Chronic bitchface

March 26th, 2011

Just doing my bit to spread awareness for this common, but little understood condition. Thousands around the world are affected by chronic bitchface, with sufferers having to endure being told to “SMILE” and “cheer up” by well meaning, but irritating strangers. There is no known cure.

(Prints of this are now available!)

491 Comments

  1. Piggles says:

    As a Londoner I find it’s a permanent condition that becomes more aparent every time I leave my home town. Chronic Bitchface is a condition that the public should hear about!

    reply

  2. Penguininafedora says:

    Oh god I get this all the time at work. My glasses are pretty much that frame style, and people are constantly asking if I’m upset or sad at times when I’m perfectly content – up until they made me feel like I was captain gloom and doom pants by pointing out the fact that I wasn’t smiling.

    reply

    justme says,

    May 8th, 2011 @ 3:36 pm

    So…apparently I’m not the only one! Embarrassing to have!

    reply

  3. sera says:

    Are you going to sell this one? I have had this my ENTIRE life, I used to live in jamaica and my friends used to call me plastic smile because when they asked for a smile i always shot my best bobby dazzler and it was deemed fake. can’t catch a break!!

    reply

  4. Sarah says:

    I suffer from this as well. I think I would buy a print of this and hang in my apartment just so people can know.

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  5. Natalie says:

    Oh *god* this condition is the bane of my life. I shall spread the message to help myself.

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  6. kitty says:

    oh my god, i love you. and i need this on a t-shirt.

    reply

  7. Sasha says:

    That’s funny. In college, there was a girl my roommate and I always referred to as Bitchface. I had no idea it was a chronic condition, but it certainly explains why she always had that sour look on her face. :)

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  8. Greg says:

    Is there a male version? Because I have it.

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    kris atomic says,

    March 27th, 2011 @ 2:52 am

    I don’t think that bitchface discriminates by gender! I would still call it bitchface on dudes ;)

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    Scott says,

    April 26th, 2011 @ 2:49 am

    Good! Cuz I have dude-bitchface as well.

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  9. Heather says:

    Story of my life!

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  10. Mike says:

    I am a man and suffer from this (don’t know what it would be called in a man). I am constantly told that I look perpetually unhappy/grumpy. I really get tired of being told that I am grumpy when in reality I have DONE nothing to warrant it. Believe me, there will be no question when I am actually unhappy.

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  11. Kara says:

    Haha my friend has it – she’s beautiful but people always think she’s grumpy. Strangers have told her “life’s not that bad before” and she’s like, “what’s wrong with my faaaace?? :(:(” Haha. I sent this image to her. :) Good stuff!

    reply

  12. Johanna says:

    Boy can I relate to this! Very comforting. <3.

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  13. lidia says:

    omg! i suffer from chronic bitchface!! hahah!!

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  14. yep i definitely have this. i showed this to my bf and he thought it was made for me! haha. great illustration as always kris.

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  15. colin says:

    ha love this! such good colours. i have this but more verging on incredibly special open mouthed gormless face i guess

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  16. colin says:

    ps i like brigadeiro’s comment best!

    reply

  17. [...] Illustration found here. [...]

  18. Jannine says:

    I second that sentiment. I need this on a tshirt which I shall give to my sister.
    tumbld here
    theninthofjanuary.tumblr.com

    reply

  19. I play the piano.
    And sing.
    At the same time..hard stuff..With more that 3 chords.Sometimes really really hard stuff.
    People have been saying to me for the last 25 YEARS-
    SMILE:)
    aaaaaaaaaaah. YOU try playing the piano.
    hard stuff .and singing.
    hard stuff.
    at the same time.
    ITS NOT VERY EASY.Its ummm—-hard??
    I am paid a fortune to make it look easy.Its not.DOH.Smile when you are listening to it AND GET REAL OUT THERE.

    reply

  20. [...] I have chronic bitchface too! Good to know there are others with this condition. This entry was written by Chill, who is awesome. Bookmark the permalink or follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL. [...]

  21. Beth says:

    Thanks to your insightful illustration I now know that I am not alone in the world. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I shall wear my bitchface proud and seek out bitchface sisters…perhaps creating a gang or team of bitchfaces and we will wear brightly colored shirts and pigtails in our hair so that our outward appearance conveys what we feel on the inside. Perhaps then people will realize that we are inflicted with an incurable condition.

    Seriously though, I’m so glad a friend showed me your site. The lovely people in your illustrations are so wonderful — I want to be friends with everyone one of them.

    Smiling on the inside,
    ~ Beth

    reply

  22. [...] http://blog.krisatomic.com/?p=1617. Love this! This is exactly how I used to look/ be. I remember always feeling misunderstood just because I didn’t have the ”ability” to smile naturaly like everyone else. I’m kind of over it but it took a lot of practice (and moving to the other side of the globe). [...]

  23. Paulina says:

    ME TOO.

    reply

  24. [...] illustration describes me very well…by krisatomic, of [...]

  25. Bethany says:

    I have never related to an illustration so well! Seriously love this, Kris. Love, love! xxxxxxx

    reply

  26. Tone says:

    I am a man that suffers from chronic bitchface.

    If you ever sell prints of this or tshirts I will SO buy some. :D

    reply

  27. Holly says:

    This is one of my top pet peeves … or in addition to “cheer up”, and “smile”, the “your look so serious” gets to me too. Maybe it’s the glasses or maybe it’s because I actually listen to people when they talk; when I’m looking serious it’s because I’m engaged not because I’m no fun. Gosh, sorry to vent like this, but this post really brought it out of me I guess. Thanks, I probably needed that =)

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  28. bink & boo says:

    You are awesome, chronic bitchface and all! I love this. You really should put this on t-shirts. I have a few gals that I could buy them for. I am the well meaning, but irritating stranger. But! in my defense I never actually say anything, I just keep it inside and wonder to myself.

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  29. Miss Amy says:

    OMG thank you for this! I’m always being told to smile, “what’s wrong?” etc.. I have resorted to just saying “I’m tired” – much easier than explaining the chronic bitchface (which, btw, I’m definitely going to start calling it!) :)

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  30. julia says:

    i’m glad to know i’m not the only one! but you probably couldn’t tell by looking at my face…

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  31. Lovely and stunning, love this!

    reply

  32. lizzie says:

    i know how it goes. i talk quite a bit and when i want to be quieter and just enjoy the day, everyone LOSES THEIR MINDS and people have gotten me cake before over it? what? c’mon.

    reply

    ssha says,

    March 28th, 2011 @ 12:46 am

    I would totally talk less if it meant people would buy me cake!

    reply

  33. Jess says:

    I always get, “Omg what’s wrong??” “Bad night?” Nope, jusssst my face. Thanks.

    reply

  34. Rkool says:

    this sums up pretty much every facial expression i have ever tired to make! some one should put this on a shirt but one for guys too just to warn people that its just our face, not actually grumpy or what ever!

    reply

  35. archie says:

    I have suffered from this too. I have found that the reply, ‘one’s mother doesn’t die every day’ makes for an excellent comeback. And it’s not a lie either – simply a truthful statement but it makes peeps think about what they’ve just said to you. Hopefully they’ll think twice before doing it again.

    reply

  36. Rebecca says:

    This is basically my ENTIRE life in one illustration. Thank you!

    reply

  37. [...] now, bask in the wonder of this illustration from your friend and mine, the mighty talent that is Kris Atomic. Judging by the Twitter feedback, I’m not alone in recognising every single day of my life [...]

  38. Jim says:

    My ex-wife and ex-mother-in-law have chronic bitchface. I think that it is hereditary. Neither of them is a bitch. However, each can best be described as a four letter word for bitch.

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  39. Melanie says:

    I see that this is a universal facial expression mainly common to the female species. Like so many that have commented on this post, I have this same condition but now mine is called a “wrinkled old bitch-face”.

    reply

  40. Christine says:

    This is me….I have had so many strangers ask me what is wrong when all is well!!! lol this is brilliant!!

    reply

  41. Emily says:

    Thank you. Thank you. THANK YOU.

    Just last week a customer (I work at a bank) chose to visit another teller’s window, saying “You NEVER smile anyhow.” Just because I’m not grinning like an idiot 24/7 does NOT mean I’m unhappy or a genuinely nice person!

    reply

  42. Xenoblast says:

    Move to Russia, this kind of thing is normal here. Seriously, if you are smiling to strangers on the streets, people will just think you’re silly.

    reply

    kris atomic says,

    March 28th, 2011 @ 10:15 am

    I’m actually originally from Russia! Very true! x

    reply

  43. marjai says:

    haha
    so realted to my life

    reply

  44. Dan says:

    My cookery teacher in secondary school used to call me “smiler” because she refused to believe I wasn’t constantly wandering round miserable. She wouldn’t be content unless I pulled an expression which would usually only be reserved for posed photographs and the point you discover you won the lottery.

    reply

  45. Fabi says:

    very clever!

    I feel the same… and I always get the “why so serious?” joke.

    My theory is the ones who carry fake happy faces are the real bitch ones…

    reply

  46. L.J. Acker says:

    I love this post! Sometimes, I feel the same way. I am too busy observing and listening that I have to make sure I don’t give “thinking” scowls, so I push myself to smile! Great stuff .

    reply

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