Obsession: Beauty Standards

Hourglass, Apple, Pear, Rectangle, Inverted Triangle are the descriptions that pop up on google when I typed body shapes. You have probably heard of the main one, hourglass the most unattainable body shape. If it doesn’t ring a bell let me help you remember think of an hourglass curvy top and bottom with a tiny middle portion. What used to be the most unattainable body type it is now easily accessible if you’re willing to take out a few ribs and add floaters to your chest and bottom. Now let me just add that I have nothing against plastic surgery if that is what makes you feel good do you, but my main focus is the amount of people currently flocking to get it done. 

Now let’s take a look at the world as a whole every region has their own beauty standards. If we glance at Asia, we see the pull towards a narrower chin, that changed over time a quick google search shows. A trip down the Asian memory lane would show the ancient practice of foot binding, the practice has faded but during that era it what viewed as beautiful. Now the “doll look” is the epitome of beauty in Asia. The look is attained through pale skin, big eyes with double eye lids, a tiny nose with a high nose bridge and a pointed face. In terms of body shape, the craze is to have long thin legs and a cinched waist. 

This is a drastic difference to the beauty standards currently found in the United States. Today large breasts, large butts, thigh gaps, flat stomach and thin physique are considered ideal. However, they were not always that way flat chests, boyish figures and rounded stomachs were the previous beauty standards that have faded. The African beauty standard is similar to the American beauty standard with beautiful women being seen as curvy, small waisted with large breasts and butts. 

 

Modern beauty standards are being heavily influenced by social media, magazines, movies, etc. The adverse effect would be the rise in plastic surgery, what could be considered an easy fix to “fit in”. This obsession will only change once people stop looking at other people’s body types as ideal and feel comfortable in their own. 

 

Beauty standards are like phases so don’t chase them and permanently change a part of you, if you do permanently change make sure it’s for yourself and not a copy of a trend that would vanish within 5 years. I hope the timeline I shared reinforces the idea that beauty standards don’t stay the same forever so love yourself and the body you have. Till next time!