Red lipstick certainly makes a statement, but it's the women wearing it that are ready to take on the world.
By pairing her photos of scarlet-lipped women with bite-size interviews, Aditi Kulkarni's blog The Red Lips Project is documenting the many things that make women feel powerful.
Kulkarni, a Swarthmore College student and photographer, says she decided to pursue the photography project because she wanted to help empower the women in her life. She points to a culture painted in red lip symbolism as a partial inspiration for the project's signature shade. From Marilyn Monroe to Taylor Swift, it's clear that the lip color has had a lot of significance over the years.
"I thought that using red lipstick [in the photographs] would be one way to display the power all women intrinsically have, but may not always have a way to express it," she told A+ in an email.
For the project, Kulkarni asked each of the women she photographed what made them individually feel powerful, and got some pretty incredible responses. She hopes that her photos will help change people's lack of confidence in women's abilities.
"A powerful, confident woman is a force to be reckoned with and many people aren't ready to accept this. We haven't yet experienced all that women are capable of, because we've spent so long limiting what they can do."
Check out a selection of Kulkarni's photos below.
"What makes me feel powerful is a confident walk and a loud laugh."
theredlipsproject.tumblr.com"Seeing my mother smile."
theredlipsproject.tumblr.com"The ability to turn ideas into actualizations."
theredlipsproject.tumblr.com"Love is what makes me powerful."
http://theredlipsproject.tumblr.com/post/103003054884/love-is-what-makes-me-powerful-whether-its-the"When I know what to say and when to say it."
theredlipsproject.tumblr.com"When I am dancing."
theredlipsproject.tumblr.com"What makes me feel powerful is engaging in the interfaith dialogue."
theredlipsproject.tumblr.com"Being able to pursue whatever I want."
theredlipsproject.tumblr.com"There's nothing more empowering than knowing that you're the reason behind someone's radiant smile."
theredlipsproject.tumblr.com"I feel most powerful when I remind myself that I make my own happiness."
theredlipsproject.tumblr.com"I am not afraid to take my chances. That's when I feel powerful."
theredlipsproject.tumblr.com"I feel powerful because I am Osazenoriuwa Osamede Ebose, there is none other like me in the world."
theredlipsproject.tumblr.comInspired by Kulkarni's project? Share it! (And let us know what makes YOU feel powerful in the comments.)
