, I got to keep a couple of outfits and rushed straight home to see what the rest of the family thought of my new 'look'. Adrian saw me and took us all out for dinner to celebrate the new me. Thomas curiously, when he first saw me, was amazed and said, "Did it hurt?" It wasn't until later on in the evening that I would fully understand what he meant..I posed for photos before, during and after dinner as I knew that the eyelashes would have to come off sooner or later and so tried to make the most of them.. Thomas again asked if it has hurt, and when I asked what he meant, he said "You know, the needles and the stitches".. He thought I'd been on some sort of Extreme Makeover and had had surgery!!! Bless, I really did need to wear makeup then.. I told him that there was no surgery involved and that this was all makeup that would wash off..
The next morning - and at the point I would like to say, how great it is that kids feel they can be so honest these days - Thomas took one look at me in the kitchen, shook his head and said, "The makeup makes all the difference". Gotta love 'em..However, this did not dampen my spirits, it just made me more resolved to make that extra effort and slap on some makeup when I go out. Heck, I may even buy some glue to re-attach those eyelashes that I have put aside to lovingly. One things for sure, I have resolved to throw half of my wardrobe away and start anew with 'trendier' styles. I have even bought myself a couple of pairs of hipster jeans, and I am trying to train myself to not feel the need to keep pulling them up every two minutes, they are hipsters, they're supposed to be that low duh!
Adrian is still referring to me a super-model babe, which is encouraging, and I will now look at clothes on the rack and not think to myself that I am 'too old' to wear something like that.. The magazine is out (I've been told) on 1st Jan.
A new era dawns..
Footnote. Whilst uploading the photos of the new me to the PC, I commented to Chelsea that one photo in particular was now officially, my favourite photo of myself. I said that if I ever went missing, that this was the photo that should be given to the police to show on TV (as I wouldn't be ashamed of it)..
A friend then pointed out, that it might hamper the investigation somewhat, as I didn't normally look like this...
Point taken, 'nuff said.
Thanks for stopping by..
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