Movies, television, magazines, and advertisements perpetuate these unrealistic beauty standards, so much so that we no longer question their validity. And many of us go about our days believing that "beautiful" refers to those things that society tells us it does: flawless, symmetrical, spotless, skinny, delicate, and youthful.
Did you know that the concept of beauty has evolved and changed significantly over time and across cultures?
When you consider the many different contexts in which the word "beautiful" has been used, you can more easily view contemporary beauty standards for what they are: merely another idea of what is beautiful.
Realizing that "beauty" is a relative term with a wide range of possible interpretations allows us to appreciate the inherent attractiveness of differences among people.
The Old Standard
Every year, a new "look" is deemed beautiful by the general public. Fashion in everything from body types to accessories constantly shifts and repeats itself.
Many features of aesthetic appeal have stood the test of time. Blondes, blue-eyed, skinny people are stereotypically considered attractive. Characteristics like those have been held in high esteem for a long time and appear to be highly sought after by modern women. For a long time, the ideal body type for a woman was extremely thin and model-like. Women worldwide wanted hair just like Barbie's long, blonde locks. Straight hair was considered attractive, so women spent considerable time maintaining it.
The New Standard
It's clear that many people still aspire to be like today's most famous people because they share these characteristics with those at the top of the pop culture food chain. Most of you have harbored secret desires to emulate the appearance of iconic movie stars or musicians. There are, of course, a wide variety of definitions of beauty, but these women represent some of the more conventional ideals that have been accepted over time.
Recent decades, however, have witnessed significant shifts in the conventional definition of beauty. Changing body types are a major factor in the evolution of modern beauty ideals. Individuals no longer yearn to be rail thin. Larger butts and busts are a relatively new preference amongst modern women. The current standard of beauty is that. It's become trendy to flaunt full lips alongside other new body types. Facial features are also minor points in the discussion.
True Beauty
Hairstyles, body types, ages, and ethnic backgrounds are no longer determining factors in today's beauty standards. Nowadays, attractiveness is less about physical attributes and more about confidence in one's identity and how one presents oneself to the world. It emphasizes a smooth forehead, long eyelash extensions, and toned arms. In addition, it is characterized by ordinary flaws and features such as pot bellies, silver hair, and rounded shoulders. An attractive millennial flaunts her pregnant belly while wearing tight leggings and a crop top. A young man walks sexily down a runway while wearing shorts just above his thigh and over-the-knee boots.
Beauty is all about improving and embracing yourself. It is important to give yourself what truly makes you feel good. Browsing “eyebrow waxing near me?” or needing eyelash extension in Austin, go get it!
