Real talk: Inside is what counts

MANILA, Philippines – “Beauty is pain,” my friend confided in me once in high school. It was what her mom used to say when she complained of the sting of tweezing and waxing. I hated tweezing. Every pluck of an eyebrow made my eye well up. But as I looked at the clean arch of my dear friend’s brow, it dawned on me that yes, beauty is pain.

That line stuck with me years later, where tweezing escalated to donning dangerously high heels and suffocating skinny jeans; to tight dresses and indigestion from constantly sucking in.

I was fed up – why did girls have to go through the pains of grooming just to look good? I mean, how beautiful did I feel walking into a business meeting, walking sideways up a staircase because my corporate pencil skirt was too tight and my shoes were digging at my heels? Nothing says “success” like a girl who grimaces in pain. 

It was simply counter-productive. Beauty is supposed to make you feel confident, not self-conscious.

Personally, I function my best when I’m at my most comfortable; when I’m wearing a lightweight tank, stretchy jeans, and my favorite pair of flats. It makes me feel unafraid; like I can hold my head up high and take charge of my day. And that’s when it hit me: Maybe it’s not what I wear per se, but how what I wear makes me feel.

Inside is what counts

Enter a revolutionary discovery: the importance of agreeable underwear. And by underwear, I mean innerwear. Like, what do you wear underneath a sheer chiffon blouse, a soft white tee, or a body hugging cotton skirt? 

Comfortable and functional innerwear is so important because it’s the foundation of an outfit. This is something that beauty blogger and all-around fashionista Liz Uy believes in.

“Good innerwear is a must in every closet because it is the perfect setting base for what you are going to wear,” she says. “Sometimes, even the littlest and most hidden things make the biggest difference. So even though the innerwear is not seen, it should be in perfect shape and in the finest quality.”

Sure, I could wear the cutest top and the trendiest jeans, but with the wrong innerwear, things could quickly go awry.

As a young professional woman with things to do and places to be, the last thing I want to do is worry about whether the outline of my underwear is visible through my skirt. The secret of innerwear is the sense of security it offers: the less insecurities, the better.

This applies to all busy-bodied women. Even someone as successful and internationally acclaimed as Lea Salonga agrees. “I only normally wear innerwear when I’m going out and about. But outside, when I’m well supported and comfortable, it’s just easier,” she shared. “Being comfortable means having one less thing to worry about.”

Put to the test 

Confidence comes from not fidgeting with your bra every 5 seconds because you’re worried it’s slipping down. Confidence is what happens when you allow yourself to feel secure and be comfortable. And life is what happens when you don’t spend every waking minute suffering and worrying about how you look.

So contrary to what I’ve been taught to believe, beauty is not pain. Beauty is empowerment; it’s about not sweating the small stuff so you can go ahead and grab life by the balls. – Rappler.com