This is about how the life of a WWE diva is truly the definition of glamour, the pure joy of being a woman (in show business… And just in general), and other lies.
Let me paint a picture for you… As I sit here writing this epic piece of reality, I’m wearing a tight pair of high waisted spandex leggings tucked into spikey stilettos. My push up bra is putting in work under my cropped denim vest. (I’m very close to looking like I’m wearing a slutty Canadian tuxedo). My hair has a soft wave to it and smells like rainbows and glitter. I have spent at least an hour applying make up, only to make it look like I’m barely wearing any at all. I’m perfectly accessorized from my gold necklace that reads “BadBitch” down to my vajazzle masterpiece (google that).
Now, if you believe I’m dressed like this while I’m sitting at home…Stop reading now. Why? Because you are precious and it would be a crime for me to rain on your parade.
There really are some ridiculous standards out there for women. The media and other outlets have really set the bar high, especially when it comes to women in the spot light.
This is a look at what really happens behind the scenes and also about the on going struggle for women like myself …and as a whole.
I speak from experience when I say that there’s extreme pressure to look, act, and dress a certain way all the time. Come on… Really?
Wanna know what I’m actually wearing? Nike pro combat workout pants with the nike check peeling off, tucked into wedge Adidas sneakers (that have permanent red Mio water stain). I’m wearing a target sports bra and a large long sleeve Hurley shirt that I proudly bought at Ross. I have mismatched earrings on and I’ve never Vajazzled myself, ever. Also, my hair could be mistaken for some sort of wild animal’s nesting place.
Don’t get me wrong, there’s a time and a place to look fabulous (in our own way). However, During my time in the WWE, that was pretty much expected all the time.
If people could only see how much we travel, how little we sleep, the hilarious places we have to get ready inside big arenas, and how much work goes into the final product that they see on tv, they’d be floored.
It’s definitely not glamourous. I’d actually compare being a WWE diva to being like MacGyver. A hotter MacGyver. There’s so many tricks and maneuvers (and tiny paper clips) involved.
Here’s a checklist of all the things I needed to get ready for a match: tights, regular bra, sports bra (to hold it all in), double sided tape, tanner, a lot more tanner, make up, curling iron, straighter, hair spray & dry shampoo (in most cases). All these things happened BEFORE getting dressed. These are actually the necessities…. Regardless of what your “look” is.
The only days we have a stylist, for hair and make up, are TV days. All other appearances and non televised matches, we’re on our own!
I truly became an expert at curling my hair in a tiny mirror that I shared with 7 others girls in a crowded locker room. See, we’re just sexy MacGyvers.
Fun fact: my first time to ever appear on a pay-per-view, during my season of NXT, I had to curl my own hair in the reflection of a paper towel dispenser in the tv locker room (a very public high traffic area). The NXT girls were given a small, mirror less, closet-sized room under the stairs in the Chicago area. Come to think of it… It was kind of like Harry Potter, minus the magic. I was new and there wasn’t time for any of the stylists to do my hair, as I was last on the totem pole.
Now is the time for someone to start a slow clap for me……
But seriously, (you can stop clapping now), I’m not only talking about being on screen or in the ring or the amount of work it takes to look glamorous and totally and effortlessly “put together”. We are also expected to keep up a certain image at all times. Don’t get me wrong, I totally get it. BUT if you’re a girl like me, (a tomboy who prefers a plaid shirts and chucks over a dress and pair heels any day), it’s truly a struggle to try and fit into this certain mold. I think we all know what I’m talking about… The Barbie standards. That bitch Barbie has really set an impossibly high bar for women. (To be clear, I’m talking about the plastic toy Barbie. Not the Barbie we all know and love, Kelly Kelly. I know, easy to confuse the two)
You’re probably thinking. “Just be true to yourself.. Blah blah”. Well, duh, but what some of you may be failing to realize is the tremendous pressure of being appealing on television to millions of harsh critics and to Vince McMahon himself. He is the end-all-be-all in the WWE. That crazy, successful, mad genius runs the show. Every show. Every detail. He’s basically super human BUT that’s a whole different topic.
It just so happens that Vince favors “a perfect 10”. He’s loves a classically beautiful, womanly shape. Tall, leggy, perfect measurements. Oh yea and an always impeccably dressed diva with perfect hair and makeup….yea know, the exact opposite of me.
I may not have been physically ideal for this particular man’s taste, so the obvious solution would be dressing incredibly sexy and being perfectly polished at all times. Umm yea… It’s just not in my nature.
So how does someone that doesn’t fit into this ideal mold, physically and style-wise, work into the equation?
First off, learn how to MacGyver yourself up in a public restroom at any given moment and just accept that under certain circumstances you just gotta leave your comfort zone. NEXT….Well…I had a hard time trying to figure this out. I knew there was qualities about me that got me to a certain point, but it was up to me to prove that being a little different was appealing to our audience. I feel like I was put in a certain category of divas because of my facial features. However my body, my style and the way I carry myself set me apart.
Ahhh please accept meeeeee!
I spent the first fews years of my career trying to fit in. I had so many sets of wresting gear made out of sparkly spandex, I bought dresses that I would normally make fun of girls for wearing and seriously tried to wear heels in airports. Gross.
It was only when I “accidentally” won a battle royal on RAW and forced my way into a story line, that I truly started to find myself. I started getting more screen time and was in a main story line. I saw that the writers and producers and VINCE saw that I had something to offer and that I was worth something.
Ah ha…leverage.
Now here’s the tricky part, you have to realize your worth and keep pushing boundaries until someone tells you to stop. Otherwise, you’ll never know what could’ve been.
I slowly stopped wearing sparkly spandex and I added in combat boots. I basically started dressing like I could kick your ass in a street fight. Slowly but surely, I started breaking this mold that I tried to hard to fit into. This also went for my style off screen too. I developed a style that stood out and made it my own. I didn’t try and wear skin tight dresses (all the time) and stilettos. And no one said a damn thing. I did, however, have to try a little harder on looking “polished”. Whether I wanted the attention or not, there were certainly eyes on me at all times. That takes a little while to accept.
I Basically I gave them, (the man), what they wanted and slowly pushed the limits at the same time. Dance puppets, DANCE!
In conclusion, I will leave you with several cliches and stuff that your mom probably used to say to you, (Moms are ALWAYS right, by the way). Always trust your gut and be who you want to be. Most things aren’t what they seem. Being different is cool. Eat your veggies. There’s no business like show business. BEING A GIRL IS HARD. (Cry face)
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