Ever hear the saying, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”? You’re probably thinking it’s some cliche phrase your mother told you to make you feel better. But have you ever considered the fact that maybe, just maybe there could be some truth behind those words? That it’s not just some lie told to make you feel better; that beauty is able to be seen from different angles and perspectives; well let me tell you a secret… it is.
Living in the United States, our national standard of beauty is everywhere, in magazines, television, and plastered on social media. The current beauty standards for women include a flat stomach, large breasts and butt, and a seemingly unachievable Thigh Gap. Women are expected to be skinny, but not too skinny, with large breasts and a big butt, all while maintaining a flat stomach. Can we all agree that these societal beauty standards are just a bit unrealistic?
Due to social media and beauty standards brought on by society, it’s no wonder many young women struggle with their beauty. Beauty standards for women used to be all about curves, hourglass figures, big hair, long eyelashes, and flawless skin. However, in most cultures, beauty standards haven’t seemed to change as much as ours have. Just as the United States has its own unique, yet challenging cultural perceptions of beauty, so do other cultures.
Here’s a few examples of how the concept of beauty standards for women differ throughout many cultures:
Indian women accessorize with Henna
While henna has become popular in the United States, it originated from India and is a form of temporary body art. Henna, along with nose rings and bindis are traditionally worn by Indian Women on special occasions to make themselves more attractive. It’s considered to be a form of decoration and beauty. The Indian culture has always considered beauty and expression of godliness and something to be revered.
The long-necked women of Myanmar
A particular trait seen among Asian beauty standards, which has been around for centuries is neck stretching. Typically seen among the Women of the Myanmar Region, this seemingly odd practice makes a woman more attractive and is a sign of beauty and wealth. Neck stretching starts as young as five years old by placing brass rings around the girl’s neck, with new ones being added each year. It’s said these rings can weigh anywhere from 22 to 25 pounds. The more rings a woman has, the more elegant and beautiful she is considered.
While many people may see this Asian beauty standard as torture to undergo neck-lengthening, it’s really just a myth. As a matter of fact, the brass rings create a visual illusion, making the woman’s neck simply appear longer. The weight of the rings pushes down the collar bone, to such an angle that the collar bone actually appears to be a part of the neck. Neat illusion huh?
French women go ‘au naturel’
While the United States society beauty standards tend to favor heavy makeup and exaggerated appearances, the European standard of beauty is quite the opposite. The majority of French women opt for the natural look; which consists of little to no makeup whatsoever. French women work hard to keep their skin in great condition with creams and other cosmetics in order to look their best with minimal makeup.
Our big, beautiful, diverse world is filled with different beauty standards from culture to culture. What’s seen as beautiful in one culture, isn’t always seen the same way in another. From these three diverse beauty angles, it’s evident that beauty is what you make of it. Unrealistic beauty standards have been the cliche holding women back from embracing their true nature. Whether it’s an elongated neck, an all-natural look, henna, or even dramatic looking eye makeup, every woman should be able to break free of societal beauty standards and determine what beauty looks like through their eyes.