Beauty standard has been existing for many centuries. It
changes almost every generation. Beauty ideals have changed dramatically
through time. Not so long ago the feminine ideal was a plump woman with a
bright blush. Today's ideal is significantly differ from ideal of 18-19
centuries.
This is an exiting video about history of feminine
ideal.
Nowadays already young girls find out about beauty
ideal from early ages with fairy-tales. Fairy-tales
highlight the feminine beauty for young girls in order to prove how beauty is
essential to a positive future. In fairy-tales, beauty characters are always good
ones, and vise a versa, ugly characters are bad.Fairy-tales, movies, magazines and other mass media
make young girls to learn about feminine beauty ideals.
Beauty ideals differ and depend on a culture and a point
of view (children/man/woman).
An interesting international experiment was conducted
by journalist, blogger and freelancing reporter for KCUR Esther Honig. Esther
Honig went to many countries and asked people to show their standard of beauty
using the Photoshop. This experiment proves how beauty ideal varies across
cultures on a global level. The next picture shows the results of
this experiment.
For more information about this experiment use link
below:
As I said before, feminine ideal has become more
international with mass media appearing.
The next experiment was conducted by online company www.escentual.com. They asked men and women to build up the perfect
woman face that must consist of the most beautiful famous people’s features.
The video below devoted this experiment. You can learn
about it in details.
On two pictures below you can compare two “perfect
faces” created by women and men.
The
Perfect Woman (according to women)
Women see the epitome of beauty as raven hair, a
stronger nose and forehead profile, heavier brows and narrower bone structure.
The
Perfect Woman (according to men)
According to this picture men prefer blonde hair, full
lips, and strong cheekbones but also a petite nose and less prominent eyebrows.
Feminine beauty is very strong thing and weakness at
the same time. In childhood, girls watch cartoons and understand that beauty is
essential to a positive future and they should strive to achieve this beauty
standards and maintain them. That is good because girls strive to take care of
themselves. But I think it is only the one positive moment.
Even though they learn about beauty, also they learn
about how it is important to meet these standards in order to be lucky or
successful in this life. This has an impact on the psyche of young girls who
have noticed that they don’t meet this beauty standards. They become understand
that that have not such hair or such body, or such a beautiful face like
fairy-tales characters have. In this case, I think a significant role plays the
parent’s attention and their ability to help their kids to deal with complexes.
Parents should explain that this beauty is not real and there are more
important qualities than beauty.
An interesting blogpost was published recently by Raquel
Lopez (unknown
writer) about parent’s
attitude toward their kids in this case http://borderzine.com/2014/05/media-images-of-ideal-feminine-beauty-flawed/
Not
only fairy-tales form our conception about beauty standards. In modern world,
pure women are bombarded by advertisements daily, on billboards, social media,
magazines and television. Even young girls already know that women must spend
enormous amounts of time, energy, and above all money striving to achieve
beauty ideals. Become elder women devotes significant financial and emotional
resources in order to look a certain way.
Essentially, when you see somebody who is very
attractive, you compare yourself with him/her automatically. This is human nature. So we asked ourselves like “How do I
compare with this beautiful person?” Looking at this idealised face and figure,
become feel bad about themselves because they understand that they don’t look
so.
Fortunately and unfortunately, we live in 21 century
and there are many possibilities to change any appearance with help of cosmetic
surgery. Women run the risk using cosmetic surgery. I understand when it is a
necessity, but I absolutely against it when it is only a whim.
One woman who has been through two surgeries for bowel
cancer said that she before she found out about her fatal illness she focused
negatively on her imperfections. But after a surgery she has changed her
opinion totally. She was happy feeling she is alive and this illness always
reminds her what is really important in this life. She said: "To be
beautiful means to be yourself; you don't need to be accepted by others. You
need to accept yourself."
Do not forget about this, appreciate that nature gave
to you.
Nobody is perfect but everyone is beautiful. Be
happy with yourself!