What makes someone beautiful?
This is an age-old question that’s difficult to answer. So much so that I’ve had my own journey with self-discovery where I needed to understand the complexity of our society.
As a teenager in the mid-2010s, I struggled with fitting into the beauty standard. I wasn’t treated very nicely based on the idea that my outfit was unflattering and distasteful or that I had to work more on having a nicer body. I was made to feel like I should consider wearing more makeup to conceal any imperfections than what made me feel comfortable at the time.
I was left feeling empty and doubtful of my abilities. I was unsure of how I could be valuable. Hyper-focused on my physical appearance, I felt that as a girl, physical attractiveness was all that mattered.
Growing up with social media heavily contributed to my self-concept. Although it can be a fun place for self-expression and connecting to others, I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks beauty is unattainable unless we live up to a certain standard.
Social media planted the seeds of insecurities I didn’t even know were possible to have. It also didn’t help that much of the content pushed towards girls and women is often centred around looks — whoever had the most likes and shares automatically was the most beautiful and desirable.
However, after examining beauty over time, it has never really been one idea. For instance, when we focus on women, it seems as though our bodies go through trends. In the mid-50s, women were encouraged to have a thicker, curvier body. Women like Marilyn Monroe were idealized as the beauty standard and gaining weight was seen as being desirable. Years later, in the 2000s, we saw a rise in diet culture and the prioritization of being thin. However, in the 2010s, an hourglass figure was once again the standard.
This social phenomenon is also seen in makeup and fashion trends. What dominates the fashion world has constantly changed with time. In the ’90s, baggy jeans, t-shirts, and sweatshirts were what everyone was raving about. Then came the 2000s, when fashion trends took a turn to skin-tight jeans and cropped shirts — which also continued into the 2010s. And now, in the 2020s, we see baggy clothing making a comeback.
With makeup, we’ve seen almost everything from bold eyeliners, eyeshadows, and lipsticks to minimal, natural-looking makeup. Hairstyles from the 2000s to 2010s were also largely focused on volume, while now, in the 2020s, a sleek look is more appreciated.
Of course, makeup and fashion are great forms of self-expression. The issue only lies with the notion that looks are more valuable than an individual’s inner qualities.
So, what does it mean to be beautiful if it’s always changing? The truth is that the idea of beauty for girls and women is fickle. Although society has encouraged us to be harmfully superficial, what actually matters is a person’s inner light. It’s our values, words, and actions that have the power to make us shine. The way we care for ourselves and our aura overpowers any of the other ways in which we may present ourselves.
This took me some time to understand, but now, in my 20s, I’ve learned that I’m the most beautiful version of myself when I’m authentic. What makes me beautiful is caring for myself and others. Journaling, going on walks, listening to music, engaging with art, and getting active in the community all make me feel confident and beautiful. Self-love is a learning process that never stops, so we must come to accept ourselves in every way.
It’s time to delve deeper into beauty and to learn more about each other — there is so much more depth to a person than what we see on the surface.