Body Image

Body image is an issue becoming more and more prominent in today’s society, though it is not a new issue at all. Eating disorders, extreme dieting, and other self-inflicted situations are all terrible effects of a negative body image. Everywhere we look we see beautiful people: billboards, television, magazines, etc. There is no escaping the incredibly thin, waiflike models. More times than not, images and advertisements are geared towards the younger age groups, from children to young adults. They’re at a stage in life where they’re most impressionable, and any ideas sold to them will be willingly taken in and tried. Teens today strive for perfection: grades, beauty, sports, relationships – they want it all. With all the stress placed upon them throughout the day, the last thing young adults need to be stressing out about is weight and beauty. This goes for all age groups.

Again confidence ties into all of this. Confidence in yourself allows you to choose and decipher what the best choices are for you. With confidence, you’re able to look in the mirror and see yourself as beautiful. I know it’s incredibly difficult sometimes to get other’s hurtful comments out of your head, but when you look in the mirror, you should see a beautiful person, because that’s what you are. I know, easier said than done. Everyone, from the most confident to the most self-conscious, struggle with body image whether they admit it or not. Especially in today’s world, the struggle for perfection is becoming increasingly obvious with the extremes people are taking to appeal to other’s perception of beauty. You just have to come to terms with your body, and understand and accept everything about you. Once you come to the realization that you are the way that you are for a specific reason, you will hopefully come to another realization – every single person in this world is beautiful, including yourself.
Starting from the incredibly early years of existence, there was always certain standards and distinct features that signified beauty. In the Renaissance times, women would pluck their hairlines back to make their foreheads appear larger, and wore headdresses and hats. Because blonde hair was considered beautiful and signified a high class person, people went through numerous procedures trying to lighten their hair to the desired color. During the Victorian and Edwardian ages, pale, red cheeked and red lipped, curvy bodies in fixed corsets was what were considered beautiful. In the 18th century, women would crimp and curl their hair which they powdered white and decorated with bows. Extremely high, volumous hair was sought after. During the Victorian ages, women tried a more laid back and natural style, avoiding makeup unless necessary for the stage or of a higher class. These ideas evolved in the twenties though, and the new standards included athletic builds, strong eyebrows, shorter dresses, bobbed hair, flesh colored stockings, red cheeks and red lipstick. The twenties became the first era where women began looking to actresses and people within the media for style and body standards, although women dating back to the Renaissance looked upon political leaders, such as Kings and Queens, for fashion standards. In the forties, women began to grow out their hair and tanned their skin. With the fifties came smaller amounts of clothing, thick liquid black eyeliner, eye shadow that created the coveted “doe eyed” look, perfectly coiffed hair, curvaceous and voluptuous toned bodies, petit waists and higher heels. Hips were “in.” The ideal woman was the pin-up woman, with a delicate baby face and perfect body with just the right amount of curves. The seventies brought about long easy and relaxed curled hair, glossy lips, bronzed skin, punk styles as well as hippie styles. Eighties hair was volumous, hair was dyed and colored unnatural tones, makeup became increasingly heavy, neon tones were incredibly popular in everything from makeup to clothes and preppy styles also began to make an appearance. In the nineties, model Kate Moss began extreme controversy over her incredibly thin figure. Grungy looks became more popular, and less makeup was preferred. Hairstyles like the “Rachel” became the hottest trend. Style had become more and more diverse among every woman.
As the information above highlights, the ideas of beauty are constantly changing. Women do unnatural, and sometimes harmful, things to their bodies and features to appear more beautiful to others, and forget about what is beautiful to them. You never have to change yourself to appear better looking or more trendy to others. People will love you regardless of what you wear and how you look, and if they can’t get past the superficial and unrealistic standards of beauty, then they’re not worth your time. You never have to live up to someone else’s standards or expectations, and you never have to make yourself look like another person who is more popular or looked upon as a stylish person.

You are beautiful.

Sources:
“History of Beauty,” http://www.ukhairdressers.com/history%20of%20beauty.asp
Retro Housewife, “Retrospective Beauty and Cosmetics,” http://www.retro-housewife.com/1950-beauty-and-cosmetics.html
Delia Deleest, “Standards of Beauty: The 1920s, A Fashion Revolution,” http://unusualhistoricals.blogspot.com/2007/11/standards-of-beauty-1920s-fashion.html
Nanci Hellmich, “Do Thin Models Warp Girls' Body Image,” http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-09-25-thin-models_x.htm.