A Yearning For Femininity

Nowadays you see women with dyed blonde hair everywhere, the act of dying your hair in some form or another has almost become the norm in the modern era. Unsurprisingly, this has not been the case until relatively recently. So what has caused this shift in female beauty standards over the last few decades?

Obviously the entire cosmetic industry has been booming for a while now. Nevertheless, this inordinate increase in popularity is something that fascinates me from a psychological and societal perspective.

It is important to note that historically blonde hair has been associated with feminity and beauty. We aren't exactly sure why this has been, and still is the case, although there are a few possibilities. One is that hair often appears fairer in its early stages of growth, and since youthfulness is associated with fertility, it is likely that there is an evolutionary basis behind this possibility. Another, is how fair hair has been featured in multiple Disney fairytales and now also pop culture. Therefore it is possible that there is a societally constructed element to the beauty standard and popularity.

If we were to give credence to the non societally constructed notion, then I wonder if there is some validity in the theory I am about to explore.

Modern women have the capacity to act in a stereotypically masculine manner, particularly with regards to their newfound ability to build flourishing careers and achieve economic and social status. As a result of this, I wonder if there is some form or unconscious psychological kick back/search for equilibrium, causing women to desire to appear more aesthetically feminine?

One thing is for certain, there is a growing number of women, particularly in western countries, who are starting to look like a caricature of the archetypal feminine. Whether it is the drastically large lips, the elongated eyelashes or the bleached blonde/platinum hair. Coupled with the amount of bodily augmentation surgeries that women are receiving nowadays, it begs the question, how and by whom, are these standards being set?

I have used Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe as examples, due to their social popularity and similarities in appearance. Obviously it isn't the only form that can be admired, and even the use of the term ‘form’ itself, is somewhat crass itself.

Obviously I can not be certain of the cause of this phenomenon, but I do believe it is one. For me personally, there is an almost undeniable underpinning of a yearning for feminity to it. But I could be wrong.

Until next time,

OxJ