Understand How Beauty Standards Have Changed Throughout Decades

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The internet, media, and the society have set unreachable beauty standards for women to follow. Subconsciously, a lot of women are victims of the milestones set for them to reach when it comes to beauty. Even though we became inherently more intelligent as species, especially after this massive technology development; we are still very primitive when it comes to understanding and accepting how all this it’s playing with our minds.

Us women are surrounded by signals all around, telling them how they should look, speak, behave and so on. Then, of course, we are going to have troubles finding ourselves pretty enough, good-looking enough, having this and that enough… I mean… just enough of that! Time to take notice: Beauty standards are temporary. Just like anything else in this life.

Today, we will take a look at how much beauty standards for women have changed throughout time. A specific curve of the body could have been considered hot ten years ago, but now is considered a turn-off maybe. Ten years from now can still be trendy or maybe not important at all. We never know. That’s why we should start thinking of unchaining ourselves from these kinds of expectations and start loving our bodies more for what they are. Our bodies are our temples and yes, we should take care of them and try to maintain ourselves the best ways possible. Loving yourself is the most important love you’ll receive and give. So, start from now to get more comfortable in your own skin and don’t allow the outside pressures define who you are.

Below we are going to list for you facts of how beauty standards have changed and altered throughout the decades. Try reminding yourself that if you keep following them it is like following a rainbow. You see it, it seduces you but what when it comes to possessing it? It’s a neverending journey.

shutterstock / Elizabeth Taylor

Beauty Standards Throughout Decades

20’s

Many women were hitting the workforce during World War I by the end of the 1910s, and surely they wouldn’t go back to give up all of that independence just like that anymore. The 1920s mark the women’s right to vote; so it’s expected they wouldn’t go back to corsets anymore. The ideal women’s body became more of a boyish figure since they were gaining a taste of men’s power. The flapper movement is what changed everything around about weight. Chopping hair and wanting to look thin with no curves became trendy. With the rise of department stores, not only the rich ones who could afford a full-length mirror could see their entire bodies; working-class women could as well. And that’s where our real struggle of obsession with body figure begins.

30’s – 40’s

During the 30’s, the Great Depression and the World War II were enough of reasons for women not to be able to worry that much about having the perfect figure, so there’s no wonder the ideal body type became slightly more full. Women started getting more creative with their clothes because of the lack of resources. Reworking men’s suits into women’s attire were the trend. Jean Harlow was the icon representing this decade’s beauty standard. By the late 1930’s Jean was the biggest movie star in the world. Her nickname was “Blond Bombshell.”

50’s – 60’s

Having a large bust and hourglass figure was encouraged. Bigger is better was in, as weight gain tablets hit shelves. Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor were the sex symbols of the 1950s. The fuller figure came as a result of people being in the mood to celebrate more. During the 1960s the culture began to shift. Miniskirt got introduced and supermodels Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton popularised the look of a slimmer figure. So, skinny was back in.

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70’s – 90’s

With skinny being still the ideal, the ’70s saw greater freedom for women. Natural looks were more preferred, leaving aside too much of makeup. With the ’80s kicking in, the Supermodel era began. To fit in the beauty standards of the 80’s, you had to be tall, athletic, with legs that ‘go on for the days.’ Linda Evangelista is one of the icons of that trend. The 90’s saw grunge hit the mainstream when it seemed like the ideal body couldn’t get any thinner… The catwalks got hit by more androgynous looking women. Kate Moss is considered the leader of ‘heroin chic’ look.

00’s & to this day

The 00’s are known for making a turn when it comes to skin tone. Visible tones and spray tans ruled the naughties. Icons of that time we consider Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears. Fortunately now, we have entered an era where the media is beginning to celebrate the diversity of race and body type, even though there’s still a lot more work needed to be done. Big booties and curvy frames as seen on Kim Kardashian and Nicki Minaj are the most coveted when it comes to beauty standards. With social media such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, the pressure of following these trends has become inevitable. But as you just read, they change constantly and running after ‘perfect’ is pointless.

“Perfect” is an illusion that no one can achieve. So, be happy with the body you have and embrace your spectacular imperfect self.