Now, it may seem strange to learn from someone who writes about pretty dresses every day, but: you don't have to be pretty and you don't have to spare no effort to be pretty just to please others. You don't have to feel bothered for your plain looking that makes you unnoticed. After all, every one of us, whether charming or not, is a drop in the ocean and you don't owe prettiness to anyone.
Admittedly, I'm not saying that you shouldn't be pretty if you want to. Being pretty is pleasant, fun, refreshing and satisfying. making people feel delighted and smile at you unconsciously. But in terms of importance, prettiness stands several steps down from happiness, is way below health, and if done as an obligation, can be far away from independence.
But what does you-don't-have-to-be-pretty mean in everyday terms? It means you don't have to blame your parents for not giving you the world-desired appearance and that you don't have to apologize for wearing things that arc held to be "unflattering" or "unfashionable"-especially if, in fact, they make you happy on some level deeper than just being pretty does. As long as you are clean, covered enough, and have bandaged any open wounds. you can wear any color or style you please, holding your heads high. if it makes you happy.
Prettiness, it's sad to say, can have a shelf life. It's so tied up with youth that, at some point (if you're lucky), you're going to have to graduate from prettiness, sometimes before you know it. But you won't even get there if you think you have to follow all the signs that say "this way to prettiness". You get there by travelling the route you find most interesting.
