Deep down and #nofilter, I definitely shine bright like a diamond. However, upon first glance or even after our first handful of encounters, this diamond status may not necessarily be apparent. My shiny brightness doesn’t always make itself known – even if I want (or need) it to. I guess you could say I’m an introvert whose eccentricities are sometimes muffled by occasional social anxieties. I have witty things to say, but can’t always get them out. I have bold opinions, but I may not be able to express them in more than a whisper. I have big ideas, but they may sit on a shelf, at the back of my mind, collecting dust until I’m in the right mood.
This is why I love glitter; it’s the social armour of goddesses and pop divas alike.
My love of glitter dates back to pre-Spice Girls (though admittedly, the romance grew exponentially in the 90s). As a first grader, I was totally enamored with makeup. When I was at home I would pile on shimmery shadows and pucker in the mirror – mesmerized by the person staring back at me. I still have a pot of goopy, silver glitter (plastered with cool stickers) from the fourth grade, a la Ardene. I was never quite bold enough to wear this to school, but I certainly added a dab here and there for birthday parties. Glitter was like my sparkly, radioactive spider bite; it gave me that extra boost of confidence to face the gaggle of boisterous girls from my class. For years, my glitter fascination lay dormant until my favourite one-of-a-kind pop princess reminded me of its power.
It was 2011 when I became Grimes‘ (self-proclaimed) #1 fan. I loved her haunting vocals, her heavy beats, and her indisputably rad style, which so often includes glitter — haphazardly smeared on her face and d’colletage — not unlike war paint. She is ready to face the world, with glitter as her first line of defense. I believe it was my first summer festival that I decided to bring glitter back into my life, and guys, it made me feel invincible. I didn’t even do anything cool with it, just put a bit on my cheeks and I walked into that grassy field among the flower crowned masses. Months later, I went to a concert with half my face covered in gold glitter and felt like an otherworldly creature among mere mortals.
I realize these accounts may make me sound big-headed, but I swear, I can most often be found slewing a never-ending gospel of self-deprecation. But with glitter, the knee-jerk reaction to speak ill of yourself truly dissipates.
Though a face of glitter may seem like a mask, it’s actually quite the opposite. This dramatic display of the feminine, this over-the-top yet artistic adornment that immediately excludes me from the wallflower crowd; it gives me access to the express channel that is my true self. Some people need a stiff drink to draw themselves out of their shell, and while that certainly helps (I’ll take a gin and soda with lemon please), the magpie in me prefers the truly magical power of glitter.
Glitter will change your life (and sometimes ruin your clothing)!!
Originally published on Kastor & Pollux
the rêve head 