The "fashion-beauty complex', " representing the corporate interests involved in the fashion and beauty industries, has, Bartky argues, taken over from the family and church as "central producers and regulators of 'femininity'" (1990, p. 39). The fashion-beauty complex promotes itself to women as seeking to, "glorify the female body and to provide opportunities for narcissistic indulgence'' but in fact its aim is to "depreciate woman's body and deal a blow to her narcissism'' so that she will buy more products. The result is that a woman feels constantly deficient and that her body requires "either alteration or else heroic measures merely to conserve it'' (p. 39). Sheila Jeffreys
About This Quote

The fashion-beauty complex, also known as the "Beauty Industry'', is a system of marketing products that are designed to beautify and boost a woman's self-esteem. The complex has done such a good job at this that women think that to be beautiful is the only way to be happy. This line of thinking can lead women to feel below par and that they aren't good enough. The truth is that the only people who need outside approval to feel good about themselves are children and people with mental disorders.

As an adult it is only natural for us to seek out encouragement and praise from others. We all want our friends and family members to encourage us and we hope that we will be loved by them no matter what we do.

Source: Beauty And Misogyny: Harmful Cultural Practices In The West

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