The Importance of ‘Neutral Face’

You’ve heard of the Bitchy Resting Face, surely? The way a scowl becomes your natural face when you’re not doing anything in particular. Here is a famous example:

(although Photographers do seem to force these images of Kristen upon us… let’s not get into that right now!)

The annoying thing about it is I’ve only ever heard it referred to when talking about the way a girl looks, which is kind of annoying. It’s also something that many people can’t help and it can totally affect the way people think of you. You must have heard or even thought to yourself ‘that girl looks like a bitch’. Let’s not get onto the subject of how anti-feminist that statement is and just appreciate the fact that sometimes your face is doing something you don’t mean for it to do!

I don’t suffer from Bitchy Resting Face… I wish I did, actually. I sadly suffer from Can’t Hide Internal Thoughts Face.

Not a day goes by where I don’t have to regroup my facial features because I’ve sneered, scowled, sighed or sniggered at something I’ve thought of someone I’ve overheard. I’m a terrible eavesdropper because it’s so obvious when I’m doing it.

Trying to keep a neutral face would probably get me out of some situations, particularly when it’s obvious I’m ridiculously bored in a meeting at work…And yes, whilst I believe you shouldn’t have to hide your feelings and thoughts from everyone I also believe that keeping things to myself might make for an easier life.

So I’ll keep trying to hold onto the dream of Neutral Face whilst wishing the Bitchy Resting Faces luck. No matter what we do someone seems to end up looking or feeling insulted. Let’s all try to look neutral and hope the annoying people talking about something obnoxious in Starbucks leave, not knowing how much their conversation was driving me to distraction.

Sam