This Halloween, #BeYourOwnPrincess
What makes a princess, a princess? It’s certainly not her physical attributes, such as blue eyes and blonde hair. It’s what she stands for.
Video blogger Deepica Mutyala has a very powerful message this Halloween. It’s all about loving yourself, your ethnicity and gender included. Her message is simple, but clear: #BeYourOwnPrincess.
#BeYourOwnPrincess Campaign
When Deepica was a young girl, she always dressed up as Princess Jasmine, Scary Spice, or Lisa Turtle. But that’s just because as a person of color, those were the only characters her playmates assumed she could role play as.
“To be completely honest, I always wanted to be Jasmine growing up, but looking back, I think it’s because I felt like it was the only option,” Deepica tells Refinery29. “I felt like being anything else was out of the question because of the color of my skin, which is a big reason why I wanted to make this video.”
This assumption is clearly wrong. And Deepica wanted to set the record straight: she can be anything she wants to be, and so can you.
“Be your own person, no matter what society tells you,” she writes in her blog. “You can be whoever it is you want to be, no matter what you look like on the outside. It’s who you are on the inside that really counts and defines you.”
Focus on What You’re Proud of and Be Positive
(Or how to become a princess this Halloween and beyond.)
Deepica has a few pointers for those who would like to dress up as Disney princesses (or any other princess of their choosing) this Halloween, or on any other occasion really. Deepica gives the following advice.
1. Emphasize your features.
The team behind Deepica’s different looks in her video above aimed to create a look that maintained her individuality and brought out the best in her.
The looks were made to complement her individual features, which she is proud of. For instance, the makeup team emphasized her eyes when she was Jasmine and her brows when she was the prince.
2. Be positive and uplift people.
Deepica is using her platform to share a positive message. She strives to create uplifting content, something she encourages others to do as well.
Children and even certain adults love to play princesses (or princes). Maybe it’s Disney magic; but for whatever reason, princes and princesses have a certain appeal to us.
This Halloween, dress up as a princess (or a prince or whatever you set your heart on) for yourself. Defy stereotypes. Come out as the princess you truly are.
