As someone who is constantly evaluating new beauty and fashion trends, it’s almost impossible to not feel social pressure within this industry from beauty standards. Undeniably, fashion also affects how people perceive beauty, and as a new fashion & beauty blogger, I feel obligated to share my thoughts on this. With that said, my goal is to remain fully transparent and honest on this platform I have created for myself. Before I get into it, this might be a longer post than you’re used to, but bear with me. I promise it will be worth the read!
Today’s Beauty Standards & Youthfulness
Beauty standards are constantly changing. Today, most of the standards are to wear makeup, workout, be skinny and curvy at the same time, and appear young, even if you’re not. Youth is something that most people cherish and want to last forever. For this reason, we are seeing a growing number of people investing in Botox, self-care, and other beauty procedures. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for getting some Botox or whatever you need to feel good about yourself, but have you ever thought about why you might want to invest in these things? Have you ever thought it may be because you feel societal pressure to look a certain way?
Whether you do or not, I think comparison and social media play a big role in this pressure. No matter your age or gender, the pressure put on everyone to be your “best self” and appear perfect on the outside is undeniable. With that said, I hope that everyone realizes their worth is far more than what you look like on the outside.
And as a gentle reminder:
You are beautiful, for you are fearfully and wonderfully made.
-Psalm 139:14
Fashion Affects Beauty Standards
First, think of models you typically see in a photoshoot or fashion show. Next, think of what this type of model might be portraying to yourself or the public. Are they skinny and tall? Do they have flawless skin and zero imperfections? What color hair and skin do they have? Well, let me start out by saying that brands who ONLY choose the stereotypical models to represent their brand are giving a false impression to the public on what real beauty is, whether they realize it or not.
In my opinion, beauty comes from within, but it can be hard to realize that when seemingly “perfect” models are constantly in front of us. Beauty is not being a size zero, having perfect skin, and looking perfect all the time. As we are constantly exposed to celebrities or models who only portray the best of themselves, our minds have transitioned to think that is normal, which it’s not.
Authentic Brands
There’s a good number of brands that have recently started to demonstrate the importance of showing diversity and realness when it comes to their fashion models. Personally, Aerie is the first brand that comes to mind when it comes to being real.
If you aren’t familiar with Aerie, they are the loungewear line of the clothing store American Eagle. They launched their “Aerie REAL” campaign as an effort to stop editing photos of their models. “The mission of #AerieREAL is to promote body positivity and diversity to encourage their competitors to do the same,” expressed by Sarah Kim in a Forbes Magazine article. Based off that, it is obvious that Aerie is setting an amazing example for their competitors and the public eye! I will attach a link here to Aerie’s website where you can look at their brand and maybe do some shopping!
Social Media
Don’t get me wrong, social media is great. But, there’s no doubt it leads people to compare their life or looks to other people. As a fashion and beauty blogger, it’s my job to post on social media, but sometimes, this can come with a cost. There’s so much pressure put on us to be “that girl”… if you know, you know.
The number one thing that has brought my mind at ease is knowing that social media is a highlight reel. With that said, most people only like to post highlights of their life. In other words, the picture they look the best in, the new car they bought, or the amazing trip they just took. These are all highlights. If you look at it this way, it helps to realize that social media might appear real, but there is so much more that goes on behind the scenes.
Another part of social media that alters how society views beauty includes filters and photoshop. Likewise, a big part of this is society telling people they need to appear perfect on the outside, even if that means not being authentic to themselves.
The Value of Authenticity
Today, I think people value authenticity more than anything. Likewise, if a brand or person is authentic on social media, that speaks volumes to their character and values. Notably, I’m not saying that putting a filter on a picture is unauthentic. I’ll be the first to admit that I usually put a filter on my pictures, but once people alter the shape of their body or make themselves appear to have bigger or smaller features, that’s when it might affect how others view what beauty looks like.
Normally, I always say to do whatever makes you feel good about yourself, but it’s also important to stay true to yourself or brand. Sometimes people don’t realize that altering every image to a certain extent can actually put others at risk. When huge fashion or beauty brands alter the way their models look to appear “perfect,” that’s when it affects society and their brand. Basically, my advice is to always be your authentic self on social media, whatever authenticity may look like to you!
All in all, as social media becomes more prevalent in our society, it’s important to take a step back and realize all that it is: a highlight reel. Social media can be used for so many useful things, but at some point, we must realize that our own perception of beauty should not be what society is telling us. Beauty is being your own unique self, not what we see on social media and celebrities.
Okay, I’ll get back to writing about my usual fashion and beauty content now haha! I just wanted to put this out here because I think it’s important to address. Lastly, I hope you know that you are worth SO much more than your outward appearance.
Thank you for taking the time to read this!
<3 LA
Love this post!! So important!!!!
Thank you Malyssa!!<3