5 Books That Influenced The Way I Saw Beauty
5 Books That Influenced The Way I Saw Beauty
By: Hailey Layne
Across all time periods and genres, beauty standards and the outward appearance are large themes found in literature. Everyone’s idea of beauty is shaped by what one perceives in their environment; some of the biggest influences can come from unlikely stories on the shelves of the library. Novels that don’t directly have themes related to outward beauty can still influence the way individuals understand and create beauty in their own lives.
The Secret Lives of Color is a nonfiction book about the history of colors. This book allows the reader to move through the timeline as colors were invented and categorized. In an informal way St. Clair explains why the periods of history have the characteristic look they do simply from pigment use. Celebrities and historical figures are tied into brief anecdotes through the book. With over 122 shades described, it became clear that a large portion of what humanity considers beautiful can be tied to events in history. Accidental pigment creations caused huge changes in society that still affect us today. Through each change of the fashion cycle, one can see how something as simple as color choice can generate positive or negative feelings.
Written by a French woman, Catherine Malandrino, this narrative about her life in fashion discusses everything from fabrics to fragrance. Malandrino speaks about the fashion industry candidly, but conveys her passion for clothing’s beauty. The author chose to divide the book into sections devoted to different kinds of art: movies, dance, and even food. From a style perspective, Malandrino gives her opinion on what French wardrobe classics really are. Repeatedly praising nonchalance, imperfection, and simplicity, Une Femme Française is refreshing in a perfectionistic world.
The idea of beauty in The Scarlet Letter is one that many readers analyzed in their 9th grade English class. Throughout the novel, there was descriptive imagery that made even the darker parts of the novel seem full of beauty. Hester and Pearl became the focus for beauty, evident in the way they lived, at the same they endured an ugliness from the way they were treated. In outward appearance, even the “A” could not dim the inherent light and character of Hester.
Beauty and aging are pitted against each other in modern American society, but Pride and Prejudice manages to balance aging, beauty, and personality in a way that respects each. Though each of the Bennet daughters’ lives each reckoned with her own fate, fate was largely built on eligibility for marriage. With twists of humor throughout the dialogue, the characters navigate their own struggles with the idea of beauty.
In a deep dive into the logistics of the fashion industry, Agins explores how fashion has shifted to the everyday consumer’s wants and needs. There is a complete history of how fashion evolved from origins in France to the American consumer. Set in the early 2000s this makes this a fun read for anyone interested in the fashion industry. Agins still argues that high fashion will always be out of touch with the everyday consumer, but that the appeal may lie in that paradox. The question of how much is necessary also arises throughout the book.
The idea of beauty can encompass everything from sustainable fashion production practices to what colors we find attractive. At the individual level, beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder, but inspiration is everywhere.
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