I recently came across vintage ads for weight gaining product sold to women in the 1930s, 40s and 50s. It reminded me that beauty is a construct, something for which the rules are made up by societies and constantly changing.
While I’ve decided to pay more attention to my own definition of beauty than what other people think, I was curious about how varied the standards of beauty might be today. Enter, Google.
Some traits that are considered beautiful around the world include:
- Pale skin – while Americans are trying to balance skin cancer fears with a love of bronze skin, people in Southeast Asia are buying cosmetics with whitening agents.
- Stretch marks - certain parts of West Africa revere stretch marks as a sign of beauty. A fat camp in this part of the world is a place where parents send their daughters to get fed a 16,000-calorie daily diet.
- The “I’m not wearing any make up” look – in France, women sometimes add make up to make their faces look less colored or made up. No flush cheeks or rosy lips here; a neutral palette is the picture of beauty.
In other words, I could be a super model if I could just get everyone to adopt a more international set of beauty rules.
Reading this, you might be inclined to consider a move to another part of the world. Those of us who can’t tan to save our lives could jet off to Thailand. If pregnancy or a growth spurt leaves you with stretch marks, make your way to West Africa!
Except… no, because then you’d have to adapt to all the other standards for beauty that you might not fit so easily.
The point is that rules about beauty are a matter of opinion and constantly shifting. Whether or not you fit the media mold depends on where you were born, where you live, and what’s considered hot today.
Screw that.
Someone, somewhere, thinks that my pale skin is beautiful. Someone appreciates my stretch marks and prefers me without make up. If someone, somewhere, can see all of those things as beautiful – why can’t I?
About Britt Reints
It’s always something. Boobs, height, curly hair, straight hair, long legs, dark skin, light skin, hips, no hips, freckles, no freckles, long hair, short hair… blah, blah, blah.
No two women are alike, so a “standard” of beauty is a misnomer. There is no such thing. Which is totally cool.
Twitter Name: msmegan
Every woman out there is special in their own way. We just have to make do with what we have got and get on with it
Beauty need not be standardized.
Twitter Name: Unknown Mami
Honestly, I actually prefer myself without makeup. I feel like a clown when I put it on. I stick to the basics—maybe a little tinted lip gloss and some powder, and I’m good. Hate all that artificial crap.
Twitter Name: erinmargolin
I thought this article was great, it probably helped open the minds of those obsessed with beauty standard, and reminded us that beauty is in the eye of the beholder!