Women and the Duck Face — Not a Good Look.
Why Duck Face?
What is it about a camera that brings out the duck face in all women? Yes, all. We do it too. It is not an attractive look. Do us a favor, purse your lips together right now, imitating the duck lip pose and pay attention to what you feel and think about yourself at that very moment.
What is it we think we are accomplishing when we make that face?
- Sex appeal?
- No idea what other face to make?
- Joking?
- Clueless?
History Lesson.
When did this phenomenon begin? I have not seen many portraits in Smithsonian with this face. According to the highly educational Wikipedia page on Duck Face, Oxford Dictionaries added the term to their list in 2014. And in an article by Elle magazine, the duck face started roughly around early 2000's.
While you could argue that the dawn of Myspace profile pictures and digital cameras in the first half of the 2000’s spawned the pose, it really picked up around 2012 just as Instagram started getting popular. Despite being the butt of many jokes, it still hasn’t disappeared.
That’s just great…doesn’t look like a passing fad. Let me tell you, after a bit of research, the duck face is not perceived by ANY to be chic. It is often tied to celebrities with not the best reputation (Kardishians). There’s food for thought.
How You Can Overcome.
It won’t be easy. Like any self-destructive habit, you will have to make a conscious effort to control yourself. When you find your lips starting to pout into a fish like face, stop and think, what are my other options?
Here are some alternatives to the duck face that are universally received better:
- Smile.
Simple. And if you don’t like your teeth, a grin is acceptable as well. Go ahead, give it a try. We will too.
