Beauty Ideals From the Past

Going along with the theme of body image, I chose an article on Huffington Post that touched on how the beauty ideals from today are drastically different from those in 1912 as well as the Renaissance period. Although the article isn't very long it makes a good point about how beauty ideals haven't always been about being slim and tan. It juxtaposes the ideal woman from 1912 to those of 2012. The difference is apparent. Not only was size a factor in beauty, but the woman from 1912 was also commended on her political views and personal qualities. Flash forward to the present and think about how many times you hear someone say, oh she’s got a great personality, she’s so beautiful. It’s always, “look at her body”, “look at her clothes”, her makeup, her physical characteristics. At the end of the article a slideshow featuring famous Renaissance portraits of women shows the paintings as the originals and after they have been retouched to reflect today's beauty standards. I think by retouching these iconic photos it shows people how ridiculous beauty ideals can be. Usually when people view these photos they don’t think “Man was that chick fat”, they usually appreciate the art. So why don’t people appreciate women in the flesh as being beautiful regardless of size? Speaking of which, this article mostly focuses on sizism, commenting on how the ideal woman of 1912 was a woman who weighed 171 pounds and liked to eat beefsteak. I believe this article helps break down social constructs of beauty by demonstrating that there are other ideas of beauty, even within our country’s history. I find the slideshow at the end the most interesting. The women depicted in these portraits are supposed to be the most beautiful. However, by today’s beauty standards these women just don’t measure up. While this article does illuminate how beauty ideals have changed, I wish it would explore more about how beauty was perceived in the past.

Link to Article