Of course I know I can’t open a magazine or watch TV if I want to escape it, but the problem is that I can’t even get away from it when I’m just walking down the street.

Everywhere I look there are huge pretty faces on billboards and prettied up girls meandering down the sidewalks. I’m so tired of having pretty constantly shoved down my throat that I want to claw my own eyes out (it would also be satisfying to claw other peoples eyes out but I don’t want to go to jail). It’s mind-numbing, like being forced to live on an diet of Twinkies.

I want something interesting. A look that challenges my eye (maybe even my mind heaven forbid!) like Bjork in her swan dress.

bjorkSm

Now that’s interesting. It makes me have to wonder what’s going on.

I know damn well what’s going on when I’m presented with prettiness.

redBoringSM

The wearer wants to be liked. Of course that’s normal and we all want to be liked and blah blah blah. But ALL THE TIME? Holy snore.

Pretty is rotting my mental teeth and I need some visual kale.

I personally love looking ugly. I can hardly stomach a photo of myself where I don’t look at least stupid. I feel so alone! I never see anyone on the street who’s trying to look ugly. And no, punk doesn’t count, that just ends up looking sexy. Even Burning Man people are trying to be their group’s version of pretty.

I want anti-pretty like Rei Kawakubo’s designs. Take her weirdly padded collection:

REI

or whatever this is.

CDG_0516.450x675

That woman is not trying to be easy on the eye, let alone the mind.

Leandra Medine’s blog Man Repeller starts down this road but she ends up making everything look appealing, even Hammer pants!

I need uglier.

I need a visual palate cleanser, so I am hereby encouraging people to dress intentionally ugly.

Think how freeing, or at least different, it would be to look at your closet from the perspective of what would go the worst together? It could be mind expanding!

My friend always dresses beautifully and she recently admitted to being bummed that no one ever compliments her any more. Imagine the number of compliments she’d get if she went on a LONG ugly streak and then dressed beautifully again!

Dressing intentionally ugly could also help you identify who’s actually honest with you. Someone could be blowing lies up your skirt on a daily basis and you may not even realize it. If they compliment you on an ugly outfit you’ll know to be suspicious!

Really, there are so many ways it could be helpful but most importantly I’D appreciate it. So get on it. And I’d love it if y’all posted up some pictures for me here in the comments.

the author

Babe Scanlon is a writer living and working in San Francisco. She's worked as an archaeologist, computer game designer, agent at Agent Provocateur and hypnotherapist. She is controlling your mind at this very moment.

Please make sure your comment adheres to our comment policy. If it doesn't, it may be deleted. Repeat violations may cause us to revoke your commenting privileges. No one wants that!