There's something special about a woman who can make a giraffe look like a fashion accessory. Perhaps it's the air of confidence she exudes or the implied message that she's not afraid to stand out from the crowd. Whatever the reason, giraffe women have a certain je ne sais quoi that is both alluring and intriguing.
Otherwise known as "Giraffe Woman," Sydney Smith committed her life to looking more like an animal. She spent five years wearing metal rings that stretched out her neck and caused terrible pain for this selfish cosmetics act. Let's get to know more about her life then and now.
Dream Big, They Say, She Dreamt Long
Everyone has their own way of pursuing self-love. Some people take themselves on solo trips, and others change their appearance. Most of us have heard someone or the other dyeing their hair, getting tattoos or piercings. But this is not what we are talking about. This is a story of a woman who took self-love to a whole new level.
Sydney Smith, aka the "Giraffe Woman," changed her appearance in the unique way possible. After all, how many of us say that we have stretched our necks to achieve a target? This is exactly what Smith did. She added extra vertebrae to her neck through body modification.
Turning Her Childhood Dream into Reality
Smith's love for giraffes began when she was just five years old. She was fascinated by their long necks and wanted to look like one. This dream stayed with her through her childhood and into adulthood. In 2012, Sydney finally took the plunge and got additional vertebrae added to her neck. The process is also known as "cervical vertebral elongation."
Since then, Smith has been slowly and carefully stretching her neck to achieve her desired look. The process is a slow one as the body needs time to adjust to the new implants. It can take months or even a few years to achieve the desired results.
An Oversea Inspiration
Smith's decision to go ahead with the procedure was largely inspired by a woman she saw on the internet who had undergone a similar procedure. The women in question were from the tribal region of Southern Asia. Smith was fascinated by their long necks and wanted to have a similar look.
Be it via National Geography or through magazines; she was rigid towards her decision to look like a giraffe. While some people might think that Smith's decision to modify her body is extreme, she insists that she is happy with her choice. Sydney loves the way she looks and feels more confident than ever before.
Believing She'd Get There Someday
Though Sydney is fascinated by the unusual tradition and beauty of the Kayan Lahwi tribe, she has a soft spot for giraffes. For as long as Sydeney can remember, there were items with prints or designs featuring these animals in her possession- from toys to clothes.
Even when she was younger, her favorite animal to look at would be in the zoo. The sight of their slender neck fascinated and amazed this young girl who knew one day that it could happen for herself too if only there were more people like them around. Thus, she started exploring and went ahead to look like a giraffe.
The Road Less Taken
At a young age, Sydney was naturally curious and experimental. This led her to start elongating her neck by building sloppy necklaces out of coat wire hangers. Sydney would look at herself in the mirror and pretend like she was one of those tribal women. When she told her parents about her enthusiasm, they just shrugged, thinking everything was just a foolish dream.
But for Sydney, it was like discovering a treasure that made her really happy. Through her experimentations, she found something that brought her joy and satisfaction. Even though her parents didn't understand her interests, she didn't let that stop her from pursuing what made her happy.
An Intriguing Tradition
The Kayan Lahwi tribe is well-known for the practice of neck ringing, in which women wear coils or rings around their necks from childhood. Though it may appear that the coils elongate the neck, this is not the case; instead, the weight of the coils actually pushes the collar bones down. The pressure thus results in compression of the rib cage.
Despite the physical challenges posed by this practice, Kayan women are required to wear the rings at all times, even while sleeping. Consequently, neck ringing is a significant commitment and one that illustrates the strength and fortitude of Kayan women.
The Mystic Story Behind the Culture
It's no secret that the Kayan Lahwi tribe of Thailand has some unusual customs - including adorning their women with golden neck rings. But why do they do it? Well, there are several theories floating around.
Some say that the coils were originally intended to save women from slavery and abuse by making them less attractive to men from other tribes. Contrasted to other hypotheses, however, some historians believe that the coils actually make women appear more sensual to men. Others say that the rings serve to make the women look like dragons - one of the most critical figures in Kayan Lahwi folklore.
The Dilemma
Some of the world's most fascinating tribes can be found in remote corners of the globe. And while many of their customs and traditions remain a mystery to us, one thing is for sure: they always manage to keep us guessing. Some anthropologists say that the coils are known for their practice of adorning women's necks with golden ringlets.
While other historians believe that the coils actually serve to make women look more sensual to men. Whatever the real reason, it is evident that the neck rings of the Kayan Lahwi women are more than a fashion statement - they are a deeply ingrained part of their culture and history.
Taking a Stand
Sydney has always been a huge fan of Lady Gaga. So when she found herself in a moment of confusion, it was only natural that the pop icon would play a role in her decision-making process. After seeing Gaga perform in concert, wearing a dress made of meat, Sydney realized that if Gaga was willing to make such a bold statement to fight for a cause, then she could too.
The message hit home for Sydney, who then decided it was time to say goodbye to her makeshift coils and embrace her natural hair. With Lady Gaga as her inspiration, Sydney finally feels confident and empowered to be her true self.
The Paradigm Shift
Sydney embarked on her official adventure of looking like a giraffe in 2011. When Sydney was old enough to make her own choices, she enlisted the help of a friend to create bespoke rings. She began with a small number of coils soldered around her neck.
Her transition began with a stumbling block, and the symptoms she was facing were pretty serious, including her skin being scorched. On the other hand, she was unconcerned and carried on with her dream of transforming her body. Her inner giraffe was on the verge of bursting forth. The only thing that mattered was that her change had begun.
Her Fast and Furious Attitude
Sydney had always been a bit of an unconventional thinker. When her friends were all getting braces, she decided to get a custom-made brass coil necklace instead. And when they all started complaining about the pain and discomfort of their new necklaces, Sydney just shrugged it off.
After all, Sydney was used to dealing with pain and discomfort. Mind over matter, right? Five years later, Sydney had accumulated a total of 15 rings around her neck. It wasn't easy, but she persevered and eventually achieved a neck length of 10 inches – far longer than the average neck length of four inches.
Opening Doors to Success
It's not every day that you see a woman with a long neck. In fact, it's quite uncommon to see anyone with a long neck, let alone a woman. Thus, Sydney quickly became famous in her hometown, Rockville, Maryland. She documented her transformation through videos and photos.
As she started to get serious attention from the public, the media intervened as well. Ripley's Believe It or Not!, a franchise show famous for covering and featuring the most bizarre stories they can find, definitely found Sydney's story worth an episode. Presently, Sydney is one of the most popular women on the internet, all thanks to her unique look.
A Cocktail of Reviews
As Sydney became more famous for her unique look, she loved the attention and modeling opportunities that came her way. But not everyone was a fan. There were public comments that she was only after fame, that she was disrespecting a cultural tradition, and that she was a lost soul. These words certainly had an effect on Sydney.
Despite the negativity, she was determined to stay true to herself and keep doing what made her happy. After all, life is too short to worry about what other people think. And who knows? Maybe one day, those same people will come to appreciate her for being a trendsetter and trailblazer.
The Dark Side of Fame
Sydney's celebrity was addictive at first. She was engulfed in the spotlight for a spell. However, it quickly began to take its toll. People would run up to her when she was shopping, strangers approached her, and she encountered people who were more interested in her rings than her personality.
Sydney had to give up hobbies that required a wide range of motion, such as swimming and hiking. She, too, found driving to be too harsh. There are positive and negative facets to everything in life. While Sydney relished the opportunity to live her dream, it also complicated her life in more ways than she could have imagined.
Deteriorating Personal Life
Sydney's job was frequently torturous. She accepted work in a hot kitchen, where she repeatedly lost her job due to her inability to perform adequately in the heat. She was unable to move around effectively and was frequently jobless.
Her romantic life was also suffocated; she met men who were more interested in her jewelry than she was. Some possible partners even asked Sydney to take off her rings before they felt comfortable introducing her to their families. Despite everything, Sydney attempted to keep a cheerful attitude and find ways to laugh. She was glad for the things she did have in her life, despite the fact that it wasn't ideal.
The Doctor's Warnings
Dr. Jonathan Nissanoff, a Southern California orthopedic specialist, has expressed his concerns about the risks of wearing brass coils. The Kayan Lahwi tribe is most commonly linked with the practice, with children wearing the rings from an early age. Sydney, Nissanoff's patient, however, did not begin collecting until she was an adult.
As a result, the surgeon claims she is simply stretching her skin. Over time, this can result in significant injury as her collarbones were being pulled down, affecting her rib cage in the process. While the custom may be centuries old, it's crucial to think about the modern-day concerns before opting for brass coils.
A Bittersweet Ride
Sydney's life was a balancing act. Sydney had to give up the things she loved in order for what seemed like an inevitable future with fewer blessings but more recognition, adoration, and fame than ever before - even if it came at a great cost! One day though, Sydney looked into herself, wondering where on earth her true self sat within all this time spent doing anything other than being a Giraffe Woman.
She found herself unsure about whether or not there really could be such a thing anymore once called 'name .'It became clear then that making these decisions wasn't easy because sometimes you love both sides equally earnestly.
Bidding the Rings a Goodbye
Sydney finally decided to reclaim her life from the rings after much deliberation. Her friend assisted her in the fifteen-minute process of removing the copper rings. To chew through the glue that held her coils together, a chemical had to be employed.
She felt the same way when they were welded to her neck five years ago as she did when they were removed. Both processes were equally exhausting. For the very first time in five years, Sydney saw her neck. Her beautiful skin was back, and it felt so good. Sydney could not stop smiling when she looked at herself in the mirror after they were finally taken off.
The Walk Towards Normalcy
Even though Sydney was chasing her dreams, she was in extreme pain for five long years. According to Sydney, her neck appears to be longer than it was when she first started. She, on the other hand, felt really frail. She had been bruised and had to be practical about giving up the tag of "giraffe woman."
Hence, she finally admitted that she required assistance. According to an orthopedic expert, Sydney's neck will revert to its previous size. As of now, she's slowly regaining control and on the right path to healing. She will have to go through neck exercises with a chiropractor as well as therapy.
Happy and No Looking Back
Sydney Smith openly declares to the world that she has no regrets about what she has gone through. She decided to pursue what she desired in life, live it, and deal with the joy and suffering that it brought. She even claimed, "I actually enjoyed their feeling around my neck."
Sydney's adventure taught her to value what she has even more. Sydney intends to spend the rest of her life enjoying and adoring her husband and daughter Skyler Rose, who was born in 2017. She does, however, intend to keep her rings in her closet indefinitely. Nevertheless, she has accepted herself the way she is.