The Perfected Female Figure

The media has shown an overwhelming amount of images of the ideal female body in order to promote and rapidly sell products. This ideal image consists of clear skin, a symmetrical face, an clean, scarless, untouched, and thin, but curvy body. Not only is the image and figure of the woman perfected and idealized, but it’s done so by the media to be sexualized and idolized by the male population, which has dominated control in the media. This standard is practically unattainable unless someone is genetically born with these features. On the other hand, the media does show an overwhelming amount of products that can help a person “better” themselves naturally. This list consists of but is not limited to, health supplements, fitness memberships, and beauty products that women can purchase to “fix” themselves. These products help mask insecurities and personal genetic differences to conform to the larger societal image. The media has projected society's insecurities into almost every aspect of the female figure and has openly advertised products that perfect a woman.

Followership to beauty inspirations and leaders constantly pressures women to continuously follow the concept of the ideal female. Advertising is a $400 billion industry built on followership, which uses successful and beautiful people to sell products. For example, most clothing brands or makeup products are promoted by people who already don’t have many “flaws” in their features. In an evolutionary stance, humans have developed a natural tendency to follow an authority figure; currently, these people could range from political figures or celebrities. (van Vugt 81). People such as Kim Kardashian or Beyoncé supporting and promoting products that correct imperfections naturally incline us to purchase these items, especially if they mention that they feel more confident or overall “better” after using the product and that we, as consumers, “absolutely need it”. Things such as acne scarring or stretch marks, which are a very natural aspect of the female figure, are taught at a young age to be something that should be frowned upon. Now, these idols, which society praises as leaders as well as fitting the societal beauty norm, are supporting these products that help “normal” people look and feel more confident with themselves for their imperfections. It’s these products that create a simple difference in how they look.

In the business world, the Victoria’s Secret Fashionshow is a huge symbol of the world’s importance on this level of conformity. The multimillion-dollar show presents supermodels in lingerie presenting their bodies while viewers across the country sit in front of their television watching these women be praised for their bodies. In a business sense, Victoria’s Secret is setting a large standard for their brand and the women who wear their products. The trick is any average consumer can purchase their lingerie and by constantly targeting 50% of the world’s population to conform to an ideal, it’s the perfect opportunity to sell these products. Jameson inferred that in order to promote consumer capitalism the images must have some content to create the possibility for a mirror state identification. (Jameson 119-20). Even though most women know that their bodies aren’t the same as a supermodel’s, it’s the very idea of purchasing such clothing that drives consumption. Professions such as modeling or acting are done by attractive people, and almost everyone knows that those in these professions are paid very well. Many people say that they want to be models or actors because they want to be famous, but also there is the constant idea that being in those positions means that they also have finally fit into the constant and overwhelming ideal figure.

In a much more modern sense, the newest form of advertisement that has become culturally praised is the new industry of models who don’t fit this culturally accepted ideal form. This new production features women with scars, extra skin, and not perfectly skinny legs; it features multiracial women, women who identify as LGBTQ+, women who are disabled, etc. This wide range of models was pioneered by companies such as American Girl Doll, a doll company that targets young girls, and American Eagle, a clothing brand that targets pre-teens to adults under 30. This range of people is psychologically affected by trying to understand where they fit in the world. These ages are developmental for a female’s identity as her body changes through puberty as well as how she fits into society's ideal female. Jonah Peretti discusses this idea of a personal connection between the viewer and the image they are presented with. He mentions how there is a constant array of figures shown, but this spectrum encourages the consumer to connect personally with the images presented. Peretti states that the image needs to be present long enough to allow a person to identify with the image enough to purchase the product as well as it must provoke an ego formation that makes the product integral to the consumer’s identity. (Peretti 13) This new marketing idea rocketed sales and attention because many young women who have never seen someone who looks like themselves in the media are now presented with a figure that they can connect with on a personal level. This image they see is someone they can feel a bond with and then attracts them to purchase the product.

Although this image of an ideal figure is constantly projected in the media that is consumed daily, the company’s use of the weakness many women feel to conform has allowed them to produce and sell more products than ever before. Now many other makeup, fitness, and clothing companies have started presenting a much more diverse range of women in their marketing. Although this form of targeting has changed the world of marketing, there are still constant societal pressures to conform to this generalized idea of how women should look, which still greatly affects the media that is being presented.

Peretti, J. (1996). Capitalism and schizophrenia: Contemporary visual culture and the acceleration of identity formation/dissolution. Negations: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Social Criticism, 1 (I).

Jameson, Fredric. Postmodernism, Or, the Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism. Durham: Duke University Press, 1991.

van Vugt, M., & Ahuja, A. (2011). Naturally selected: The evolutionary science of leadership. HarperBusiness.