a look at how multi billion dollar industries (cosmetics, dieting, cosmetic surgery, pornography, mass media) set impossible beauty standards and reap large profits by making women feel insecure about their appearance.

contact: aseachange [at] gmail [dot] com

Jul 8, 2008 12:39pm
I’m sorry, but a long, long time ago, when I was in high school (mid-late 1990s, private school), I – or my friends for that matter – would have never, ever envisioned spending $768 on a handbag. The mere idea of making such an extravagant purchase would have never even crossed our minds. I also spent every high school summer studying English in Los Angeles, meeting and befriending other teenage girls and boys from the U.S., Germany, Japan, Spain, Turkey – you name it. And we never ever lusted after such things. We didn’t even discuss fashion or luxury items. Period. “Mom, I saw a $768 bag on Rodeo Drive, can I have it?” would have been met by incredulity – and would have probably generated a good scolding.I remember noticing a shift in attitudes while I was a junior in college in the U.S. An enormous sea change in the way freshman and visiting high school girls dressed. I would see 18 year olds obsessed with Marc Jacobs and designer handbags. Not to mention expensive Juicy Couture items. This puzzled me for a while. Then the girls pining over these things became younger and younger. Middle school girls. And after a while it just became the norm.The triumph of capitalism. Yippie! (not) 

I’m sorry, but a long, long time ago, when I was in high school (mid-late 1990s, private school), I – or my friends for that matter – would have never, ever envisioned spending $768 on a handbag.

The mere idea of making such an extravagant purchase would have never even crossed our minds.

I also spent every high school summer studying English in Los Angeles, meeting and befriending other teenage girls and boys from the U.S., Germany, Japan, Spain, Turkey – you name it. And we never ever lusted after such things. We didn’t even discuss fashion or luxury items. Period. “Mom, I saw a $768 bag on Rodeo Drive, can I have it?” would have been met by incredulity – and would have probably generated a good scolding.

I remember noticing a shift in attitudes while I was a junior in college in the U.S. An enormous sea change in the way freshman and visiting high school girls dressed. I would see 18 year olds obsessed with Marc Jacobs and designer handbags. Not to mention expensive Juicy Couture items. This puzzled me for a while. Then the girls pining over these things became younger and younger. Middle school girls. And after a while it just became the norm.

The triumph of capitalism. Yippie! (not) 
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