Impossible standards :a closer look at the changing perceptions of beauty in American society

Beauty among women has been defined in many ways throughout the centuries. In contemporary America, female beauty has come to be defined in an extremely narrow manner. The current ideals place great significance on the thin, tall woman. Previous decades have valued a range of ideals, although this thin ideal has always been important and prevailed. The media has played an important role in perpetuating these beauty ideals, as many women place value in the images they see. Women, and increasingly young girls, often attempt to embody these ideals as a means of fitting into society and making a way for themselves in a culture that values certain kind of woman over others. This paper explores the beauty trends that have endured to the present decade, as well as the harm that has resulted from some of these trends.Thesis (B.?)Honors Colleg