Susan Boyle's makeovers
1. Susan Boyle au naturel Her relatively ungrooomed look earned everything from catcalls to kudos, with plenty of people saying "You leave our lovely lass alone!"
2. Daily Makeover's virtual attempt:
'We evened out her skin tone, groomed her brows and opened up her eyes with mascara and soft grey liner."They also tried out two new hairstyles. The 'original' Susan is at far left, and when I enlarged the photo to study her curly bob, I thought it suited her face far better than the limp makeover choices. She just needs to work in some Curls Rock Curl Amplifier, so her hair matches the fullness of her voice.
I'd say yes to the makeup tweaks and no to these utterly conventional hairstyles. Give her a shot of glossy hair colour, and the good will to keep that charming smile while the rest of the world debates how beautiful she is or isn't.
3. Susan's real life choice So this is where she landed. A less-curly coloured coif, groomed brows, makeup, a leather jacket and Burberry scarf.
Last Sunday's New York Times ran an article, "Yes, Looks DO Matter" by Pam Belluck, featuring Boyle. (The online version has at this point logged over 350 comments, providing an informal poll of just how much 'the book cover' counts.)
Commenters remarked that some of our most-loved singers (Ella Fitzgerald, Kate Smith, Edith Piaf, Judy Garland) were not conventional beauties, and that, if Abraham Lincoln had been televised, he would never have been elected.
At the same time, we are part of a culture that expects to be entertained and served by pretty people.
Susan Boyle's looks will evolve, though never to the strenuously botoxed and hair-extensioned level of today's entertainment icons. I hope nothing interferes with the twinkle in her eye and her resolutely independent air.
Comments
She's got a great voice and a completely ungroomed appearance detracts from that in this visually obsessed world in which we live.
According to the press about her (and by extension every woman) it is our duty to look a certain way.
Many fine singers, male and female, have not been conventinally attractive. I'm glad neither Barbra from the US or Barbara from France had a nose job! It is sad that there is such a plastic, limited range of how people can look.
But denying Ms Boyle a colouring to even out her hair in front of the cameras and other minor improvements would be rather cruel, casting her as something of a freak show.
I can use the "before" picture to explain to people why I colour my hair, though my hair is much nicer than hers. I suppose it will eventually be a nice silver naturally, but a lot of people do not have an even salt-and-pepper in middle age. Unless it is cut very short, which looks dreadful on me, it looks messy somehow.
She still needs some better fitting trousers, though. See the pulling at the crotch?
sjcyogi
Do you see it or is it me?
I agree with Deja about the sassy sparkle. I don't see it here.
Sallymandy: The glasses make her look older- and she's not smiling.
materfamilias: Once a performer is before a camera, on national TV, they become fair game, which is not fair at all.
sjcyogi: Rita Mcneil conforms less to the norm than Susan Boyle, because of her size; Ginette Reno is another. There have always been big women with great presence in entertainment, like Sophie Tucker and Kate Smith, though by far a minority.