The Rise of Sexy Selfies and What That Means for Women

(Image credit: Marie Claire)

published 17 January 2014

Turns out, posing half-naked in the mirror and snapping a picture can be quite lucrative, according to The Daily Mail (opens in new tab). Renee Somferfield (pictured) launched her own career by posting a ton of photos in her bikini online. We respect ambitious women (obvs) so this got us thinking: Do you think this causes women to be objectified and their bodies more frequently judged? Or do you think becoming an 'Insta-babe' is empowering?

Do you think sexy selfies are objectifying or empowering to women? (opens in new tab)

Hallie has worked in beauty editorial for ten years and has been editorial director at Byrdie since 2021. Previously, she was a senior editor at Byrdie since 2016. During her time at Byrdie, she's written hundreds of high-performing stories on skincare, wellness (including fitness, diet, mental health, body image, et al) makeup, and hair. She's a regular on set, helping to source inspiration for makeup and hair looks, as well as interviewing celebrities, models, and other notable women and men in the beauty space.

Before that, Hallie ran Marie Claire's social media and wrote beauty and culture stories for the site, and helped launch Time Inc.'s digital-only beauty brand, MIMI. After college, she contributed to Time Out New York’s Shopping & Style section before landing her first beauty editor gig at Hearst's Real Beauty. Hallie's writing has also appeared in ELLE, Cosmopolitan, and InStyle. Hallie graduated with a BA in Communication Arts from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.