How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Talking of breasts, I'm worried that I may end up like the rest of the women in my family, with just the one bust, like a sort of shelf affair. (1.2)
Georgia's not only commenting on her own appearance, but also that of members of her family. In other words, she doesn't keep her judgment focused only on herself. As the book continues, her family receives her judgy gaze plenty more times.
Quote #2
I have one of those under-the-skin spots that will never come to a head but lurk in a red way for the next two years. (1.11)
This gem of self-deprecation comes from Georgia's list of things wrong in her life. While we're all for valuing what's inside over what's outside, we know the kind of zit she's talking about, and those things are terrible.
Quote #3
I would have blond hair if I was allowed […]. (1.63)
We don't know where Georgia's beauty ideals come from, but it's clear that in her mind beauty is generally anything that isn't how she looks naturally. The blond hair dream is one she holds particularly tight to.
Quote #4
I pouted my mouth a bit. (1.70)
Georgia makes herself look like a fish when speaking to a cute boy. She and her friends are walking around town pretending to be French, though, so we're not sure what her game plan is if her pouty lips actually draw a young man her way. Et s'il parle français?
Quote #5
I don't mean to be like an old-fashioned woman—you know, all lacy and the man is all tightlipped and never says anything even if he has got a brain tumor […]. Anyway, I'll never have a boyfriend because I am too ugly. (1.83)
Georgia is offering up a few opinions in this quote. She critically comments on old-school relationships between men and women… but then insults herself in the process based on old-school male-female stereotypes. Girl, you are more than your looks—women always have been.
Quote #6
Looking through the old family albums. I'm not really surprised I'm ugly. The photos of Dad as a child are terrifying. His nose is huge—it takes up half of his face. In fact, he is literally just a nose with legs and arms attached. (1.84)
This is another case of Georgia insulting a family member's appearance. The victim this time is her father. Thing is, though, it's less about him than it is about her: Georgia is dumping her insecurities on her dad, blaming him for the fact that she looks the way she does.
Quote #7
I started worrying about what to wear for first day back at school. It's only eleven days away now. I wonder how much "natural" makeup I can get away with? Concealer is OK—I wonder about mascara? Maybe I should just dye my eyelashes? I hate my eyebrows. I say eyebrows but in fact it's just one eyebrow right along my forehead. (1.88)
Georgia isn't technically allowed to wear make-up to school, and with only eleven days to scheme her way around this to make sure she looks as good as possible (in her opinion), she has to get on it.
Quote #8
I've been Sellotaping my fringe to make it longer and straighter and to cover up the space where my eyebrows were. Jas said, "It makes you look like you've escaped from the funny lads' home." Ellen says if I emphasize my mouth and eyes, then attention will be drawn away from my nose. So it's heavy lippy for me from now on. (1.128)
This is one of Georgia's ridiculous ideas to make herself look better. After shaving her eyebrows off, in an attempt to get rid of her unibrow, she improvises covering this up with the equally ridiculous idea of taping her bangs to her forehead. Georgia's lack of self-esteem, while humorous to read about, is clearly a little out of control.
Quote #9
I shared my nose anxiety with Mum. She said, "We used to use 'shaders.' You know, light highlights and darker bits to create shadow—you could put a light line of foundation down the middle and then darker bits at the sides to sort of narrow it down." (2.209)
Mum's response to Georgia's nose anxiety isn't the best, though her comment about appearance helps us understand where Georgia's concern about her looks comes from. Having an authority figure make a comment like this is probably not so helpful for the whole low self-esteem issue.