Facing Up

I recently created a YouTube video channel for my TV appearance.  Why do screen shots of your videos capture your worst expression ever? In my case it’s usually between a pain-anger-or what smells? look. I’ve spent hours trying to figure out how to fix a dire “resting screen shot” face.

No matter how hard I try to have RFF (Restful Fabulous Face) in my video interviews, inevitable the little Code Ninjas that live inside the world of Facebook, Google and YouTube capture me at my worst.

Of course, in the world of women and beauty, this expression has a term and, ultimately, some women seeking out cosmetic surgeons for a fix. It’s called RBF “Resting Bitch Face.” Naturally, this term only applies to women, much in the same way men never seem to get cellulite…or menstrual cramps.

I read about Resting Bitch Face in the New York Times and other media outlets  Several celebrities have been called out about their RBF including perennially unhappy looking Kirsten Stewart, Victoria Beckham and Anna Paquin (who admitted having RBF during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel LIve.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I liked this Cosmopolitan magazine article, “13 Struggles Only Women With Resting Bitch Face Understand, ” especially point #5. “People tell you to smile more. You just wanna be like, “Hey, you don’t find me telling you what to do with your face! SO SHUT UP.”  It’s annoying when men hanging out on the street shout out “Smile Lady” when I walk by like I’m supposed to have a sh-t-eating grin on my face all day. It’s OK to look serious.

First Lady Michelle Obama was described as having RBF in this photo taken at the memorial service for South Africa’s Nelson Mandela. It generated plenty of media commentary. Of course, it’s pretty normal to look somber at a funeral and pretty abnormal to take goofy selfies during one.

RBF only seems to apply to women. We’re told we look angry, tired, sad, judgmental, bossy, snobby, and bitchy (sounds like 7 bad dwarfs.). But if we smile too much we look “ditsy.” Men with the same expression are “brooding” and “provocative” and attractive to women according to this article,

Male followers of this blog can stop reading now, Ladies, this next part is for you to help rearrange your face and have a laugh.

I have a term for a common male expression.  It’s called RBBF (Resting Bad Boy Face). Privately, I tell my friends it’s ROF (Rocker Orgasm Face) when the performers are at their peak performance, whether it’s strumming a real guitar or air guitar. You know, that expression

A sweet Tweet for you: Want to look younger and more approachable? Try a mood lift instead of a facelift. #fearlessfabulousyou

 

On August 10, 2015   /   Attitude Adjustment, Life As We Know It