The New American Beauty

American beauty has been a quality that is so readily identifiable if not always easily describable.  With the vision of milk and honey and the fulfillment of the American ideals of individuality and adventure, American beauty has stood out as a bright, fresh energetic look full of confidence with an air of fun.

Over the years, the look has changed but the core appeal has remained immutable.  There has always been something about the all American beauty, whether it’s the wholesome girl next door charm, the drama of Hollywood glamour, or the magnetism of sex kitten allure.  Across the generations, the American beauty exudes a youthful vibrancy from the glossy, bounce of her hair to the toned calves of her fit physique.

While previous manifestations of American beauty ideals may have mostly highlighted the style of blonde icons like Cheryl Tiegs, Farrah Fawcett, Christie Brinkley, and of course the most iconic of the blonde American Beauties Marilyn Monroe, blondes have not been the only definition of beauty. Elizabeth Taylor, Cher, Brooke Shields, and Cindy Crawford showed that those with more chestnut hues are also exemplary specimens.  Most markedly, since the 90s, the variety of American beauty has expanded even further and it’s not just a preference of blonde Bettys and brunette Veronicas there’s a whole new set of standards that get to claim the label of American beauty.

The American beauty has come to be a symbol of the diversity of America itself.  No longer a narrow definition of skin tone and body type, the unabashedly curvaceous hold their own along with the lean and sleek, and the spectrum of skin tone is closer to being a human rainbow. The coveted figures of Beyonc?, Jennifer Lopez, and Kim Kardashian inspire a renewed appreciation for curves unrivalled since the days of Mae West, proving there’s more than one form to aspire to and be inspired by.  And it’s not only shape but also the face of beauty that has maybe most clearly changed. For years fair or tan only reigned as ideals of American beauty with “sun-kissed” only referring to a few shades. Now, from the alabaster to the ebony and all tones between, the beautiful range of glow in all hues is getting the spotlight.  Taking a look at the newer faces of beauty lines--Lupita Nyong’o, Kerry Washington, Zoe Saldana, Halle Berry, Janelle Mon?e and Queen Latifah, the shifting paradigm becomes undeniably apparent--Beauty is for everyone and more than one size, shape, or skin tone applies.