alula
Sitter-In-Training
Posts: 406
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Post by alula on Jul 3, 2007 2:26:09 GMT -5
I think it would be cool if instead of getting contacts, Mallory could get a really stylish pair of glasses instead of the fugly massive ones she wears in the series that take up her whole face. Heh, word. I had LASIK at my doctor's recommendation in 2000 (it had to do with the rate at which my vision was deteriorating and the shape of my eyes), but even now I have glasses-lust--I was kind of psyched when I needed to get glasses for night driving this summer. Technically I could have gotten by--I'd pass a road test without them easily--but I'm a skittish driver, so I feel better wearing them, and they're cute! I totally drove my friend who went with me crazy trying on tons of pairs because I wanted ones like Addison's on "Grey's Anatomy"--she puts those on and raises her eyebrows, and I'm like, McDreamy who? But yeah, getting glasses the right fit and shape for your face are one of those little things that people don't think about sometimes, but that can really make a huge difference. I think Mallory could totally be pretty--I see part of it as growing into her looks (most people I know who hated their noses in middle school look great now, without plastic surgery) and part of it as getting a handle on those other things like properly-fitting glasses, eyebrow shaping, learning to properly take care of curly hair, etc. Actually, when I was a kid it bugged me a little that there was so much emphasis on Mallory's red hair and glasses being so OMG! AWFUL. I know it's more the curls she complains about, but there are times she definitely describes the red as a negative. It's one thing when Anne Shirley does it, because, yea, different time period, but I spent my awkward years in the 90s, and I never ever disliked my red hair, or my glasses, which I wore from age six until I had the LASIK. (I had plenty of other body-image issues, but I figured out pretty early that my hair was my best feature--now everyone always asks if I dye it!). It just kind of bothered me that those particular things were seen as universal, objective fuglifiers. It would be different if all the girls did it now and then--like if Mary Anne and Kristy complained about being short, or whatever), but the others all have total body confidence. On my rereads I've noticed that it actually seems to be Stacey who is the most complimentary of Mal. I don't remember all the examples, but I know I noticed at least two or three where she said something like, "Mallory thinks her hair is too frizzy, so she forgets what a great color it is, and she's so self-conscious about her braces she doesn't realize she has a beautiful smile," which I think is actually nicer than Jessi's backhanded "she's so nice that when you get to know her she kinda looks better" thing. (I'm pretty sure one of the times Stacey says that is in Ch. 2 of Stacey's Ex-Boyfriend, and I was sure when I read that she'd said something like that before, but I can't think where the other times might be).
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Post by aln1982 on Jul 3, 2007 7:44:53 GMT -5
I think red hair is pretty and sometimes wish mine was redder. It is brown with a slight reddish tint once in a great while but my grandma's was more auburn and I always wish I would have inherited that instead of the boring brown. I think Mal's unconfidence with her appearance is just a reflection of her insecurity. Or maybe it causes it. Never thought of that possibility....
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Post by maddieruns on Jul 3, 2007 10:46:09 GMT -5
haha! -when Addison did that- I totally wanted to trade my contacts for a pair of glasses like that. I wanted to see how many more boys would come up to my desk at work. But why did Mallory have such a huge pair of glasses anyways? Was that the style back then?
^and I agree aln, I think most of Mallory's problems are her insecurity issues. I think she could really look pretty someday after she gets her er... hair problems under control.
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alula
Sitter-In-Training
Posts: 406
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Post by alula on Jul 3, 2007 14:07:35 GMT -5
Oh, yeah, I agree that Mallory's main problem is insecurity. It just kind of bothered me that the books seemed to treat it like it was de facto that a girl with red hair and glasses would hate those parts of her looks, like they're inherently bad, and I think the other narrations don't always do enough to refocus it--that's why it stands out to me when Stacey says straight out that the color of Mal's hair is great and she has a nice smile. Everyone else is more pitying about it, especially because none of them ever seem to have any body-confidence issues, which is pretty rare for thirteen-year-old American girls, even generally well-adjusted ones.
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Post by booboobrewer on Jul 3, 2007 15:18:43 GMT -5
I had big pink glasses for awhile a la Karen Brewer (or Elvis Costello!) when I first found out I needed them, back around 3rd/4th grade, and also remember other people who rocked the big frames too. I suppose it pretty much was the style. I think Mal looks pretty cute in the pic up top (BSC in the USA cover), but it does seem that her glasses kind of take up half her face on most covers. I've also noticed how Stacey has said Mal's looks are cute and she just doesn't know it on more than one occasion, which I always found nice. I think her wanting to get a cooler pair of glasses instead of contacts (or until her parents let her get contacts) would have been a really fun idea.
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Post by supernatural babe on Jul 5, 2007 9:23:43 GMT -5
But isn't Mallory already pretty? Logan mentions in his book that 'maybe his team mates are starting to see the advantage of being a sitter, I get to hang out with 7 pretty girls'...something like that anyway.
And in 'Stacey's Friend' Barbara refers to Mal as the cute 6th grader.
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msstock87
Sitting For The Braddocks
Here Comes The Bride!
Created by Rie.
Posts: 3,618
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Post by msstock87 on Jul 5, 2007 11:08:59 GMT -5
I think red hair is pretty and sometimes wish mine was redder. It is brown with a slight reddish tint once in a great while but my grandma's was more auburn and I always wish I would have inherited that instead of the boring brown. I think Mal's unconfidence with her appearance is just a reflection of her insecurity. Or maybe it causes it. Never thought of that possibility.... I always sorta thought that too about Mal...She seemed to have a lot of insecurities but then again so did I when I was 11. Red hair is pretty. I was born with red hair and I as I got older it turned dark blond, so I decided to dye it back to red when I started college. I love it so much more now.
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Post by fairy3lf2 on Jul 5, 2007 13:08:19 GMT -5
Has anybody noticed that when Mallory goes to Sea City, she seems to have more popularity with guys? Two good looking guys (Toby and Chris from the ice cream shop) are interested in her. Maybe it's because she has more confidence there as opposed to Stoneybrook.
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msstock87
Sitting For The Braddocks
Here Comes The Bride!
Created by Rie.
Posts: 3,618
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Post by msstock87 on Jul 5, 2007 23:19:35 GMT -5
Hmm, that is a good point about Mallory with Sea city boys..maybe Sea City does something to a person's self confidence?
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Lauren
Sitting For The Newtons
Posts: 2,026
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Post by Lauren on Jul 7, 2007 18:03:25 GMT -5
Maybe getting her out of her comfort zone makes her more confident.
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Katie
New To Stoneybrook
Posts: 153
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Post by Katie on Jul 7, 2007 22:38:34 GMT -5
I probably had similar hair to Mallory at 11 except it's brown not red. It took another 15 years until I finally learned to properly care for my curls earlier this year. Before that I would just straighten my hair. And yea it still turns into a poofy mess if I brush it. I usually comb it in the shower, wash with conditioner only and let it air dry. The Curly Girl book changed my hair. I wish I'd had a book like that when I was 11.
I think most people get better looking once they leave the dorky puberty years behind. I look at pictures of myself from 11-17 and wince now. It wasn't until the end of high school that I really started to look less like an ugly duckling and more like a nice looking person.
I also had the huge dork glasses as a middle schooler. Now I switch between fun small red frames and contact lenses. I have a restricted driver's license for vision and a severe astigmatism. The restricted license sounds bad to some people which always surprises me. I can still drive anywhere at anytime. I just better have glasses or contacs in to do it.
I was actually happy when I got braces. Not that I liked having them but it meant having straight teeth and a nicer smile so it was worth it to me.
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Post by liss31d on Jul 8, 2007 12:33:15 GMT -5
I found it interesting what you were saying about how leaving the 'comfort zone' of Stoneybrook makes Mallory feel more confident... as it's not only in Sea City, but at Riverbend where she starts to 'blossom' if you know what I mean... I get the impression that Stoneybrook, her school, the club and even her own family at times were holding her back and allowing her to remain increasingly under confident... that's why I think that her going to boarding school was the best thing for Mallory, as she said herself in Mary Anne in the Middle, staying behind meant she would remain to be just one of the 8 Pike kids, one of the 7 club members (Junior at that), Spaz Girl at a big school, always one of the crowd... leaving allowed her independence to flourish.
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Post by aln1982 on Jul 8, 2007 16:50:16 GMT -5
^ Never thought of it like that but agree. I find myself more confident when I am away from my "comfort zone" that includes things that seem to hold me back and make me feel inferior. I can really relate to Mal's unconfidence sometimes and know I felt even worse as a teen when I was with my two best friends because everyone considered them super popular and pretty and this made me feel like their "sidekick". I was a lot more confident (and looking back, a lot happier) when I was away from them even though at the time I didn't realize how bad being around them made me feel.
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Post by bscfan81 on Jul 27, 2007 13:05:39 GMT -5
I wonder if some of Mal's insecurities are age-related? I remember being incredibly self-conscious about my looks when I was in middle school. Like Mal, I even went through a phase of wanting to be a blonde...although I never dyed my hair!
I'm inclined to agree with Stacey's comments: I think Mal is already pretty but just doesn't realize it.
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Post by aln1982 on Jul 27, 2007 16:42:45 GMT -5
^ I agree with Stacey's comment too and always liked that she said that. I would have liked to have seen more of a friendship between her and Mal (started to in books like Mystery in the Diary and really liked it) and wonder if that would have helped Mallory's self esteem. I know it really helped mine at that age and as an older teen to have the friendship/attention of someone older and "cool". In fact, I still remember something that an older girl who I hung out with when I was 14 told me. "If someone doesn't like the way you look, they don't need to look at you. The most important thing is that you like the way you look and be comfortable. Most beauty comes from the inside, anyway."
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