Paulina Porizkova Says She ‘Felt the Worst’ About Herself at the Height of Being Noticed For Her Looks
When reflecting on what it felt like to be seen and perceived by the public during what society would label as her most beautiful age, Paulina Porizkova revealed that there was little joy in the attention she received. In fact, she shared that in her late teens and 20s, during her rise to stardom as a top model, her self-confidence and self-worth were lower than at any other point in her life.
Her Instagram musings were brought on by a follower’s question, or rather, series of questions: “What was it like when you were younger to be so beautiful? What was it like when you would walk into a room and people would stare at you? Did you feel special? Do you miss all that attention?”
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In response, Porizkova shared that, yes, she does miss the attention, but on the flip side of the coin, she never felt worse about herself than at that point in her life. “As a model, you were supposed to represent the physically perfect woman. And of course you could never measure up. Because — chopped up into small judgmental pieces, there is always someone with better legs. Or nose. Or lips. Or hair. And so on.”
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She went on to dispel the lustrous illusion of breathtaking beauty, writing, “Walk into a room and sweep everyone’s breath away? More like, walk into a room knowing some people are whispering that you’re not all that hot up close or in real life, that Elle has a better body, that Christie has better teeth, that Cindy has a sexier mouth…”
While she passionately expressed feeling “in her prime” now rather than as a 20-something, she also expressed frustration over now feeling appreciation for her unique beauty that set her apart from other beautiful women in her earlier days as society is telling her she’s currently losing that beauty with age.
She closed her remarks with a powerful takeaway about the evolution of beauty: “The combination of my learning, maturing and earning my wrinkles, combined with the way I look, I believe is the best balance I have ever had. So, sorry all who can’t see it and feel youth is necessary for beauty.”
Porizkova was beautiful then, and she’s beautiful now — age doesn’t make a person less beautiful, but rather beautiful in different ways. One thing age does do, however? It brings a wisdom that inspires long-overdue confidence and self-worth for being uniquely you.
Before you go, click here to see celebrity women over 50 whose bikini photos are blowing our minds.
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