Looking good has never been so important and the world is often a cruel place for those who fail to “make the cut”. Fashion designer Masaba Gupta recently posted a couple of her old pictures on Instagram, recalling those 14 “terrible” years when she had to fight with acne and weight issues.
Recalling her struggles dealing with body acceptance, she wrote, “There were days I would refuse to leave home without putting powder on my face and refused to put any lights on in the room. I’ve had men tell me they want to throw up when they see my face.” She did, however, urge her followers to not back down and to ‘collect their scars and build them into something beautiful’.
Kaleem Taj Shaik, a famous photographer from the city who has worked with many models in the fashion industry, says, “I suffer from acne too and it’s something that cannot go unnoticed. When people see that you have a lot of acne, the way they perceive you immediately changes — it affects your confidence and social skills.” He adds, “When you are in the fashion industry, you have to be well-groomed and presentable. So when I was attending fashion events, I felt a little weird when people stared. But I believe in hard work instead of just fretting about it. I’m avoiding oily food, sugar and processed food, as they trigger skin problems. So far, it’s working and I’m more confident when I post my own photos on social media.”
No matter what your scale says, being comfortable in your own skin is up to you. But that can be tough in a society that prizes unrealistic images. Cherazad Pestonji, owner, Anahita Stores feels that staying fit is the most important thing.
“If you look even slightly different than what society thinks ‘good looking’ is, then people stare at you and that often brings down a person’s self-confidence. However, it is more important to stay healthy. It’s better to be a size 18 and have the stamina to exercise for 45 minutes, than to be a size 12 and not have any stamina at all,” she says.
People are also targeted for their height. Short people are often made fun of, as Indrakshi Ria Pattanaik, a celebrity stylist, has experienced. Indrakshi says, “Forget people calling me short, I call myself short too and I’m proud of it. There have been occasions when people have asked if I designed a particular piece, because they do not take you seriously when you’re short! But people should not let anything affect them. You are what you are for a reason, and should make use of your uniqueness. I haven’t let my height affect me, nothing has stopped me from giving my best.”
Priyanka Chigurupati, Vice President, corporate strategy and business development, Granules India Limited, says that although many have commented about the colour of her skin, she has never paid them any attention. “People comment and criticise, it’s their job. Especially when they see something out of the ordinary being done. Many a time, people have said things to and about me, but I’ve never let that come in the way of my career. How does acne prevent you from reaching your career goals? While having a strong support system gives you positive reassurance, nothing comes before self acceptance. Work on being the best version of yourself,” she says.
