What is Beauty?

The Oxford English Dictionary defines beauty as “That quality of a person (esp. a woman) which is highly pleasing to the sight; perceived physical perfection; attractive harmony of features, figure, or complexion; exceptional grace, elegance, or charm in appearance.”

However, this definition of beauty doesn’t quite match up with society’s ideal. We like to set a standard for beauty to measure whether or not someone is aesthetically pleasing. But beauty is inherently subjective, and people are imperfect. Everyone has their own tastes and preferences; therefore there is no way to appeal to everyone. There should not be such an emphasis on trying to meet this societal standard when it may be impossible.

Ever-shifting beauty standards are intrinsic to a hierarchical social structure. Silhouettes have been a big part of that, particularly for women. Different silhouettes come in and out of fashion from year to year, but only recently have spe cific body types begun to become trends. Mostly, the magic of illusion was employed to reach the “ideal” body shape.

Corsets were not tight-laced to the point of restricting airflow, for the most part. Corsets (or “stays,” depending on the time period) were not death traps and waist trainers, as Hollywood would lead us to believe. They were worn for support, and women of all classes wore them. The Victorian era saw women padding their shoulders and hips to give the illusion of a tinier waist. Photos were altered to smooth the skin, remove bones, lines, or any other imperfections, and erase or paint over the waist to make it look smaller. Essentially, they photoshopped their photographs, in their own way. The Victorians did not have perfect skin and twelve-inch waists. It was all a lie, and they were okay with that. There was no societal expecta tion that what they were seeing in their photographs or fashion plates was a true representation of all reality; it was merely the ideal.

Yet, there still seems to be the desire to become the beauty standard. People know, deep down, what they see is not always realistically attainable, but do they really actively act like it is? For example, the fashionable look in the early nineties was known as “Heroin Chic.” It romanticized drug use by promoting models who looked as if they’d abused heroin — dark circles on pale faces and unnaturally thin frames. The notion that you have to fit a certain body type can lead to eating disorders, over-exercising, and just unhealthy habits in general. It’s all futile, and for what? Looking a certain way won’t guarantee contentment.

The other extreme can still be problematic because of the emphasis on beauty. Not everything nor everyone has to be beautiful to be respected or to have value. Erin McCean once said, “You don’t owe prettiness to anyone...Prettiness is not a rent you pay for occupying a space marked ‘female’.”

Manipulation comes from all sides. Cosmetic companies play every angle, claiming that everyone is beautiful whilst still pushing their appearance-altering products. Plastic surgery is on the rise, too, often in ways so subtle consumers don’t notice their perception of the “natural” appearance has been altered until the newest trend has been internalized and it’s far too late.

The beauty standard, the fashionable style of dress, the media –– they have always lied. They represent the ideal, which more often than not, is unrealistic. And because they change so drastically, it is impossible to expect everyone to conform to each and every shift. There is noway to appeal to everyone, but there is a way to appeal to oneself. At the end of the day, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.