Barbie Comes Alive at Duluth Boudoir Photography

I was on a long drive the other day, thinking about what I wanted to write for this blog post. I wanted to write something profound. I always want that, but this time I think someone else said it better. I listened to this song by Hayley Williams, called Roses/ Lotus/ Violet/ Iris. I realized this is exactly what I wanted to say to this group.
So, here are the lyrics.
“I have seen your body
And I have seen your beauty
They are separate things
Pretty, pretty, pretty things
But I am in a garden
Tending to my own
So what do I care
And what do you care if I grow?
If I grow
Roses, roses, roses, roses, roses
(Roses, roses, roses, roses, roses)
Show no concern for colors of a violet
Lotus, lotus, lotus, lotus, lotus
(Lotus, lotus, lotus, lotus, lotus)
Hopes it won’t spark envy in your irises
I think of all the wilted women
Who crane their necks to reach a window
Ripping all their petals off just cause
‘He loves me now, he loves me not’
I myself was a wilted woman
Drowsy in a dark room
Forgot my roots
Now watch me bloom
Roses, roses, roses, roses, roses
(Roses, roses, roses, roses, roses)
Show no concern for colors of a violet
Lotus, lotus, lotus, lotus, lotus
(Lotus, lotus, lotus, lotus, lotus)
Hopes it won’t spark envy in your irises (irises)
And I will not compare other beauty to mine
And I will not become a thorn in my own side
And I will not return to where I once was
Well I can break through the earth, come up soft and wild
Roses, roses, roses, roses, roses
(Roses, roses, roses, roses, roses)
Show no concern for colors of a violet
Lotus, lotus, lotus, lotus, lotus
(Lotus, lotus, lotus, lotus, lotus)
Hopes it won’t spark envy in your irises”
This shoot was Barbie. Barbie used to be only one thing, and we were told this one thing was the ideal thing. The perfect thing. The idea of doing this shoot originally scared me a little, since I knew I could never be perfect. If you want to read more about my struggle with perfection, I suggest reading my last post. My teeth are not perfectly straight. I do not have a thigh gap. I have hip dips. I have scoliosis. I’m not perfect, but I am perfect at being me. Our differences make us beautiful. In fact, even Barbie has recently made huge strides in inclusivity. My ability to blankly stare into the abyss like a plastic doll is pretty cool (and creepy) … and is actually perfect for this shoot.
“And I will not compare other beauty to mine.”
P.S. To Jes, Emily, and Katie I will never forget our amazingly fun day together. To this amazing group of women and in the spirit of having fun, loving yourself, and being inspired by music… here is a list of songs that I love that are about loving yourself.
With Love,
Amanda, Jes, Emily, Katie, and Cabot