The Perception Of "Beauty" In The Media

Image: weheartit

Hi Girls! It's been almost a week since I blogged because I've been on my work experience at a magazine. I've had the most interesting week and have done everything from Starbucks coffee runs to interviewing Rudimental and it's been absolutely amazing! I was tasked to write an article around a topic I thought would interest teenage girls and came up with the idea of media perceptions of what girls think of as 'perfect' and how they're deceiving and unrealistic. I know it's been done a million and one times, but after researching countless adverts, interviews and statistics I thought I'd put my own spin on things.

I've seen this advert countless times and it gets me everytime. I don't understand why we all strive to be our idea of perfection when perfect doesn't even really exist. Girls look up to people like Kim Kardashian and Britney Spears (maybe...) but what they're being sold on the look of these people is fake. It's all PhotoShop. I personally think that the media is completely responsible for this. They sell us images of perfect looking products with perfect looking celebrities but more often than not, were always disappointed. I also think that the media are responsible for making girls grow up way too quickly. I was researching magazines on the market for teenage girls and sure I came across the likes of Bliss and Sugar. Now, I remember reading these magazines when I was about 14 but I definitely don't remember them being filled with problem pages on sex and relationships. Surely 14 is way too young to even be thinking about that sort of thing yet alone be having problems with it? Not only this, but there were style articles featuring high platform heels and teeny tiny miniskirts. I reckon back when I was that age those pages would have been filled with boot cut jeans and dungarees, not clothes which attract male attention at 14 years old. Maybe I sound like an old hag saying all of this, but I don't want my daughter one day to be exposed to this world where our idea of perfect isn't even real.

You can't just blame PhotoShop though. People are smart enough to make their own decisions and choices but what about when these choices aren't right? I don't mean to bore you girls with statistics, but it shocks me that cases of anorexia has tripled since 1993. That's only in the space of nineteen years, imagine what it could be like 10 years from now? I personally think that my 'body ideal' is someone like Beyonce or Kelly Brook. They aren't tits on a stick (excuse the expression) and they have curves in all the right places. More importantly, they look healthy and as though they can't be snapped in half at a tap. I know some girls are naturally slim and have a fast metabolism (lucky girls) but I'm talking about those with a health issue who have willingly put their lives at risk because they saw a fake image of a celebrity in a bikini on a beach promoting trainers (I'm mentioning no names).

I don't know one single girl who is 110% happy with the way they look. We always want more and more, and were actually quite a greedy bunch of people whether we like it or not. Whether that means going down the route of surgery or crash dieting, we continuously strive to be an airbrushed version of ourselves. I'm not criticising surgery or dieting in any way shape or form as it would make me a huge hypocrite. I am currently dieting and using diet pills to loose some stubborn pounds I managed to put on over the Christmas break but I don't hide it away. I also made the decision to have breast implants last June, but it hasn't changed me as a person. I can also say I made that decision purely off my own back and that the media didn't influence me. I was unhappy with something that I had the power to change so I did. Some of you may think of me as a 'bimbo' or a 'tart' because of this, but do you know why that is? It's because the media has force fed you information about peoples looks and what they're like. Do you wear glasses? You must be a geek. Do you like rap music? You must be a chav. Although we don't admit it, we all judge people subconsciously. Again, I know the whole 'real' beauty thing has been done countless times but it really is about time that more brands show toned down airbrushing of bigger models as that's who the market can relate to. Do you look like Kate Moss or a Victoria's Secret model? Good for you. But what about the rest of us, the real girls and women? Don't get me wrong of course I love make-up and beauty or else I wouldn't write this blog. But what I don't like is the way that the media has made us feel like were not good enough or that were a chip off the block and can only have a 'normal' 9-5 job because were not 6ft tall and weigh 100 pounds.

Image: google

I haven't written this post to moan or ask for drama if some of you may disagree, I've written it purely because it's been such a focus for me the past few days and has made me think long and hard what the media are really doing to us. I could go on and on with this post, but I don't want to bore you with other things because it would be as long as my arm if I did. I'd love to know your thoughts on this topic too. Are you clued up when it comes to what the media try to sell to us as 'perfect'? Or do you admit that you may be a little brainwashed and therefore feel guilty about your looks/job/money/everything? Once the article I have written is published I will update you all so you can have a read if you're interested. 

What are your thoughts on this topic?