Transcript Beauty Ideals from East to West: A Comparison of

Jaci Hansen
China Textiles Study Tour 2010
Each individual country possesses its very own
beauty ideals. Young women across the world feel
different pressures to be beautiful, but it’s all for the
same reason: to uphold beauty ideals that are learned
from a young age. As a fashion and advertising
student I am interested in the effects of media on
young women, as well as the definitions of beauty
that they are trying to fulfill. During my time spent
in China I carefully observed the messages being
conveyed to young women in order to compare and
contrast them with the messages received by women
in the United States.
China
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Chinese women are given
mixed messages about how
their bodies should look.
Traditional beauty ideals tell
them that they should be
slender and petite, while
advertisements show
Westerners and Europeans with
curves. Many Chinese women
are interested in plastic
surgeries that increase the size
of their breasts in order to add
more shape to their bodies.
United States
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Mixed messages are also
received by women in the
United States. The media
constantly portrays beautiful
women as super thin, yet men
would like women to have
curves and large breasts. The
“hourglass” shape is ideal.
Plastic surgery is extremely
common in the United States,
not only for breast implants,
but also for liposuction,
buttock implants, and the like.
China
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Born with pale skin, Chinese
women prefer to have lighter
skin because it makes them
appear more youthful. In
China, light skin also signifies
wealth. The working class are
often out in the sun, therefore,
women strive to keep their skin
as light as possible. Young
women can often be seen
carrying umbrellas to shade
themselves from the sun. Many
powders and lightening creams
are also available for purchase.
United States
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Women in the United States
seem to have an obsession with
being tan. Women spend
thousands of dollars on
tanning per year. Several
alternatives to traditional
outdoor tanning are utilized
including tanning beds, sunless
tanning lotions (immediate and
gradual), bronzers, and spray
tans. Tanning is often part of a
weekly beauty routine.
China
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Traditionally, women wore red
lip stick and drew on dark
eyebrows. However, today a
more natural and light look is
sported. Makeup is applied
lightly to create the appearance
of porcelain skin. Some women
also use skin lightening creams
as part of their beauty routines.
Lastly, many women drink tea,
as it is said to have anti-aging
and weight loss effects.
United States
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Several beauty routines are
followed by women in the
United States. Aside from the
constant tanning and dieting
that many women practice,
women also dye their hair and
get their nails done. Cosmetics
are huge in the United States.
All looks can be found, from au
naturel to far-too-much
makeup. Plastic surgery is also
a common beauty routine. The
options for beauty are endless
and more and more appear
daily.
China
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It seems as though the Chinese
place a greater emphasis on
inner beauty.
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“Most of us consider beautiful
as something that can add to
our confidence. Once we put on
the beautiful dresses, it really
can make us feel that we are the
most pretty girl in the world.” –
Kara
“What I want to underline is
that a person's inner beauty is
most important. If a woman is
very bad and not kind, even
though she looks more
beautiful, in my eyes, she is not
a beautiful woman.” – Arvin
United States
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In the United States inner
beauty is often times ignored.
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“I was going to the mall to get
my nails done for prom. It was
early in the morning so I didn’t
have my hair or makeup done
yet. People wouldn’t hold the
doors open for me as they were
walking in. I’ve noticed that
people treat you differently
when you’re all done up than
when you’re not wearing any
makeup. It’s upsetting because
the people don’t actually know
the real me.” - Ashley
China
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Androgynous dress is prevalent
throughout China. Women’s
clothes are often masculine and
tailored. With a woman’s
traditional place in society, it
seems that they are currently
transitioning into expressing
themselves through dress.
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“Nowadays, most girls in
Shanghai are following a fashion
named “Bohemia.” Ankle-length
dresses are suit for the recent
weather. And, more and more
Chinese elements can be found
on our garments.” - Kara
United States
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With women’s dress in the
United States the possibilities
are endless. Women have the
ability to express themselves,
and most take full advantage of
it. Current trends include:
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Leggings
Long t-shirts and tank tops
Belts that accentuate curves
Rompers
Blazers
Chunky jewelry
“Boyfriend” jeans
Knee-length dresses
China
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The most popular surgeries in
China are double-eyelid surgery
and breast implants. The
pressure to have bigger eyes like
a foreigner is not only cast
through advertising, but also
through society.
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“Generally speaking, the women
with white skin, big eyes and
thin bodies and so on are
considered beautiful.” – Arvin
“Audrey Hepburn is a good
example, lots of men in China
like her very much. Western or
European women are really
pretty in my eyes” – Arvin
United States
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The cosmetic and plastic
surgery industry in the United
States is huge and constantly
growing.
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Over 10 million non-surgical
and surgical procedures were
performed in 2008
Top five nonsurgical procedures:
Botox injection, laser hair
removal, hyaluronic acid,
chemical peel, and laser skin
resurfacing
Top five surgical procedures:
breast augmentation,
liposuction, eyelid surgery,
rhinoplasty, and abdominoplasty
China
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Most companies in China
use Western and European
models in their
advertisements. Even local
companies marketing to
Asian women use foreign
models.
Clothing
company
naivee uses
foreign models
when the
target
audience is
Korean
women
A whitening cream
by GUERLAIN
uses a foreign model
with big blue eyes in
their advertisement
in ELLE China
(June 2010)
Silk company
Spring
Swallow
based in
Hangzhou,
China uses
foreign models
in their lookbook
Asian designer
Tina Gia uses
a redheaded
foreigner in her
look-book
United States

Almost all fashion
advertisements
show beautiful
women with
measurements that
are completely
unrealistic.

The average
American model is
5’11’’tall and
weighs 117
pounds; while the
average American
woman is 5’4’’ tall
and weighs 140
pounds.
Fashion giant Ralph Lauren
depicts a woman with skinny
arms, no hips, and a barely-there
waistline
A Victoria’s
Secret
Controversial advertisement
by Ralph Lauren of 23
year old 120lb model Filippa
Hamilton was so
dramatically retouched that
many people have chosen to
boycott the company
advertisement
shows a thin
woman with
large breasts
and perfectly
sun-kissed
skin
While the pressures to be beautiful are slightly
different depending on the country, the concept is
the same: women of all ages are constantly striving
to be something they can’t possibly be. Whether a
Chinese woman is getting a double eye-lid surgery
to make her eyes appear bigger, or an American
woman is altering the shape of her body to look like
“that girl” she sees in the magazines, both women
are trying to attain a certain look that media tells
them they must have in order to be beautiful. Of
all the beauty routines that exist in the world, the
one that should be embraced is “unleash your inner
beauty.”
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Personal observations and discoveries while in China
Various print media gathered in China and the United States
Interview – Kara (Chinese), Merchandising major at Donghau
University
Interview – Arvin (Chinese), Engineering graduate of Jiang Nan
University
Interview – Ashley (American), English major at University of
Nebraska - Lincoln
Blog - http://www.lovelyish.com/694321816/female-americanbeauty-vs-asian-cultures-ideal-beauty/
Website - http://www.inch-aweigh.com/dietstats.htm
Website - http://www.cosmeticplasticsurgerystatistics.com/statistics.
html#2008-FACTS