Good Looking: A Visual Exploration of Beauty

The theme for “Good Looking” emerged as I started noticing the collective amount of time, energy and money that is devoted to the pursuit of physical beauty.  I felt a growing sense of unease as I noticed conversations amongst my peers consistently veering towards the same topics - dieting, exercise, skincare, make-up, injectables, anti-aging - leading me to wonder how beauty culture became so deeply ingrained in our society and why it goes unquestioned. I struggled to accept this pursuit as the most important thing in life and wanted to understand how we got here. So, I set out to research the evolution and history of beauty symbols, in an effort to understand their role in my own life.​

“Good Looking” examines the absurdity, prevalence and evolution of beauty culture by exploring well-known imagery, patterns, colours and materials that have traditionally symbolized beauty. It draws into question society’s obsession with physical beauty and the pressure to pursue it at any cost, and aims to encourage a broader perspective on beauty beyond physical appearance. 

Many of the symbols used in this series have a complex history. Consider the high heel, which symbolized status for wealthy men who wore them to appear taller and secure their feet in stirrups. Over time, however, the heel became associated with women’s fashion due to their ability to make women’s legs appear longer and leaner. One need only look at women’s beauty advertisements over the past century to understand how physical insecurities are used to sell products. In fact, it is remarkably easy to find examples of beauty standards shifting across gender, class, and cultural lines, depending on historical context. 

Take lace, for example. Where it may have once symbolized wealth and luxury due to the considerable time and resources required to make it, its production practices have become more accessible, and as a result, lace has become commonplace. Yet while its symbolic significance has varied over time, its status as a symbol of beauty has remained. Lace occupies an intriguing space in culture as it can represent both purity and sexuality simultaneously. From baptism ceremonies to lingerie, Queen Elizabeth to Kim Kardashian, lace is a common thread.

“Good Looking” also reflects on the historical conflation of femininity, softness, and youth with beauty and examines how these symbols continue to shape contemporary beauty standards. The colours and materials portrayed in many of the pieces - bows, rose appliques, velvet, ruffles - represent how society values and celebrates youth. The symbols, objects and patterns within the pieces have been intentionally removed or obscured from the body to be portrayed as standalone images. This approach gently reminds viewers that beauty is subjective and somewhat arbitrary. By deconstructing the aesthetic space and separating the body from its adornments, I hope to critique beauty culture with a sense of playful curiosity.  In approaching them from a distance, I aim to showcase these traditional symbols as an avenue of self-expression rather than a routine expectation. 

Most importantly, I hope that by challenging the notion that physical beauty is paramount and recontextualizing traditional beauty symbols, I may demonstrate that their power over us can always be subverted. Viewers are invited to reflect upon their own perceptions of beauty and move toward self acceptance.