Naina.co
  • Blog
    • Everything
    • Only Articles & Writing
    • #NAINAxStyle
    • Podcast : The Naina Redhu Experience
    • EyesFor…
      • #EyesForLuxury
      • #EyesForLifestyle
      • #EyesForDestinations
        • #EyesForIndia
        • #EyesForDubai
        • #EyesForEurope
        • #EyesForLA
        • #EyesForLondon
        • #EyesForNewYork
      • #EyesForPeople
      • #EyesForStreetStyle
      • #EyesForDining
      • #EyesForTechnology
      • #EyesForFashion
        • New York Fashion Week
        • Amazon India Fashion Week AW15
      • #EyesForBeauty
      • #EyesForPeople
    • Art
    • #MadeInIndia
    • #NAINAxADOBE
    • #NosedByNaina
  • Photography Portfolio
  • Contact & About
  • Press
  • Clients
  • Newsletter

NAINA.CO

Instagram
Twitter
YouTube
Pinterest
LinkedIn
Spotify
Facebook
online brand building, photography & art
Naina.co
  • Blog
    • Everything
    • Only Articles & Writing
    • #NAINAxStyle
    • Podcast : The Naina Redhu Experience
    • EyesFor…
      • #EyesForLuxury
      • #EyesForLifestyle
      • #EyesForDestinations
        • #EyesForIndia
        • #EyesForDubai
        • #EyesForEurope
        • #EyesForLA
        • #EyesForLondon
        • #EyesForNewYork
      • #EyesForPeople
      • #EyesForStreetStyle
      • #EyesForDining
      • #EyesForTechnology
      • #EyesForFashion
        • New York Fashion Week
        • Amazon India Fashion Week AW15
      • #EyesForBeauty
      • #EyesForPeople
    • Art
    • #MadeInIndia
    • #NAINAxADOBE
    • #NosedByNaina
  • Photography Portfolio
  • Contact & About
  • Press
  • Clients
  • Newsletter
0
  • Articles & Writing

Ugly Teeth and Other Flaws in My Appearance

  • January 31, 2019
  • naina

Just yesterday, someone who follows me on Instagram, mentioned that they missed my “text” updates on my Instagram stories. Where I “talk” with my “followers”.

Both talk and followers are in double quotes because I feel that the meaning of the words has changed on social media. Talking would imply that even if there isn’t voice involved, there’s some form of conversation. Which there rarely is with maybe 0.001% of those who “follow” me. It’s more like text messaging than an actual conversation. The latter being what I would much prefer.

If you’ve clicked on the “follow” button on my profile on any of the social media platforms, you’re a “follower”. But are you? There are maybe a handful of people who actually follow what I’m upto on a daily basis and I might be a bit creeped out by it.

Of course, I digress.

I’m here to talk about appearance. My appearance and the kind of feedback I receive and what I perceive from it.

Now, my face and body have several flaws. Like everyone else. I’ll stick to the ones that are more publicly visible :

Firstly, there’s a tooth missing on my upper jaw, which is an old bicycle accident. Early 1990’s. The other teeth quickly tried to swallow up the space and the middle of my teeth is no longer aligned with the middle of my nose – or the middle of my lower jaw’s set of teeth.

And there’s an artificial tooth right up front on the upper jaw. From the same injury. An Army Doctor fixed it, probably in the late 1990’s & did a great job for that decade. It hasn’t aged well and another dentist has, quite rudely, said that it looks like a “chiclet”. ( It is / was a brand of chewing gum that is like a stark white cheeseling – a small white pillow, rectangular almost. )

I’ve thought about smiling less. Or smiling small. But I always come back to, “Fuck that”. Also because my facial expressions are quite out of control. I cannot not smile or deliver a guttural laugh if the occasion demands it. I’m pretty sure no one’s scrutinizing my teeth while having a conversation with me. And if they are, well, that’s their problem. As long as my teeth are clean and my breath doesn’t stink, I’m not thinking about the discomfort of others.

That’s the most obvious “flaw” that’s clearly displayed for all to see.

I’ve chatted with a couple of dentists about straightening my teeth – all of them – the bottom jaw is hilariously skewed out of place – jagged. I’ve noticed that John Oliver got his teeth corrected – his bottom set was quite similar to mine. I’m not hosting my own show on television but I do work with brands that want my face to be visible with their product. I HAVE thought about all this. I’m still not convinced that an aligned set of teeth is going to increase my bank balance or imbue my life with richer experiences.

I laugh heartily & like that about me. I’ll be laughing like that when I’m old & have no teeth left. I don’t think I’ll be 75 years old, grateful that I got my teeth done. I think I’ll be 75 years old and grateful that I still laugh like I’m going to bring the roof down.

Onto some of the other “flaws”. One of my nostrils is smaller than the other. One of my eyebrows is not as good as the other – also, I over-plucked them when I was in college and the damage has never really been undone. A bad laser treatment in the late 2000’s activated hair growth under my chin – I pluck those out or shave them every two weeks or so. My nose-hair is a genetic problem from my Dad’s side. I use a nose-hair-trimmer every 2 or 3 weeks otherwise there’s this one particular hair that literally curls out from one nostril and goes into the other. No kidding. I don’t have “pretty” hands but they do do all the work – mainly lifting the camera, clicking the shutter button, editing and writing on the laptop, painting etc. Stubby fingers get the job done. Who cares how they look? Etcetera etcetera.

I’m not saying that appearances don’t matter. They do. What I’m saying is that I believe it’s more of an “overall” look, than specifics about each facial or body feature / part. If I dress well – clean, ironed, non-smelly; if I’m groomed well – clipped nails, washed & moisturized face, non-smelly, combed hair; if I’m well-mannered – polite, courteous, hearty; if I do my job well – am punctual, I actually do what I say, keep it professional; then who is coming to measure the gap in my teeth anyway?

I think I’m quite attractive and only a little of it has to do with “looks”. It is who I am that makes me appealing. I genuinely like hanging out with people. I like doing a good job when I’m at a gig. I like representing my clients to the best of my professional ability. My smiles always crinkle the edges of my eyes. I love laughing like there’s no tomorrow. Loud & clear.

Ain’t no appearance nonsense going to stop me from any of these. I’m more concerned and focused on what the insides of my body look like more than the outside – health wealth etc.

I’m not a fan of identifying myself with a particular caste or religion but for the sake of context, I’m a Jat girl, originally from a small village in the state of Haryana ( one of India’s states leading in female foeticide numbers ), from a lower middle class family, who put a lot of her life, appearance and all, on the internet.

There are a million ways my life could have gone sideways, wonky, horrible and miserable. I’m grateful for the randomness that led me to where I am today. My teeth, are not a problem, at all.

( Instead of posting a half-baked ten-liner on my Instagram stories, this is a not-entirely-fully-baked thousand-word piece on my blog. Hope you enjoyed reading it enough to be reading this right at the end!)

For other pieces that I’ve written over the years on this blog, see the Articles & Writing category. Yes, I write too, in addition to publishing photo-stories.

Total
0
Shares
Share
Tweet
Pin it
Share
Share
Share
Share
Share
Share
Related Topics
  • appealing
  • appearance
  • appearances
  • article
  • attractiveness
  • body dysmorphia
  • eyes
  • face
  • hair
  • haryana
  • health
  • Indian girl
  • Jat girl
  • life
  • looks
  • misaligned teeth
  • Skin
  • ugly face
  • ugly teeth
  • women
  • wonky teeth
  • writing
  • written piece
naina

Previous Article
Naina.co, Naina Redhu, Ashish N Soni, Kolkata, Calcutta, Blenders Pride Fashion Tour, BlendersPrideFashionTour, NAINAxBPFT, BPFT2018, BPFT, Pernod Ricard, Black and White, Monochromatic, Monochrome, Ashish Soni, ITC Sonar Banlga, West Bengal, MadeInIndia, EyesForFashion, Client Photography Showcase, Professional Photography, Photo Story, Experience Collector, Runway, Models, MyIdentityMyPride, My Identity My Pride, MyStyleMyPride, My Style My Pride, Sushmita Sen, Rajiv Makhni, Whisky, Whiskey, Blenders Pride, Preferred Professionals, Salt XP, Sanea, Aishwarya Sushmita, Silver Hair, Fashion Installation, Bar, Professional Photographer India, Fashion Photographer India, Lifestyle Photographer India, Lifestyle Photographer, Behind The Scenes, Backstage
  • #EyesForFashion
  • Client Photography Showcase

Blenders Pride Fashion Tour, 2018 : Ashish N Soni, Kolkata #NAINAxBPFT #MyStyleMyPride

  • January 23, 2019
  • naina
View Post
Next Article
  • Articles & Writing

How Often Should I Post On Instagram

  • February 6, 2019
  • naina
View Post
You May Also Like
View Post
  • Articles & Writing

The Girl With The Blue Petal #ShortStory

  • naina
  • March 19, 2021
View Post
  • Articles & Writing

I Am Not Afraid of Being Alone

  • naina
  • January 9, 2021
the bridges of madison county, book, robert kincaid, francesca johnson, robert james waller, romance novel, novella, favourite romance novel, naina redhu, naina.co, love story
View Post
  • #EyesForLifestyle
  • Articles & Writing

The Bridges Of Madison County : My Favourite Romance Novel Ever

  • naina
  • October 21, 2020
View Post
  • Articles & Writing

Be Strong.

  • naina
  • August 28, 2020
View Post
  • Articles & Writing
  • Personal Photography Showcase

Hello 40! #40and10in2020

  • naina
  • June 26, 2020
JRE potify, the joe rogan experience, spotify, spotify podcast, podcasts on spotify, the naina redhu experience, comedian, UFC commentator, influencer marketing podcast, brand building podcast, online brand building, social media marketing, youtube podcasts, spotify vodcast, podcast industry, podcasting
View Post
  • Articles & Writing

The Joe Rogan Experience Podcast Moves to Spotify : What Does That Mean?

  • naina
  • May 20, 2020
View Post
  • Articles & Writing

Listening In On A Webinar : Influencer Marketing Post The Pandemic

  • naina
  • May 8, 2020
View Post
  • Articles & Writing

How To Take Feedback From Strangers On The Internet

  • naina
  • April 24, 2020




Naina Redhu is a professional photographer & visual artist.

Her career, spanning 16 years, started with an MBA in IT & Systems, to a job as an Innovation Management Consultant, to branding & graphic design work for international clients, to a full-time solo-entrepreneurship as an Experience Collector.

Naina started her blog 16 years ago and it has evolved from writing about Creativity & Innovation, to sharing case studies about Branding & Graphic Design to finally a destination for some of the leading Luxury & Lifestyle brands as Naina writes features for these brands and photographs them.

Having traveled all over India as a child ( the advantage of having a father serving in the Indian Army ), she is also well-traveled across Europe ( Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, Italy and France ), Asia ( Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam ), America ( New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco ), and Canada.

Naina has her own podcast called The Naina Redhu Experience, where she talks about the business and professional aspects of photography, blogging and influencer marketing in India.

Her abstract art, under the KhaosPhilos label can be shopped on the Naina.co online store and she is available for bespoke commissions as well.

"The New Rules of Online Brand Building", Naina's on-ground workshop, recently wrapped up its 7th Edition. Launched in 2018, "Workshops By Naina" is going to be seeing more editions across the country & online.

Naina is also available for hire as a Speaker. She has been invited as a Keynote Speaker at a blogging conference and also speaks about the business of photography in India.

Always learning & evolving online, she has presence across several online spaces including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, LinkedIn, TikTok and her podcast can be found on all podcast channels and apps.

#EyesForLuxury
  • janavi india, jyotika jhalani, naina redhu, LMIFWSS21, FDCI, Shaurya Athley, aprajita puri, janavi love, fdci goes digital, talisman, handcrafted, made in india, cashmere, shawls, luxury cashmere, eyesforluxury, madeininda, cashmere, kiera chaplin, spectaculars, eyeforfashion, fashion week, india fashion week, lotus india fashion week 2020, fdci fashion week 2020
    Talisman by Janavi India #LMIFWSS21 : Evil Eye Luxury Cashmere Collection
    • October 18, 2020
  • midsummer jardin, hand-painted jacket, impressionist, pointillism, impressionism, post-impressionism, contemporary art, khaosphilos, wearable art, wear a painting, wear art, made in india, make in india, madeinindia, makeinindia, wearableart, wearart, wearapainting, khaos philos, naina redhu, naina.co, naina, indian artist, art on garments, painted jacket, painted blazer, flower garden, midsummer garden, artist's garden, monet, seurat
    Midsummer Jardin : More About My First Hand-Painted Jacket #KhaosPhilos
    • May 31, 2020
  • bmw, eyesforluxury, automobiles, automobile brand, bayerische motoren werke ag, german company, german automobile, bmw 8 series gran coupe, the8, luxury grand tourer, four door, thegentlemanconnoisseur, nainaxbmw, india art fair, bmw at the india art fair, bmwatiaf, indiaartfair2020, new delhi, lifestyle photographer, luxury photographer, car, automobile photographer, art photographer, art fair, naina redhu, naina, naina.co
    BMW at the India Art Fair 2020 #EyesForLuxury #BMWAtIAF
    • February 22, 2020
#KhaosPhilos Art Label
  • brooch, magnet clasp, hand painted, hand cut, acrylics on wood, original painting, one of a kind, independent artist, made in india, spring drip, naina redhu, khaosphilos, handmade, handcrafted, single artisan
    “Spring Drip” Art Series of Brooches #WearableArt
    • February 11, 2021
  • The “NUANCE” Wearable Art Series of Brooches Made From Hand-Cut Paint
    • November 26, 2020
  • The Hindu Weekend, Susanna Myrtle, LuxeList, Luxe List, Hand Painted Brooches, Wearable Art, Made In India, Naina Redhu, Naina.co, KhaosPhilos, Chaos Lover, Independent Artist, Brooches Are Back, Accessories, Luxury Accessories, One Of A Kind, Unique Accessories, Hand Made, In Time, Diwali Brooch Collection
    One-Of-A-Kind Wearable Art Brooches by KhaosPhilos In The Press : The Hindu Weekend
    • October 16, 2020
Social Links
Products In The Shop
  • Brooches (97)
    • 2 Inches Diameter (41)
    • 2.5 Inches (39)
    • 3 Inches Diameter (15)
    • Oil (1)
    • Sculptural (53)
  • Collections (134)
    • ALIVE (6)
    • Benches (5)
    • DOTS (17)
    • HORIZONS (23)
    • IN TIME (16)
    • METALS (20)
    • NUANCE (8)
    • Paper 2018 (20)
    • Spring Drip (6)
    • The Early Experiments (18)
  • Garments (14)
    • Caps (2)
    • Masks (11)
  • Original Paintings (38)
    • On Canvas (18)
    • On Paper (20)
  • Prints (32)
    • Paintings (22)
    • Photographs (9)
    • Posters (1)
  • SOLD (53)
  • Uncategorized (21)
  • Workshops (3)
Your Cart
#EyesForDestinations
  • narendra bhawan bikaner, narendra bhawan hotel, bikaner luxury hotel, naina redhu, holi 2021, narendra bhawan, siddharth yadav, swimming pool, traveller's table, suryagarh, private haveli, private pool, suryagarh jaisalmer, holi celebrations, bikaner railway station, gurgaon railway station, bikaner to gurgaon by train, gurgaon to bikaner by train, pranay baidya, duck salad, eyesfordestinations, eyesforluxury, india, rajasthan, eyesforrajasthan, eyesforindia, rajasthan tourism
    A Rajasthan Holi, 2021
    • April 7, 2021
  • narendra bhawan bikaner, narendra bhawan, eyesforrajasthan, eyesfordestinations, bikaner, rajasthan, travel photogapher, nainaxnarendrabhawan, best boutique hotel in india, indian boutique hotel, narendra bhawan india, narendra singh, naina redhu, naina, lifestyle photographer, travel blogger
    The Nine Stages of Experiencing Narendra Bhawan Bikaner
    • December 17, 2020
  • bhairon vilas, bikaner, hotel bhairon vilas, dive bar bikaner, dive bar, narendra bhawan bikaner, rajasthan, eyesfordestinations, eyesforrajasthan, rajasthan photographs, travel photographer, bikaner photographs, bikaner bar
    The Dive Bar at Bhairon Vilas, Bikaner
    • December 9, 2020
ART SHOP
  • Cucumber & Rose, 2021, 2.5 Inches ₹5,000.00
  • Repeatedly Relentlessly Resourceful, 2021, 64 Inches in Diameter, Hand-Painted Acrylics on Stretched Canvas ₹1,920,000.00
  • Fragrant Flames, 2021, 16x16 Inches Acrylics on Canvas ₹152,832.00
  • Savannah Cloud, 2021, 16x16 Inches Acrylics on Canvas ₹152,832.00
  • Lipstick Hot And Pink, 2018 #TheEarlyExperiments ₹5,000.00
  • Lipstick Orange And Pink, 2018 #TheEarlyExperiments ₹5,000.00

All Copyright rests with Naina Redhu. All Rights Reserved 2020. Written permission is required for you to copy & use images or text from this website. Email n@naina.co to ask.

NAINA.CO
  • Blog
  • Photography Portfolio
  • Contact & About
  • Press
  • Clients
  • Newsletter
All Rights Reserved. Copyright Naina.co 2020.

Input your search keywords and press Enter.