insight

Woman created in man's image

Woman created in man's image

I have always been fascinated with history, especially in regard to what was considered trendy and fashionable and the ever-changing notion of what constitutes beauty.

For centuries, women have been victims of the fashion industry. In the 19th century Victorian era, corsets were the must-have in a woman's wardrobe. They were laced and tied as tight as possible to create a bell-shaped figure that essentially resulted in the inability to breathe. Because of this, it was fashionable to pass-out, due to the constriction of the corset. Women were fainting in parlors all over Europe. Broken ribs were also a result.

Women painted their faces white and used lead-based powder. Bonnets and parasols were used to avoid exposure to the sun because it was unfashionable and considered low social rank to have tanned skin, which was associated with working outdoors. The white, pale-face look eventually fazed out and historians contend that tanned skin became popular in the 1920s because of the popularity of the famous Black entertainer Josephine Baker. A fascination with darkened skin quickly ensued.

The famous master artist Rembrandt (1606-1669) glamorized the women of his day, who were voluptuous, round and sensual. And the impressionist painter Renoir (1841-1919) was known for his paintings of ample-sized women stepping out of the bath.

Marilyn Monroe was the greatest sex symbol of all time in American Culture. At a size 16, Monroe had round hips, ample thighs and a hefty bosom. Only in the last 30 years or so have thin, waif-looking women have been considered beautiful by society. Calvin Klein introduced his vision of beauty in Kate Moss and, well ... we all know now how she has stayed so thin. We can thank Jennifer Lopez and Beyonce for re-introducing the voluptuous woman into our society, with curves again being considered beautiful. Dove has jumped on the curvy bandwagon to promote its "real women" campaign with women of all shapes and sizes posing in their underwear.

It is no coincidence that J-Lo and Beyonce are so secure with their figures. Studies show that black and Hispanic women are more comfortable with their bodies than white women, because black and Hispanic men are much more accepting of their curves. The creation of the Barbie doll was pivotal in planting the seed of a distorted body image in little girls and boys alike. Boys grow up to be men and impose an impossible standard on women, who are looking for the perfect Barbie Doll image. In most countries, hefty women are associated with wealth and abundance and are pursued as marriage material because round hips are more desirable for childbearing.

In today's American culture, the media and advertisers have successfully created a profoundly negative effect on how we perceive our faces and bodies. Women constitute the largest group of consumers, and advertisers prey on our insecurities by creating a new model of female beauty: the eternally young and slim woman. Older women are portrayed as menopausal hags desperately clinging to youth. Plastic surgeons have profited heavily from our distorted image of beauty. Face-lifts, nose jobs, breast and facial implants, botox and liposuction procedures are all performed to create the "perfect look" and an image of youth. We women shave, pluck, wax, moisturize and exfoliate all in the name of beauty and to avoid the impending doom of looking old.

I have lived long enough to witness several fashion trends and notions of what is beautiful. I remember that, in the '70s, the "in" things to wear were the polyester suits and platform shoes. Blue jeans were no longer associated with rebellion and deviant behavior and could finally be worn with anything other than a white T-shirt. Curly perms became the "must have" hairstyle. The '80s glamorized leg warmers and clogs. In the '90s the trend was pouty lips. Women were lining up to get botox injections to make their lips bigger when, in the '80s, this look was a characteristic worthy of ridicule.

Today, the post-feminist generation leaves the former trailblazers shaking their heads and believing that their efforts have all been in vain. After fighting designers and shoe manufacturers for stylish, comfortable shoes, the trend today is stilettos and jeans. I see the young ladies walking around campus in high-heels and think they must be crazy! Do they know what those shoes are going to do to their feet, back and hips? Then I realize how fortunate I am to be old enough not be expected to conform to that trend. However, in my younger days I dressed for style, not comfort, and the last thing on my mind was the long-term effect of my fashion choices.

As I look at the lines that have crept along my eyes, I know that the time will come when they will be fashionable. One day, the life experiences that have created those lines will be more extraordinary than youth and the temporary notion of what is beautiful.