Are Women Slaves To Fashion And Beauty?

1724 words - 7 pages

Are Women Slaves to Beauty?

What does it take to feel beautiful? Perhaps a little bit of time, make-up, and a breathtaking dress; or at least that's what we have been programmed to believe. Without a doubt, all of the magazines, advertisements, and make-up beauty tips have influenced women’s beliefs about what it means to be beautiful. An artificial image of beauty has been imposed on each and every woman in our culture.

I would like to begin with the fact that women have always been known to dedicate their time to beauty. Those who are devoted to their appearance most often believe that beauty brings power, popularity, and success. Women believe this, because they grow up reading magazines that picture beautiful women in successful environments; not to mention they are popular models and world famous individuals. Beautiful women are no longer just a priority for most advertising, but we have become a walking target for the working class employers. It is documented that better-looking attorneys earn more than others after five years of practice, which was an effect that grew with experience (Biddle, 172). We cannot overlook the fact that it is always the most popular and most beautiful girl who becomes homecoming-queen or prom-queen. While these are possible positive effects of the "beauty myth," the negative results of female devotion to beauty undercut this value. These effects are that it costs a lot of money, it costs a lot of time, and in the long run, it costs a lot of pain.

First, women spend huge amounts of money to improve their looks. So here we are unable to escape the reality that we can never be flawless or blemish free; moreover, as long as women have the belief that all greatness derives from beauty, they will never conquer this vicious cycle. What we don't understand is that there is nothing special about conventional beauty (Morin). Also, in order for women to get their hands on secret beauty tips, they have to exchange large sums of cash for the revelation of this unessential information. Most of these beauty tips are advertised in magazines or books, which tend to be very costly. A one-year subscription to an a la mode magazine could range from fifty to seventy dollars. After purchasing the information on how to improve their looks, women must then go out and buy the "necessary" products that are used to actually "improve" their looks. These products include make-up, hair dyes, nail polish, curlers, hair dryers, and curling irons; you name it, we buy it. Some make-up foundations price from $25-$45 per ounce (Working Woman vl15, 104). The most popular of all cosmetics is the portable make-up compact that we carry to avoid the risk of social criticism (Vogue vl184, 198). As far as looks are concerned, chances are women will never be satisfied. This mad rush for beauty is never ending. Furthermore, doesn't it stop with physical appearance? Heck no! Women want to flounce around in that new seasonal...

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