Beauty in Hollywood - Can the Public Achieve It?

When looking up the word in the dictionary, “beauty” is defined as a “combination of qualities, such as shape, color, or form, that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight.” The concept of beauty is also defined in the mind of the public by viewing Hollywood stars and their facial features. The idea behind Hollywood actors and actresses helping to create beauty ideals that are discussed by the public dates back many decades and one of the most prominent examples is Marilyn Monroe who evolved from being an actress to a cultural icon that came to represent glamour and style to her fans and the world at large. Let’s take a look at the idea of beauty in Hollywood and if it is easy for actresses (or the public) to achieve. We begin with the latest insights from Cosmetic Town TV:

Marilyn Monroe – The Ideal Female Appearance in the Fifties

The sexuality and femininity of Marilyn Monroe made her stand out from others in the entertainment industry and also created a look that was quickly accepted by her fans. Monroe came to symbolize the ideal female in the fifties which was a woman with a slim waist, blonde hair, and blue eyes. On the other hand, a good number of male actors of the same time were viewed as being tall and somewhat muscular with hair that was short, dark in color, and slicked back in appearance.

The appearance of men in Hollywood was hardly ever questioned at the time since it was assumed their look was natural. On the other hand, there have often been some doubts and questions about the look of females in Hollywood and how they gained their appearance. Since its creation, actresses in the film industry are often used as a representation of beauty (no matter how hard it is to look like people seen on the big screen). It can be difficult for the public to attain the (often) unrealistic beauty standards promoted by the entertainment industry as it is sometimes hard for the actual actors to fit the standards they helped create with their images.

While fans of Marilyn Monroe at the time of her stardom might have viewed her look as being all natural, it was later discovered that the Hollywood icon actually had multiple plastic surgery procedures in secret throughout her time in the public spotlight. In other words, the image she shared with the world is not one that she gained naturally as she continued to age. It was reported that Monroe had plastic surgery procedures such as rhinoplasty and breast augmentation to gain the look known by movies lovers across the globe.

The revelations about the changes in her appearance were not made public until long after her death which means steps were taken to hide the fact that her appearance was not completely natural. Even though she was viewed as the ideal woman of her time, it soon became apparent that she went to great lengths to fit the look that was expected of her in the movie industry. The actress once stated, “When my looks start to go, so will most of my fans.” Unfortunately, that statement would likely have been true if she had lived to an older age due to the way the movie industry is based on the image of those viewed on the big screen.

Men and Women in Hollywood – Double Standards or Not?

When it comes to examining the difference between men and women and beauty standards in Hollywood, there is a double standard that can sometimes be viewed when thinking about the roles played by male and female actors. There are some women who are allowed to be less than perfect on the screen but many women are required to be the romantic lead or the object of desire in movies. Male actors can more easily get away with not meeting expected beauty standards because they are often cast as characters that are considered to be comic relief instead of the main character.

Female actors and their fashion style and features are spotlighted in blogs and magazines and the articles examine their appearance in great detail. They are also singled out by the media when they are out in public on a casual day and not wearing any makeup. In other words, they are often harassed by the media for simply being themselves during their daily lives. The fixation on their “normal appearance” seems to go against the idea of body positivity by expecting movie stars to always look like their public image which is based on having access to professional makeup artists not easily available to the average person.

There are also some risks that can be seen happening to the public due to their desire to look like their favorite celebrities. They can actually gain a less than positive body image if they do not see much in the way of representation when it comes to people with plus-size figures or even classified as being disabled. There can also be a development of conditions such as eating disorders and body dysmorphia when fans of celebrities are not able to look like the people they watch on movie screens.

There does not appear to be a solution to the issue of beauty standards in Hollywood influencing the public in the near future. Beauty standards are always changing and what might finally become easy for the public to achieve might not be the standard of beauty anymore once they are able to gain the look they desire.

- MA