Girls Look in the Mirror: Choate and Female Self-Image
By Carolina Iribarren ’11
News Reporter
We have all been through that revealing moment when we first become conscious of how we look. We notice the shape of our bodies, our faces, and what we are wearing. For some of us it is not as traumatic as for others. For most people , this is a once-in-a-lifetime. But for many Choate students, particularly girls, it seems to happen again as soon as we step on the Choate Rosemary Hall campus.
I am very proud to say that Choate is one of the most tolerant schools on the East Coast, and certainly the most tolerant of the communities I have been part of. I know it sounds quite strange that in such an accepting community as Choate, so much attention is paid to physical appearance. But the truth is that as soon as we enter the Choate campus, we cannot help but notice how many girls seem to have just walked out of a fashion runway. On one hand, this might be a good sign: girls trying to look neat and nice. But it is hard to ignore the more realistic picture, which is one of materialism and self-obsession.
School, by definition, is a place to study and discover oneself. Physical appearance is one way to do it, as we all know. Maybe Choate inspires kids to open their minds to new trends. However, I wonder how girls find so much time to think about outfits when all students at Choate complain that hardly enough time just to breathe.
Another thing that surprises me is the change that girls undergo once their first year at Choate begins. It is quite shocking to see how one’s style can change so much over the course of four years or less. It almost seems as if there is pressure to change, to become more stylish and, as a result, more attractive.
It is true that at Choate, students are under pressure most of the time. There is always something to do in the realm of academics, athletics or extracurricular activities. However, it is strange to find such a defined inclination towards fashion and self-image, even in high school. The only thing I can think of that might promote this tendency is the dress-code. But still, dress-code at Choate is quite relaxed, especially for girls: they only have to wear nice blouses, shoes, and no jeans—pretty flexible, right?
So, why do girls focus so much on their appearance at this institution? Actions can be explained best by those who perform them. I asked some of my fellow students for their thoughts on why appearance becomes such an obsession. According to Olivia Lapeyrolarie ’11, girls do this “because they are so judgmental about each other.” Serena Grewal ’11 suggests that “girls do this because there is a lot of pressure to look good; and that pressure is created more often by girls, not boys.” She adds jokingly, “Seriously, I don’t think guys care about what size of pants you wear.”
It is unquestionable that girls themselves put this weight on their shoulders. But the reason behind this pressure is perplexing, and what is even more shocking is the fact that independent, intelligent girls—such as the ones that attend Choate Rosemary Hall—feel that they have to fill this mold. Hopefully, with more maturity and confidence, girls will realize how empty and useless it is to waste the most precious years of their lives thinking about what they will wear tomorrow.
