Arguably, today’s beauty standards say that women are expected to wear makeup in their daily lives, work out at the gym, stay skinny with curves in the right places, and be young. However, what makes today different from the past is that we can also show our uniqueness, as society has become more inclusive. These trends are all influenced by history and technological developments that we’re about to tell you all about.

Amazing Side is looking into the past to understand just where our beauty standards come from.

1. TV and cinema changed how makeup was used.

In the 1950s, more makeup like foundation, eyeliner, and blush began being used. This was a time when colored movies were becoming popular, and women began to copy these theatrical faces from the big screen. Actresses such as Clara Bow, Elizabeth Taylor, and Marilyn Monroe were some of the most popular.

Since then, makeup has been a huge part of so many women’s lives. In fact, the global makeup industry is thought to be worth around $640 billion in 2020.

2. Our ideal body type is influenced by celebrities.

Today’s ideal body shape is an exaggerated hourglass: a thin waist and legs, and a large butt and breasts. In the 1950s and 1960s, the idea of slimmerbodies being healthier and more attractive started. Beauty icons such as Brigitte Bardot, Audrey Hepburn, and Sophia Loren impacted this ideal body type significantly.

Later, the “size 0” supermodel look of the 1990s, made popular by Naomi Campbell, Kate Moss, and Claudia Schiffer, became trendy. These trends still exist today as one ideal body shape that is both slim and curvaceous.

3. The 1980s gave us fitness fanaticism.

Since the 1980s, women like Jane Fonda have made fitness popular. Today, social media encourages women to get fit and skinny. This translates to toned muscles, lifted butts, and flat stomachs.

However, it does come with a downside, mainly due to the social media pressure of today. Rather than encouraging a healthier lifestyle, a study showed that it can negatively impact many women’s mental health.

4. Photoshop has changed the way we see ourselves.

There’s a lot of pressure on people today because of how perfect our (Photoshopped) idols look. Today, we have a wide range of makeup and products that promise to cover up and remove “blemishes” such as stretch marks, cellulite, and skin “imperfections” like vitiligo and birthmarks.

Due to the invention of Photoshop, the perfect body is more and more impossible to achieve. Over the past 25 years, Photoshop technology has become so advanced that it’s sometimes hard to tell when it has actually been used, creating unrealisticstandards for women.

5. Society is becoming more inclusive.

Today, there’s way more acceptance of all our body shapes and colors, with icons such as Jamie Brewer, Winnie Harlow, and Tess Holliday leading the way. Especially in fashion, there has been a shift that has models from diverse ethnic backgrounds representing brands. Brands such as Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty have given people easy access to makeup for many skin tones.

This change was helped by rising awareness that better representation was needed, especially within the world of fashion and entertainment.

Who’s your favorite beauty icon? Which era do you think had the best beauty standards?

Preview photo credit EAST NEWS, ANGELA WEISS/AFP/East News

Share This Article

Moving in together is a decision that can either make or break a couple. All the time they spend together may help strengthen their bond, but the 24/7 interaction also exposes them to everything — the good, the bad, and the ugly. Living together may sound like a lot of work, but there are several ways for couples to overcome challenges together.

Here at Amazing Side, we want to help you and your partner maintain a smooth relationship, so we are sharing 8 things that couples do to have a happy and peaceful life together.

1. They agree on guidelines and schedules

From creating a calendar of things to do, to discussing sleep schedules and personal boundaries, couples must compromise and set guidelines for living together.

According to one survey, bad bathroom habits can also cause break-ups. So agreeing on rules for the loo is important if you don’t want the relationship to go down the drain (pun intended). Who has priority use in the morning? Should the toilet seat be up or down? “Potty talk” is a must for a harmonious cohabitation

2. They share the chores.

One study noted that 56% of married respondents believe that sharing chores is very important for a successful marriage. This applies to couples living together as well.

Partners can create their own system for assigning the tasks, depending on their abilities and schedules. They can also do some chores together as a form of productive bonding.

3. They talk about money.

Like chores, household expenses should be considered shared responsibilities. Couples need to discuss how they plan to split the bills, depending on their individual salaries. Money talk should also include their outstanding debts and financial goals.

Partners must always be honest about money matters to avoid trust issues. The American Psychological Association shares tips on how to avoid financial arguments, which includes sitting down regularly to review expenses and savings plans.

4. They learn how to deal with each other’s annoying habits.

When couples start living together, that’s when they notice every quirk and habit that gets on their nerves — leaving dirty socks on the floor, chewing too loud, taking too long to get ready, and the list goes on.

One way for couples to avoid driving each other crazy is to find ways of dealing with these annoying habits. Licensed clinical psychologist Daphne de Marneffe, Ph.D., also recommends assessing if the pet peeve can easily be ignored, or if it’s a deal-breaker that needs to be discussed.

5. They have their own, special ritual.

An article from the Journal of the Association for Consumer Research states that couples who do rituals together, experience “more positive emotions and greater relationship satisfaction.”

These shared moments can be as simple as working out together, chilling on the couch while watching a movie, or as one lady shares in a Women’s Healtharticle, putting wrinkle cream on her husband and receiving a dedicated song every day.

6. They make room for alone time.

Cohabitation does not mean you have to spend every single waking moment together. Taking a breather and having alone time is healthy for relationships too.

Solitude allows us to reflect on many things, including ourselves, and could help us become better people for our significant others.

7. They set ground rules for house guests.

Couples have different comfort levels when it comes to their partner’s family and friends, so it is important to set ground rules for guests. They need to agree on who can come, when the ideal time is, and how long they can stay.

Discussing other hosting logistics prior to the guest’s arrival, like meal plans and expected activities, can also help prevent arguments and anxiety during the event.

8. They strive to resolve their conflicts — and it doesn’t always have to be before going to bed.

Couples can make their homes an emotionally safe space by creating a positive environment and resolving all conflicts.

According to social psychologist Amie M. Gordon, Ph.D., the advice “Never go to bed angry” is outdated. People who are stressed and exhausted are more prone to react negatively. Gordon recommends hitting the pause button and sleeping in, if needed. Conflicts are handled better when both partners are in optimal mental shape and under optimal conditions.

What do you think of this list? Do you also do similar things with your partner?

Share This Article

Married life is full of ups and downs. But finding humor in the annoying things our partners do, like leaving their socks in the middle of the room or ordering a bunch of stuff online, can bring us one step closer to a happy life. Andh the cherry on the top that makes these annoying things funny is finding out that you’re not the only one experiencing them.

We at AmazingSide had a good laugh and couldn’t believe how relatable these tweets were, so we decided to share them with you to find out whether you feel the same way as we do.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

17.

18.

Did any of these tweets resonate with you? Share a moment that made you sigh and say, “Marriage is a joke.”