“I don't think I am. I never really have conformed to 'trends and fads'.”

Q: Can you remember a time in your life or any specific age where you became influenced by beauty?

“ I think  I was high school when I started to focus more on my appearance, I entered a Carnival Queen beauty pageant with a good friend of mine just for fun and ended coming in second place.”

Q: What were some of the fashion or beauty trends from your generation?

“I can't really think back to some of the trends, but I do remember platform shoes and bell-bottom pants. Big glasses were also in style. Most of the older women I knew wore the homemade 'June Clever" dresses."

Q: When did you first start wearing make up? 

“I never really wore make-up. I lived in a home that didn't have much money to spare so we had the basics. I got a lot of hand-me down clothes. 

Q: Did you have a specific “look” and if so, what products would you use?

“ I always kept my hair short, i would wear earrings from time to time when it was a special occasion.”

Q: What was fashion like and how important it was to you to follow the fashion trends of your generation?

“ I can't think of a certain fashion trend, there wasn't as much focus on women and their appearance as there is today."

Q: Can you remember media and the messages that were broadcasted about beauty and make-up?

“ There were basic ads for face creams and make-up but nothing like there is advertised on tv today. Magazines had fully clothed women and depicted more of a house wife than a fitness instructor like nowadays. 

Q: Body modification- was there an influence of tattoos, piercings, or plastic surgery that enhanced beauty? Were their trends as there are now, such as lip enhancements or permanent make-up?

"There were no body modifications back when I was younger. I never saw a tattoo until late adulthood." 

Q:  As time has continued on, there have been many different types of “ideal bodies” , can you remember what the body image expectations ‘back then’ were?

“ I think there wasn't much focus on body types and being ideal. If you were skinny that's just how you were. If you were bigger there was't a fuss made over it." 

 Q: What messages did women receive about how to look during your generation? 

“I remember my parents always making sure we looked clean and 'proper'. I guess being presentable was more important that looking a certain way."

How did you feel about how you looked ‘back then’?

“Back then- I think it's interesting to take a look at the changes over the years. I feel I looked different than I do now, youthful."

Q:  How did beauty expectations influence you? Did your appearance reflect the expectations of beauty from your generation?

“ I don't feel I was ever influenced by beauty expectations. I never paid much attention to clothing until I got a job and started buying it myself. I think perhaps then I changed my style a bit and went with more trendy items." 

Q: What is your definition of beauty ? 

“ I think beauty is being healthy."

Q: How do you interact those that you consider “beautiful”, have you ever felt out of place?

“ I think once in a while everyone feels out of place but I don't think that beauty should be a reason that someone can't participate in something. "

Q: Do you think that the influence of beauty can create unrealistic/unattainable beauty standards?

“ I think today there is too much focus on being skinny. All the ads are of women half-naked with their breasts hanging out. I think women have a hard time now because they are expected to fit into this 'plastic' body type- that no one in real life has."

(Snell, I. Personal Communication, December 2/2018

“Yes I do. I think that everyone in today's society is judgemental and you have to fit to a certain standard.”

Q: Can you remember a time in your life or any specific age where you became influenced by beauty?

“ I think  I was high school when I started to focus more on my appearance.”

Q: What were some of the fashion or beauty trends from your generation?

“We went through so many, low-rise jeans, velour track-suits, crimped hair, heavy eye-make up. Now we go through trends like skinny jeans, lip injections and drawing on your eye brows.”

Q: When did you first start wearing make up? 

“I wore lip chap mostly until I got to high school, then it was make-up everyday”

Q: Did you have a specific “look” and if so, what products would you use?

“ I always used blue eye-liner, blue eye-shadow and natural lips.”

Q: What was fashion like and how important it was to you to follow the fashion trends of your generation?

“ If you wanted to fit in you had to be stylish. I feel like low-rise jeans and high cut shirts were the most common in my generation- which focused on being thin.”

Q: Can you remember media and the messages that were broadcasted about beauty and make-up?

“ A lot of the beauty and media have been directed toward fit women, heavy make-up and tutorials have been a major thing that influenced beauty.”

Q: Body modification- was there an influence of tattoos, piercings, or plastic surgery that enhanced beauty? Were their trends as there are now, such as lip enhancements or permanent make-up?

“I think permanent make up has been a trend on the up-rise for a long time, we are tattooing our brows on, tattoos are a huge trend- everyone seems to get them now.”

Q:  As time has continued on, there have been many different types of “ideal bodies” , can you remember what the body image expectations ‘back then’ were?

“ I think an ideal body is a healthy one. Fashion seems to lead the skinny models as an ideal body. I remember not stressing so much about my body when I was younger, it wasn’t until I matured that I realized how much time and effort I spend on my appearance.”

 Q: What messages did women receive about how to look during your generation? 

“My generation is full of women who are making changes in society’s standards, we are no longer the stay-at-home mom, we are working, educating and are equal.”

How did you feel about how you looked ‘back then’?

“Childhood pictures of me are hilarious, my chopped bangs and hand-me down tracksuits. I can’t believe my parents dressed me in that style!”

Q:  How did beauty expectations influence you? Did your appearance reflect the expectations of beauty from your generation?

“ I think beauty expectations influenced my appearance in high school, I think of myself as a Tom Boy but I also like to dress up and look pretty. When I was younger it was more important for me to fit in and dress to show I was following the trends.” 

Q: What is your definition of beauty ? 

“ I think beauty is being comfortable in your own skin- beauty isn’t a specific quality.” 

Q: How do you interact those that you consider “beautiful”, have you ever felt out of place?

“ I treat everyone equally, it is so unfair for girls and women to be bullied about their looks. I have felt out of place and wouldn’t wish that feeling upon anyone.” 

Q: Do you think that the influence of beauty can create unrealistic/unattainable beauty standards?

“ I think a lot of focus is put on women today that creates unrealistic goals for weight-loss. Models are becoming way too skinny and women are seeming to get younger and younger with each ad. I think that if media influenced women on a more realistic level and taught us to appreciate out looks we wouldn’t have so much concern about our appearance.” 

(Pearce, H. Personal Communication December 3/2018)