I went to see the latest Bridget Jones film the other day, and before I did, I was asked the question “do you think Bridget is still relevant in 2024?” Apparently it’s up for discussion.
As somebody who has never sought to be or knowingly been close to being particularly “relevant” herself, it surprised me a bit that this was even up for discussion. Why do you have to be supposedly “relevant” to be accepted? Who decides? Maybe striving to be relevant is more of a hindrance than a benefit? Why not get on with it and prove your relevance rather than trying hard to appear so.
As a designer myself, there is (or at least was) a bit of a stereotype that all artsy folks must dye their hair, where heavy make up and have at least one tattoo. I don’t do any of these things, and never have. In fact, none of the designers I have worked with fit this supposed criteria either. In fact I was branded as “boring” by one such blue haired soul on our uni course. The woman in question is now a nurse, whereas I work and thrive within the field I initially chose (I think there’s a lesson in there somewhere….) But what I am saying is that although some people consider me to be irrelevant (this doesn’t bother me one jot) I am somehow very relevant to a lot of folks inside and outside of my career path.
But back to Bridget. I think that the world needs a bit of Bridget. She’s mad cap, chaotic and gets through the day by the skin of her teeth, and wakes up the following morning and does it all again. And tbh who doesn’t? We all have days where we have to wing it a bit, or want the world to swallow us up. Who doesn’t know someone that’s been on dating apps or flirted on a late night text-a-thon or had their heart broken? Who doesn’t call their besties and go for a drink and a boogie and all is forgotten? We don’t have to be perfect to succeed. It’s the imperfections that make life interesting and don’t be afraid of the judgement of others.
Incidentally, I looked up the box office takings for the latest Bridget Jones movie and it’s a smash. The cinema was pretty full, there wasn’t a dry eye, so yes, maybe we do need to see a bit of us women on the big screen that are mad cap, chaotic, knows to pack marshmallows and are entirely relatable? Maybe it’s a box office smash because it’s speaking to an audience that sometimes go a bit unnoticed? Maybe it’s saying don’t under estimate anyone or judge something or someone without digging deeper. We’re all relevant.
As for the design world, I am a walking, talking, designing example of the fact that if you get your head down, put the work in and simply crack on, you are relevant to those that need you. Hard work always gets noticed and I’d rather be spoken about for that rather than anything else.