The concept of what makes a lady fair has changed over the years. And yet for centuries, we’ve been attracted to a singular beauty, says Vanessa Azzopardi.
Cleopatra, Venus, Marilyn Monroe and Megan Fox – women from different times. They share one similarity though – they are all generally considered beautiful women, according to the standards of beauty of their time.
The tall, slim and statuesque supermodel image hasn’t always been the representation of ideal beauty
Although beauty is said to subjectively lie in the eye of the beholder, television, magazines and billboards nowadays plaster images of tanned, skinny women with chiselled noses, high cheekbones and flawless skin. Women strive to look like these idealised forms, often sacrificing delicious slices of chocolate cake to keep a slim figure. And when you’re breaking a sweat on the treadmill, think of Twiggy, the English model who back in the 1960s transformed the stick insect look into one that is desirable and attractive.
Whereas the standard of beauty can change according to culture and taste – whether one prefers the androgynous Kate Moss figure or Kate Upton’s curves – it is safe to say that there are still some underlying commonalities. Beauty and attractiveness rely heavily on perfection and because of this, cosmetic and plastic surgery have become accessible to almost everyone. Long, shiny hair together with a set of perfectly aligned, white teeth and striking features play a vital role in establishing how attractive a woman is considered.
The idea that harmony and precision are crucial factors in determining beauty is centuries old and originates from Plato’s concept of the golden proportion. Plato argued that beauty depends on the proportions of the face and that an idealistically beautiful face should have a width that equals to two thirds of the length, and a nose no bigger than the distance between the eyes. Although this concept is over 2,000 years old, scientists have recently proven that symmetry and proportion actually do have an effect on people’s perception of what is rightfully attractive.
Although Plato introduced some interesting theories on beauty that are still considered relevant nowadays, the tall, slim and statuesque supermodel image hasn’t always been the representation of ideal beauty. In fact, the so-called size zero figure is also sometimes challenged by the slightly more voluptuous and curvy figures (while still on the slim side) of women such as Beyoncé Knowles. Reported to wear size 10 jeans due to her bootylicous-ness, Beyoncé was voted as People magazine’s Most Beautiful Woman of 2012.
These fuller figures originate from the more conservative Victorian era, where women were cherished for their hourglass figure, which meant having a narrow waist in comparison to their broader shoulders, bust and hips. The attractiveness of this figure stems from the concept that women with a natural hourglass figure were generally thought to be more fertile, and therefore men were naturally and instinctively more attracted to these women. The idea was however taken to an extreme as women began to wear tightly laced corsets specially designed to constrict the waist and eventually even reduce their natural waist size. Cue plenty of fainting incidents.
Pale skin was also an emblem of nobility and purity and therefore appealing. So instead of plastering on layers of fake tan, women during the Victorian era would cover their faces with powder. Full, curly hair also emphasised a woman’s sensuality.
If one refers to the Renaissance period, it is evident that a similar concept of beauty was prevalent during this time. Pale skin and thick hair were already considered extremely desirable. Also, the fuller a woman was, the more desirable she was considered. In fact, paintings from that period focus on nude female figures which nowadays would probably be classified as fat. This period also emphasised a woman’s natural beauty – therefore, apart from powder, few cosmetics were used.
However, that doesn’t mean that cosmetics are a modern novelty. On the contrary, in Roman, Greek and even ancient Egyptian times, beauty was emphasised through the use of different types of cosmetics. Roman philosopher Plautus even wrote that: “A woman without paint is like food without salt.”
From sculptures, paintings and even poetry, it is evident that thousands of years ago, ancient Egyptians were perhaps just as vain as modern day women. Oils and creams were used to keep the skin supple and soft, as youth was considered an important foundation of beauty. Black, straight, sleek, and shiny hair was associated with eroticism – thus the notable black wig became synonymous with the concept of an ideal beautiful woman while all female figures were represented as tall and slender. Pale skin was also desirable during these times and women were also known for their use of cosmetics to accentuate their features. Rouged lips and cheeks were common, while flaws were covered with powders and the eyes were decorated in opulent colours – thick black eyeliner made from kohl was used to widen the appearance of the eyes.
Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? It seems as though modern day women are becoming more and more attracted to ancientEgyptian beauty.
Over thousands of years the concept of beauty seems to have gone round in a cycle, from the pale, made-up, slim figure to the plump, natural-looking figure, and back again to the sexy, slim figure. At least we’re trying to be a bit more innovative nowadays by adding one vital ingredient: tanning cream.