Posted February 9, 2012 I think it's so interesting how our ideals of female beauty are much different today. I think that it really reinforces how women of all sizes can be beautiful. And I like how the artist didn't photoshop them as starved, stick-thin models, too. Yes, it does, isn't it? I also like it because it shows that beauty standards are not innate. Honestly, when I first looked at the "finding" that if you have a waist that's about 70% thinner than your hips, men find it attractive because beauty standards change over time. For example, a wasp thin waist, made by corsets, were considered attractive in the past. And it's not only a cultural thing. As I have probably countlessly mentioned-I'm Asian. People take this as to mean that I'm super thin, and that our culture has a thing for stick-thin women. Well, in classical Asian art and literature, there are periods alternating between rather plump women and very thin women. So I'd say that we're going through a thin women phrase again-although this IS changing, at least in my country for any rate. /long rant. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 9, 2012 (edited) That is an awesome site that was linked, BTW. Hrm. Dress size, huh? Well, I'm in 8. Trying to get back down to the skinny side of 8, perhaps bordering a 6. I've been trying to lose what I put on from my initial enlistment in the military for a few years now. I know I'll likely never again attain 135, but it gives me a goal and encourages me to care for myself. If I settled for staying 155 (10 from the Navy, 10 still from my daughter that I haven't shed), I'd likely just Twinkie myself into happy sugary oblivion. But what can I say? Even if I have my goal to shed those 20 pesky pounds, I can't say I'm at all upset with being the weight I'm at. At 5'10" and just shy of 34, it's not a bad place to be. As for my opinion of what the standard should be...? Healthy and happy, that's all I can say. If a girl's a size 0 and has no health problems, then so be it! If she's happy and healthy, then she's beautiful. If she's a size 22 and has no health problems, then so be it! If she's happy and healthy, then she's beautiful, too. Edit: Failed to mention all sizes are US. 'cause I'm a 'tard. Edited February 9, 2012 by Wends Share this post Link to post
Posted February 9, 2012 So not 'wear fresh clothes daily,' simply once a week? And you are making it sound like women *never* do any of the above. Oh, you are cute, yes. Of course you wear fresh clothes every day. "Washing your clothes once a week", well, I was ASSUMING that you don't wash ONE item of clothing at a time, no? You do multiple loads? Not going to even bother explaining what was obvious to everyone else. And yes, there are women that do this. But as a general rule, I have discovered that women inherently neater and cleaner as a way of life, then men. To qualify that, I am the only girl, in a family of 5 kids, with 20 male cousins, 3 female cousins, and 7 nephews with only 2 nieces. We are all close and I see how they all live. The girls are neat as clean usually, the boys are hugely messy. And my own son and ex are by nature similar, no matter what I do. I also have many male friends, and they are mostly the same way, not very concerned with messiness. So, yeah, I think I can speak with some knowledge here. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 9, 2012 (edited) ThisthisthisthisthisTHIS. I hate how the media continues to push unrealistic standards on people. It makes us hate our bodies to encourage us to buy whatever products to become "beautiful" and the end result is that we slowly poison ourselves in an effort to be accepted in society. Unrealistic standards can die in a hole. I am fat and I love myself. I can and do frequently make fun of my own weight because I am comfortable with who I am, and I will make no conscious effort to change it. I am beautiful. You are beautiful. We are all beautiful the way we naturally are. Media bigwigs, kindly shove it. I realize I haven't read all the thread...while fashion gives us smaller and smaller models, what they don't a mention is that they also getting younger and younger and what about the photo-shopped bodies! We're so doomed. I cannot PS myself into clothes And american women are the worse I think at least from what I can garner from what I see, not saying every culture doesn't have problems, but I notice more foreign moms telling their daughters how beautiful they are versus what i see and hear ...imho Edited February 9, 2012 by ToadWitch Share this post Link to post
Posted February 9, 2012 (edited) Oh, you are cute, yes. Of course you wear fresh clothes every day. "Washing your clothes once a week", well, I was ASSUMING that you don't wash ONE item of clothing at a time, no? You do multiple loads? Not going to even bother explaining what was obvious to everyone else. And yes, there are women that do this. But as a general rule, I have discovered that women inherently neater and cleaner as a way of life, then men. To qualify that, I am the only girl, in a family of 5 kids, with 20 male cousins, 3 female cousins, and 7 nephews with only 2 nieces. We are all close and I see how they all live. The girls are neat as clean usually, the boys are hugely messy. And my own son and ex are by nature similar, no matter what I do. I also have many male friends, and they are mostly the same way, not very concerned with messiness. So, yeah, I think I can speak with some knowledge here. ...and I lived for seven years in boarding houses of up to 80 boys, as well as shared accommodation during six years of university life, and the single worst offender of hygiene? A female nearing her thirties. Actually, all the guys I lived with at university were fine. In all six houses, it was one of the girls who was the worst - rarely washing, mouldy plates and two-month-old milk in the bedroom, never doing their laundry...the lot. I currently do all the laundry and cleaning at our house. I put on a wash maybe every three days, because in fairness I make a lot of mess - I go three changes of clothes a day and shower twice a day, as well as doing the dishes every day I'm not on shift, as well as all the housework. So note it is the guy in this question doing the cleaning, not the girl? And at boarding school heaven forbid you try to be poor with your hygiene. Pee in the shower? Get beaten. Not changing your shirts on a regular basis? Named and shamed, as often as possible. Not take a shower after sports? Prepare for your housemates to point it out loudly to your classmates at the next session. Leave your laundry on the floor and it will find it's way it a bin once someone finds your hockey stick with which to pick it up with. That's 80 teenage boys, supposedly the 'worst offenders' of personal hygiene. We didn't need Matron to get involved in our personal hygiene, we were too busy bullying each other into getting washed, eating healthy and losing weight. Both sides are just as bad as each other, trust me. So your 'general rule' is a rather poor one when I can bring several hundred examples of good male hygiene. BTW: Very interesting comparisons between the ideal body images of yesteryear and of today- http://workthatmatters.blogspot.com/2012/0...for-todays.html They've taken classic art and photoshopped the body to fit today's standards. I think they have overdone it one or two, but it is interesting. Personally I prefer curves. Edited February 9, 2012 by Kestra15 Share this post Link to post
Posted February 9, 2012 Y'know, this reminds me of Paula Fuga. sort of thing is a sin. She has an , and she didn't get in because she's not skinny. The "Big Girls Rock" shirt the guy's holding doesn't fool me or anyone else - Paula's reaction is a dead giveaway, too ("your voice is so sweet, but no") - if she had been skinny, she would have gotten in. I'm a US size 16, and though it would be nice to be a little smaller (maybe a size 13-14, just so I can have a better selection of clothes; why is plus-sized stuff so TACKY?), I'm pretty okay with myself as I am now. Most of the men I see are larger, too. I find chubby guys attractive. Oh dear God...I hadn't seen this. I never watch American Idol - the show drives me bonkers. But that...what a shame. Her voice was wonderful, and she's passed over due to her appearance?? Ugh. On topic - to me, size doesn't matter. At my heaviest I was 255 but over the past two years I've droped 60 pounds and I'm now at 195. My goal is 180 - and I'm 5'8. Still over what society deems acceptable, but society can kiss my butt. I loved myself at 255, and I love myself at 195. The main reason I started to lose weight was for health...not to fit into what someone else thinks I should look like. Beauty is on the inside. Looks will fade with time - gravity will take its toll, but if you are a beautiful person within, that will never diminish. My best friend is 350 pounds, and I think she is the most beautiful and amazing woman I've ever met. My boyfriend isn't thin - he's built like a tank, and I think he's sexy as hell. There is so much more to a person than their outward appearance. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 9, 2012 (edited) I have discovered that women inherently neater and cleaner as a way of life, then men. I've yet to notice a pattern in either gender. My male roommate a year ago was cleaner than both my female roommates are now. I miss sharing a bathroom with him, as weird as that sounds, because I wasn't the only one cleaning it and he didn't leave it messy. >.> My sister is one of the messiest people I know. My boyfriend is obsessively neat. I think it just depends on person. :3 http://workthatmatters.blogspot.com/2012/0...for-todays.html That was pretty interesting. ~ Yeah, I absolutely love that Paula Fuga song. Incredibly annoying that things like this happen today. Edited February 9, 2012 by SockPuppet Strangler Share this post Link to post
Posted February 9, 2012 (edited) I have discovered that women inherently neater and cleaner as a way of life, then men. You should see my side of the dorm room (and my desk :U Infi is a slob |D) and what some girls here have done in the bathrooms, too. Women are not inherently cleaner; in fact, I've seen men be cleaner than this. I stand 5'2" and probably weigh somewhere around 180-200lbs, maybe even more. Most of my shirts are size "large" though I have no problem fitting into medium shirts most of the time...most of my pants are larger sizes too. I'm a US size 16, and though it would be nice to be a little smaller (maybe a size 13-14, just so I can have a better selection of clothes; why is plus-sized stuff so TACKY?), Are you maybe a tall woman too? Because I'm short and fat with a lot of the extra fat being around my belly, hips, and thighs and I've had no problem finding non-tacky clothes to fit in - I can even fit in teeny Hollister shirts. My mom always used to tell me my height made it easy to find clothes for me because I could fit into nearly anything. Your height may also be affecting your clothes sizes. As for the beauty standard today and women in general, I prefer women with a little meat on them. I prefer the old view of beauty and therefore the original images of Venus in that website. I just...do't really like skinny women and it upsets me when I see models whose ribs are showing because they want to be thin THAT BAD, and it upsets me even more when I hear about girls having to be hospitalized because they're anemic or bulimic because they want to be thin like a model. :/ Edit because my troll brain likes to make me leave out important words. :I Edited February 9, 2012 by Infinis Share this post Link to post
Posted February 9, 2012 Beauty is on the inside to quote Liar Liar's Jim Carey thats what ugly people say to make them selves feel better Share this post Link to post
Posted February 9, 2012 (edited) to quote Liar Liar's Jim Carey thats what ugly people say to make them selves feel better Slight difference in that Jimmy Carr does it for comedic effect since he is by nature a risky comedian. A relationship that rests solely on good looks is doomed to failure from the start - being 'pretty' doesn't last long. Gain even a few kilo, be injured, the ravages of time, or even just removing their make-up will swiftly remove that 'pretty' from most people. Except Amerylis. She will always be wonderful. Edited February 9, 2012 by Kestra15 Share this post Link to post
Posted February 9, 2012 to quote Liar Liar's Jim Carey thats what ugly people say to make them selves feel better You're unironically citing a fictional character who was constructed as a massive jackass to everyone around him. Really. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 9, 2012 (edited) I'm a US size 16, and though it would be nice to be a little smaller (maybe a size 13-14, just so I can have a better selection of clothes; why is plus-sized stuff so TACKY?), Are you maybe a tall woman too? Because I'm short and fat with a lot of the extra fat being around my belly, hips, and thighs and I've had no problem finding non-tacky clothes to fit in - I can even fit in teeny Hollister shirts. My mom always used to tell me my height made it easy to find clothes for me because I could fit into nearly anything. Your height may also be affecting your clothes sizes. Not that tall, around average. 5'6" or so. I'm a pants size 16 and a shirt size "whatever the whims of the designers say I am," but usually that's around an XL or 1X. 3X if it's a small cut or if I want it baggy. I don't pay too much mind to shirt sizes for that reason. TBH, a lot of the problem with finding clothes for me is...ahem...chest area. I can find jeans without a problem, but looking for shirts and dresses can be extremely trying, because things that fit me just fine around the waist and everywhere else are often too small in the chest. That means I usually have to go a size over what fits my waist, and that gets troublesome when the largest size available in whatever style is a small-chested XL. :/ Even worse is that a lot of the stuff they make nowadays is made using elasticy fabrics, which means they cling. And when they cling, they highlight every single unflattering feature about your body for the world to see. Edited February 9, 2012 by AngelKitty Share this post Link to post
Posted February 9, 2012 Even worse is that a lot of the stuff they make nowadays is made using elasticy fabrics, which means they cling. And when they cling, they highlight every single unflattering feature about your body for the world to see. Skinny jeans. Oh gods, I hate that all male trousers are skinny cut. I have massive thighs from years of hiking, skiing and cycling - skinny jeans don't fit. End of. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 10, 2012 Mmmm, massive shapely legs from working out.... (has lusty fantasies) I support tight-fitting jeans on in-shape men! Woo hoo! (calms self) Ahem. I mean, yeah, skinny jeans can suck on the wrong people. Concerning elasticy fabrics, that nails why I haven't gotten rid of my pants from the '90s and why t-shirts reign suppreme in my wardrobe. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 10, 2012 Lol Wends! My younger brother has no issues with skinny jeans, the tighter the better... but then he is a skinny little emo But as their name suggests I think they only look good on skinny people, anyone with extra fat or muscle they don't look quite right, though obviously that would depend individually. I think unless you're a teenage bean-pole like my brother, skinny jeans are a girl thing. Not that I have anything against showing off muscles but there should be other alternatives out there.. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 10, 2012 I have jeggings, not skinny jeans. Meh loves them because they're so serviceable. Not very tight, either. They're like my normal jeans, just elasticised, lol. If someone is happy with their shape/size, and are healthy, then they're beautiful. c: As other people have mentioned, people can be beautiful on the inside too. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 10, 2012 I'm not sure what dress size I am! I mostly wear jeans that are measured by inches haha I fit comfortably in a 31 or 32 for jeans (I think the last time I wore something not measured in inches it was a 12 or so? not sure, that might have changed by now though) but I'd looove to be smaller. Most of my fat is in my thighs/butt area so it makes finding pants that fit horrrribly difficult. I try really hard not to fat-shame or anything, but probably due to my internalised desire to be skinny/periods when I succumb to EDNOS, I can't really say I'm happy the way I am. I love my butt but mmmmm dang if I could fit into smaller clothes I would be really happy! It's just so difficult to wear things that are meant for a slender body when you have rolls of fat to deal with I do think that larger women (and people in general) can look just as good as smaller ones, however! I just wish that I could feel the same way about myself Share this post Link to post
Posted February 10, 2012 being 'pretty' doesn't last long. Gain even a few kilo, be injured, the ravages of time, or even just removing their make-up will swiftly remove that 'pretty' from most people. Luckily, I didn't have any drink to ruin my keyboard. There's quite a few teens and twenty-somethings who think Diane Sawyer's doability is high. She's like 65. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 10, 2012 Luckily, I didn't have any drink to ruin my keyboard. There's quite a few teens and twenty-somethings who think Diane Sawyer's doability is high. She's like 65. What do they think of the 71-year-old Raquel Welch? I don't know and don't want to know if any teens and twenty-somethings think of my mom that way, but she's in her early sixties and looks fantastic. I think part of the reason is she almost never wears makeup. She dresses in clothes that fit her nicely and teaches middle schoolers. That's either going to age one prematurely or keep 'em young. We decided when, once, she and I were asked if we were sisters that it didn't mean I looked old, it meant she looked really good : ) Share this post Link to post
Posted February 10, 2012 I really consider the personality the most beautiful aspect of a person, but we can't ignore the body, as far as im concerned, being proportional is all that matters physically. Sure, you might be a twig, (Im a twig myself ) but as long as everything evens out, its alright. Hope I didn't get off topic... Share this post Link to post
Posted February 12, 2012 Skinny jeans. Oh gods, I hate that all male trousers are skinny cut. I have massive thighs from years of hiking, skiing and cycling - skinny jeans don't fit. End of. Seconded. I also have broad shoulders thanks to my dad so even though I look as though I should fit a small t-shirt, I comfortably wear a medium most of the time. I'm also one of those chronically underweight people. I'm still trying to put back the last few of the ten pounds I lost in September '11 when I was sick. That modified paintings site was interesting. There was only one painting where I prefered the 'new' version. The rest were fine as they were to begin with. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 13, 2012 I'm a UK size 6, or an 8 otherwise because 6 is hard to find sometimes. I'm fairly small though; like really petite. I hate it when thin people get branded as if they're just obsessed with image. That's plain bull; I just try to eat healthily and half the time I don't even do that... I think it's just as unhealthy to be horribly underweight as it is obese. I see quite a few 'bigger' people treating average weight girls rather badly and brandishing slogans about how 'curvy is better' like a flag. Which almost makes sense, but I don't recall when 'curvy' became double chins. I think we have some seriously warped ideas of what a 'healthy' weight actually constitutes in our society. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 13, 2012 I don't know what dress size I am (le gasp!) because I really don't concern myself with those sorts of things. I don't focus on what size my clothes are, just that I like them and I feel good about myself...most of the time, anyway. I think, though, I'd be a 0, even though I'm actually quite unhealthy. I eat a lot of junk and I don't exercise whatsoever. Sports, no thank you. Because of what I eat and the fact that I'm very inactive, I should be very heavy right now, but I'm underweight. I have a ridiculously high metabolism, and I'm really tiny- short, thin, petite in general. I don't lean to either side of the skinny versus heavy argument. I believe that if someone feels beautiful, that is enough to make them beautiful. I really don't care if you're tall, short, skinny, fat. I don't care what clothes you wear and what size they are. Clothing sizes and body sizes are really not the kind of thing I worry about. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 13, 2012 I don't lean to either side of the skinny versus heavy argument. I believe that if someone feels beautiful, that is enough to make them beautiful. I really don't care if you're tall, short, skinny, fat. I don't care what clothes you wear and what size they are Clothing sizes and body sizes are really not the kind of thing I worry about. Just wanted to show some love for this post. Share this post Link to post
Posted February 14, 2012 TBH, a lot of the problem with finding clothes for me is...ahem...chest area. I can find jeans without a problem, but looking for shirts and dresses can be extremely trying, because things that fit me just fine around the waist and everywhere else are often too small in the chest. That means I usually have to go a size over what fits my waist, and that gets troublesome when the largest size available in whatever style is a small-chested XL. :/ Even worse is that a lot of the stuff they make nowadays is made using elasticy fabrics, which means they cling. And when they cling, they highlight every single unflattering feature about your body for the world to see. I totally feel your pain, there. In an earlier post, someone posted a link to old paintings of nudes photoshopped to look beautiful by today's standards... And I'm built like the women in the original pictures. I'm pretty short, but my proportions make actually good-looking clothes nigh impossible to find. I've got a size L-XL chest, size M arms, a size 10 waistline and am 11-13 from the rear to the legs. Doesn't help that my legs are fairly muscular from literally running barefoot most of the day well into my preteen years. I just wish clothing companies would use as many different builds as possible for their clothes, so short gals with curves can dress modestly and not look like a 12-year-old. :\ Personally, I find beauty in virtually anyone. This beauty can come easily, or it may require a little help from clothes, makeup, colors, etc. But it can almost always be unleashed unless you use photoshop. Share this post Link to post
Recommended Posts