The other morning I was thinking of impossible beauty standards and how that's such a big thing. Maybe it was a big thing when I was growing up, too, but no one seemed to really have the same problem with me playing with Barbies then as they do with girls who choose to now. And believe me, I played with Barbies. I played with Barbies until seventh grade and probably would have kept going if not for that whole awful middle school peer pressure thing. And whaddaya know? I turned out okay. I cannot remember thinking even once that I needed to look like my Barbie dolls any more than I thought I needed to look like my plastic dinosaurs or stuffed animals or baby dolls or Star Wars action figures or Beanie Babies or off-limits G.I. Joes from my brother's room (when I could get at them). They were one and the same for me, corporeal vehicles for imagined personalities that went on adventures, organized their own communities, and resolved conflicts amongst each other.
This portrait of my dad's great aunt has always been on display at our house. The Haha I knew had long since upgraded from the dark bob to a white bouffant and I remember being slightly skeptical at first that these two women could be the same people. But once photographs and aging became clear in my young mind I knew without a doubt that this was Haha and she was beautiful and maybe one day I, too, could be as coiffed.
Okay okay cool story Molly but then what? But then what is that I started thinking about who did influence my thoughts of beauty and I reached way far back into the caverns of my brain for the very first instances that I perceived someone to be beautiful. Quite an interesting activity! You should totally do it and then tell me who yours are. If you're a dude you can go for handsome instead of beautiful. Here a mine, minus my mom and grandma aka the very first and very most beautiful women in the world.
3. Samantha Parkington
Was there a more beautiful American Girl? NO. Samantha had the most luxurious long dark brown hair and the prettiest clothes and a beautiful suffragist aunt named Cornelia who made delicious gingerbread houses. Why oh why was I not named Samantha, parents?! (All those facts are from memory, but I did fact check myself and discover the entire new world that is the American Girl wiki. Also, can I just say that I don't appreciate what you've done with the girls, Mattel.)
2. Haha
1. Liesl von Trapp
This was it. The end all be all. Liesl von Trapp is hands down the most beautiful thing on the planet and my young self knew that the day I was sixteen going on seventeen I, too, would be as beautiful as Liesl. She could sing, she could dance, she was in love, she had a gazebo, and she owned the descant on Edelweiss. Does it get any better?
In the words of Ron Swanson, "I like pretty, dark-haired women and breakfast food".
Not that it matters...
ReplyDeleteLiesl was 23 years old, not 16 going on 17, when Sound of Music was released. Age plays a role in skewering TV/movie beauty standards.
Pierce Brosnan.
ReplyDeleteI distinctly remember playing Goldeneye on the N64 with my now-best-friend-of-19-years (at the time, he was my two-week-long acquaintance); but I digress.
Pierce Brosnan was the Bond in Goldeneye and was accurately represented in the video game. I remember thinking that I wanted to be suave and debonair like he was, when I got older.
Here I sit, fast en route to Bond-aged, and I think I am at best: mildly urbane.
On my flights back home from San Francisco (I was at GDC), I thought more about this.
DeleteAbout 10 years ago, I regarded Matt Damon as an influence, in this context. The Bourne movies actually helped me get into top physical condition.
Now that I'm 9-to-5'n it in the Software industry, I find myself just wanting to not be chubby, anymore. The gym helps but it's less influential than it was when I was in college.