An article was written in which it was claimed that the Barbie doll and her measurements were physiologically impossible. For many decades, the iconic toy was one of the most significant influences on young girls for feminine role play, setting the bar for aspiring young women. Barbie represented a tiny subset of the population: she was blonde-haired, blue-eyed, and petite.
Her beauty standard was a really impossible act to follow due to her particular features and her vast audience. For most children, she was their favorite doll to play with. She was one of many beauty standards that influenced our perception of what it means to be beautiful.
The modeling industry, as well as many marketing firms, have spent a fortune attempting to define what beauty is and is not. Most images don’t just try to sell you a ‘look’; they also try to sell you a way of feeling. Both the appearance and the feeling are frequently artificial and impossible to achieve. The goal of selling you is to convince you that the only way to feel the happiness depicted in the images is to look like, own, and participate in the activities displayed.
The thing about beauty standards is that they shift over time. A look back in time demonstrates that nothing remains popular indefinitely. What’s trendy one minute is out the next, and it’s considered old or vintage the next. Furthermore, everything comes full circle as the new (old) standard. It’s critical not to fall into the trap of believing there is any kind of beauty standard at all.
Who you are and your physical characteristics are perfect right now – in every season and trend. You may not believe that every aspect of your appearance is trendy right now, and you are correct. Freckles may be in, or they may be out. Being curvy may be in, or it may be out. That is why, regardless of the trends, it is critical to be comfortable in your own skin and to celebrate your unique characteristics.
If a beauty standard appears to be unattainable, it is critical that you recognize it and do not allow any expectation to exist. Here are a few examples of how beauty standards are exaggerated and nearly impossible to achieve:
Incredibly thick and voluminous hair- Many of the thick-haired beauties you see have hairpieces and extensions to help them look their best. These items are available in a variety of quality and price points. This innovation allows anyone to have thicker hair, but celebrities and performers are the most likely to use it.
Straight, white teeth- Cosmetic dentistry is becoming more popular. Traditional Braces are becoming obsolete as men and women prefer clear-aligners or ceramic braces. Teeth whitening is also a thriving industry. Those shimmery whites you admire may not be natural, thanks to veneers and cosmetic teeth whitening.
Weight- This is the book’s oldest standard. Though the definition of attractive has evolved over time, chances are the ideal you admire comes at a high cost. From eating disorders to substance abuse, being thin has been glamorized all throughout the model industry, but in contrast, now being curvy and having that perfect hourglass shape is trending.
Perfect Skin- Chemical peels, Botox, and facelifts account for a large portion of the anti-aging phenoms we see. Having youthful-perfect skin is a standard that most people find hard to achieve, from celebrities who never seem to age to men and women who appear to get younger every year. While you can take better care of your skin and reduce the signs of aging, wrinkles are unavoidable. Having acne does not make you anything less than beautiful, having acne can be genetic, hormonal, so many endless possibilities! Remember there are many photoshop apps out there and what you may see on social media, may be completely fake.
To conclude, don’t waste any time attempting to meet unrealistic beauty standards. If you want to try and emulate a look, go ahead and do it! Just don’t beat yourself up about your comparison to that standard until you know whether or not the ideal exists. Even so, keep your own criteria in mind and do what makes you feel beautiful and confident.
