Body Image in the Media

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"Beauty is not what you see on the outside, it's what lies within." This is what we are taught throughout our childhood. However, by the time a person is in their teens, they have seen thousands of advertisements in the media, which stress the "perfect image." These advertisements send a message that this is how women are "supposed" to look. When women see these advertisements, many times they feel ashamed they do not look the way that the models do. But, should women feel like this? Most advertisements are not even directed toward beauty products. For instance, there are many commercials on television that focus on skinny, big-breasted, gorgeous women. However, the product being sold has nothing to do with the women themselves. If the product the advertisement is trying to sell is not a beauty product then why is the main focus on the attractive women? The answer to this question is: body image sells. American society has an obsession with the "perfect image" and advertisers flaunt this in persuading people to buy their products, knowing the negative affect on their viewers.

The definition of the "ideal body" has changed drastically throughout the years. Until recently, a well-rounded woman was considered most desirable, mainly because they were considered the most fertile. In the Victorian Era, if a woman was stick-thin, she was considered sickly. In the early 1900's the corseted, hour-glass look became fashionable. However, by the 1920's, the ideal body shape was quickly starting to slim down. The flat-chested, slim-hipped appearance was now in style. Yet, it was the full-figured shapes of Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield turning heads in the fifties and sixties. This quickly segued into the scrawny Twiggy look. ...

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...mount of production, but have also modernized their style. Clothing for plus sized women use tot resemble a tent, now, they are sexy and revealing outfits. A high quality example of the new sexy style is the plus size clothing brands created by one of the most desirable celebrities, Jennifer Lopez. Her new clothing line is called JLO Lovelies, and it features plus size clothing for all ages.

Companies will always need a way to earn money, and as of right now, their way of doing that is by keeping women dissatisfied with their bodies. Companies do not earn money by telling their viewers that they are perfect the way they are, but that they need to purchase their product to achieve perfection. Therefore, even with the new demand for realistic sizes in models and clothing, women will still desperately desire the nearly unattainable image that the media sells.

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