Freckle Fear

Sometimes on this blog I like to comment on little things in the world that catch my attention. These things are usually pointless observations that tickle my brain for what they may represent in a larger context. Recently I have noticed an annoying trend in the photographs of actress Blake Lively. (Blake caught my eye first in The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants and is now headlining the addictive "Gossip Girl" on TV.) The thing that bothers me about these pictures is that they prove to be purposefully airbrushed to remove one of the quirky features of the girl. If you check the image to the left you will notice that Blake has a cute, dark freckle next to her nose. I think the blemish offers her face a wonderful sense of whimsy and enhances her features by drawing the eye further into her face. However in most of her staged photos this dot of individuality has been clearly erased. It is gone.

Of course we all know about the fake quality of magazine images, especially those of women, but for some reason this current example really bothers me. It might be because Blake is stunningly beautiful and should not need any alteration. It might be because she is a young actress to whom young women will definately perceive as a role model. It might be because I find it fascinating that such a minor detail can be erased and create such an impact on her overall look. And it makes me sad that such a lovely new talent is being photoshopped into banality with obvious consistency (here, again, and again, and again, and again!).

I guess the only thing that saves this story is that Blake (and whatever makeup artist she may be using) have chosen NOT to cover her beauty mark for in-person appearances. When that occurs then I will know that the dark side has truly won. OK, useless topic done for today.