Editor's Letter: Why We Should Rethink Self-Doubt
Digital editorial director Kelly Bales introduces cover star Priyanka Chopra and reveals the larger meaning behind Allure's first-ever digital cover.
Why does beauty matter right now? There’s so much going on in the world that sometimes it’s hard to feel like talking about lipsticks and night cream is a productive use of time. At Allure.com, we recognize that the notion of beauty goes well beyond products and services, and that beauty, at its core, is ultimately a conversation around identity. After all, how we see ourselves is what informs our preferred products and services. We have the freedom to choose, but that choice is only as informed as we are. Once we start examining the roots of our wants, we might find that they start shifting.
For our first digital cover, we chose Priyanka Chopra, a woman who carries herself with such confidence and sense of direction. She’s wise and strong, charismatic and quick on her toes. She proved these qualities on set in more ways than one: She could hook up her own mic, laugh at herself, and specify where exactly to put a bounce board for better light. Probably the thing that impressed me the most, however, is her ability to be vulnerable and openly talk about self-doubt.
We shot the cover in the Greenpoint neighborhood of Brooklyn, by the waterfront. Priyanka wasn’t wearing makeup — just moisturizer and lip gloss, if you can believe it — and I felt stunned by her presence. As our visuals director Rhianna Rule and I looked at the brilliant Dan Jackson’s monitor, oohing and ahhing at her unretouched face, Priyanka peeked over but didn’t join in the fanfare.
Later, she tells me, “All I saw was pores and bloating.” I’m standing barely a foot away from her and see neither. How could a woman so widely viewed as beautiful look at herself and see anything negative? Is it possible that all self-doubt is not actually grounded in something real — that it’s all in our heads, and in reality, we are all just out here looking into the mirror experiencing our own version of Chopra’s “oh my god, those pores” moment? The more I think about it the more I start to process that the whole concept of self-doubt is bullshit.
In her trailer between looks, we talk about how she is rarely referred to in the media as anything other than “Indian actress Priyanka Chopra” (a quick Google search confirms this). She tells me about a time several years ago, when Priyanka made a comment about wanting to stop using the term “Bollywood,” and being described as “exotic.” Imagine: “Katy Perry, the white singer” or “Reese Witherspoon, the white actress.” And this extends to other modifiers, too. For instance, you would never see a publication write about “Gisele Bündchen, the straight-size model” — yet it’s rare to see a model who is not straight-size be described for anything other than her body.
When we do this with phrases like “plus-size model” and “Indian actress,” we are not allowing ourselves to replace the imagery we see when using those base terms. Many of the narratives we have built standards and stereotypes around are finally changing. There are points of views in the spotlight today that were once pushed in the dark, and we are now in the generation of the untold story. But we must also be sure to shape these new narratives in a way that continues to lead to more acceptance, and yield more productive conversations about how we define beauty.
I’m not here to tell you never to use adjectives and qualifiers like these, only to urge us all to do so mindfully. We are responsible for not only changing how we talk about beauty, but also how we allow ourselves to see it. My day with Priyanka was a reminder that the most important narrative for me to champion is the one I have with myself. Am I stopping myself every time a negative voice kicks in, or every time I don’t see something reflected back that seems “good enough?” Am I working to shape the person I am so that my contributions to society have the most positive impacts possible?
Allure.com is a platform for honest reporting around beauty, providing information that we hope empowers our readers to make intentional and confident choices for themselves. Throughout our digital and print content, we’ve made it an utmost priority to expand our coverage in a way that allows more people to see themselves at Allure. For the magazine’s first-ever Hair Guide, editor in chief Michelle Lee featured three Asian models on three separate, stunning covers. In her editor’s letter, she explained the issue’s personal meaning: In Allure’s 28-year history, only two Asian women had ever appeared on the cover. To further the success of our Wellness vertical launched in 2017, we created a body-positivity series that takes on stigmas once considered “ugly” and celebrates them through romantic imagery. If we can diversify the imagery of beauty, maybe there won’t be such a limited definition of what is considered beautiful.
Through passion and intentionality, people can be moved and ideas can be reshaped, I’ve witnessed this firsthand. When I was a singer it was about conveying ideas and emotions thought too big for words, when I was a teaching artist in NYC public schools it was about pushing students to believe in themselves through art and the power of expression. And at Allure, our digital team works to share the untold stories of people previously ignored in mainstream media, creating a corner of the Internet where those of all backgrounds can find their beauty. Here, we aim to create a space where we no longer beat ourselves up or hold ourselves back. I hope Allure’s first-ever digital cover reminds you that while we’re unique, we are all linked, too. And perhaps in this empathy for others, we can extend more kindness to ourselves. The world won’t get better until we do.
xo,
KB
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