Has the Coronavirus Pandemic Changed Beauty Standards for Women?

While no one knows exactly what the world will look like once the coronavirus pandemic is truly over, we are seeing some major clues. There has been obvious change in the advancement of health sciences and vaccine advancements, big technology that allows many to work from home, and in online education and learning models. However, there have also been many, perhaps more subtle changes, in the ways we interact socially with one another.

Many of us have been forced to limit our interactions and spend more time at home. A lot of our conversations have been held over Zoom or Skype. With in-person conversations at an all-time low, it's no wonder many people, especially women, have scaled back their daily hair and make-up routines. With the ability to work from home in your pyjamas, why bother putting on lipstick?

Lockdown Life

Now more than a year into the pandemic, sociologists are noticing changes in shower routines as well. Have we all become a little bit lazy or is there something more going on here? Perhaps with the anxiety and grief caused by Covid-19 fears combined with the impact isolation has had on mental health, people are prioritizing what matters most in their lives. For a lot of us, having a visible zit or a a bad hair day is no longer a big deal.

With gyms closed and little options for singles to date, the incentives and ability to keep ourselves in tip-top shape has dwindled. People joke about gaining the "Covid 19" , and that lockdown life has caused many of us to pack on some unwanted pounds, but does it really matter? It would seem not as much as it did just a couple of years ago, and this is beginning to be reflected in celebrity culture, as well.

Fresh-Faced Celebs

From the first moment of lockdown, many television hosts suddenly had to start filming from home - without their usual make-up teams. This was perhaps not a big deal for many men, but for women, well, it was a bit of a shock to suddenly see a few familiar faces not looking so familiar. However, this combined with many celebrities attempting to stay relevant through social media, the scaled back "lockdown look" of many previously high maintenance celebs gradually became the norm.

In fact, many celebrities who attempted to keep up with their luxurious lives fell victim to not taking the pandemic seriously enough. Kim Kardashian's family trip to a private island comes to mind. In a time when so many people have lost loved ones and livelihoods, seeing rich celebs dressed in clothes more expensive than the rent many struggled to pay was very much not wanted. So perhaps it shouldn't be such a surprise that after two decades, this year of all years will be the last for The Kardashian's on television.

Another Roaring 20s?

So what does this mean for the average woman? Are the days of high heels and false eyelashes gone forever? Or are fresh faces and comfy clothing only a passing pandemic phase? It's likely that there will be some eagerness to get back to clubs and parties once it's safe to do so again. Just look at the 1920's glamour era that followed the Spanish flu pandemic. However, the post-Covid era may not follow suit, and the proof is already showing in the likes of Billie Eilish and Lizzo.

The major difference with a pandemic happening in the 21st century is that we still all remained connected virtually. We saw everyone - even celebrities - stripped down without any Hollywood glamour or makeup magic. Also, women are much more empowered than they were in the 1920s. There is much less pressure to appear a certain way to please or impress. Furthermore, celebrity culture was - albeit slowly - already moving toward a more inclusive culture, showcasing different body types and gender fluidity.

Changing Body and Fashion Standards

Don't get me wrong, Hollywood still has a long way to go for true acceptance of all women and non-binary people, but it seems the pandemic may have pushed things in the right direction. So will there still be high heels? Yes, but it's looking more and more likely that it won't be the only option or expectation. Let's first look to the Academy Awards that just passed for proof. A fresh-faced Francis McDormand accepted the award for best actress, while a sneaker-clad Chloe Zhao accepted the award for best director, (only the second woman to do so!).

In politics, we've seen Jill Biden wear her lemon print Oscar de la Renta dress multiple times in public without a peep from fashion gurus about the repeat wears that normally would have found a First Lady in hot water in days gone by. Also of note is Kamala Harris' step-daughter, Ella Emhoff, who is a budding model and designer with an avant-garde take on style. She has been met with wild acclaim for her designs even though she does not fit the cookie-cutter mould of what we used to consider a fashion model.

Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish is another young celebrity who is helping to change what it means for a women to be considered beautiful. She famously did not show off her body, covering up with baggy clothing, and still managed to become an international phenomenon. Now that she's decided to pose in a corset and bra for Vogue, we can see that she still looks amazing even though she's not likely to be a size 0. Is it possible that society is finally ready to celebrate real women's bodies as beautiful?

The lead up to the pandemic also saw the rise of plus-size celebrities like Lizzo and Tess Holliday, so perhaps the move to stretch A-list beauty standards was already on the rise, but it seems as though it may have taken a lockdown to solidify it. While we won't know exactly what women's beauty and fashion will look like in say three or five years from now, here's hoping the artificially made-up look of the pre-pandemic days is out for good. Conformity is dated. Authenticity is here to stay. Celebrate who you are, and not what anyone tells you to be, because society just might be finally ready to embrace it.