Flawed Yet Fabulous: Who Are The Ceberities Redefining Beauty Standards with Unique Features?
With beauty standards always shifting, it feels like everyone is chasing the perfect look – they say you’re commonly pretty if you have a small nose, full lips, a certain face shape along a specific body type. Even if there are more and more body positivity movements, many people find themselves adding cosmetic surgeries to their wishlist.
Still, we have a new trend emerging: a refreshing wave of celebrities embracing their unique features, showing us that flaws can be beautiful. These stars are redefining what attractive means by celebrating their individuality. With scars of freckles, non-traditional body shapes, or prominent features, they remind us that our quirks and imperfections make us special.
Let’s look at some of the features that are far from being within the beauty standards, yet they manage to shine on their owners.
Crooked Nose
A crooked nose is often seen as a less aesthetically pleasant feature compared to symmetrical noses, which are celebrated to be in the beauty standards. People learned to associate straight noses with beauty and elegance, fostering a perception that a crooked nose detracts from an attractive face. Moreover, the very common plastic surgery correcting noses perpetuates the idea that only certain noses are desirable. Mass media also portrays and favors symmetrical features, the thing that reinforces the belief that a crooked nose is automatically a flaw.
Keira Knightley, famous for her roles in Pride & Prejudice and Pirates of the Caribbean is a reflection of how a slightly crooked nose can add character to already striking features. She always wears minimal makeup which allows her facial structure to shine. Being confident in her looks made her an icon of the red carpets, showing how imperfections can enhance beauty.
More celebrities: Owen Wilson, Meryl Streep, Barbra Streisand, Lady Gaga, Anjelica Huston, Adrien Brody
Gap teeth
Often perceived as juvenile or unkept, gap teeth are often associated with childhood and there is an idea of not fitting into conventional norms, as the beauty standards emphasize perfectly aligned and shining white teeth as the hallmark of attractiveness.
We can notice the push for orthodontic treatments and the promotion of flawless smiles and gap teeth might be seen as undesirable leaving individuals with this feature feeling self-conscious.
Lara Stone is one of the celebrities famous for her gap-toothed smile. Top designers wanted to work with her and she was the face of high-profile campaigns that proved how her unique feature is more of an asset rather than a flaw. Lara’s confidence was actually a huge step in redefining beauty standards in the modeling industry, encouraging others to embrace their authenticity.
More celebrities: Madonna, Lauren Hutton, Elijah Wood, Georgia May Jagger, Anna Paquin, Lara Stone, Michael Strahan
Elongated ears
Proeminent or elongated ears are often considered unattractive leading to negative comments or teasing, especially in the childhood years. This is just another consequence of the emphasis on delicate or petite features. It’s easy for people with elongated ears to feel self-conscious as pop culture seems to portray these features in a negative light that reinforces stigma.
Jared Letto, an incredibly talented actor and musician has a unique ear shape that stands out especially when he chooses hairstyles that showcase them. Jared has an eclectic style and he gained his popularity for his roles in movies such as Dallas Buyers Club, He embraces his features using them as a part of his artistic identity both in music and acting.
More celebrities: Cate Blanchett, Will Smith, Benedict Cumberbatch, Anne Hathaway, Daniel Craig, Prince Charles
Prominent forehead
Beauty standards often celebrate delicate features and a prominent forehead can really contrast with what an idealized norm celebrates, A prominent forehead can be seen as less feminine and unattractive, especially in cultures that promote soft facial features, Sometimes individuals can be bullied for their distinct features and there are even some common words for this, such as, “forehead-heavy” or “big-headed”. The focus on facial symmetry can really affect individuals, making them self-conscious about their foreheads.
Miley Cyrus, with a bold style and powerful performance, adds even more authenticity to her looks with her prominent forehead. She experiments with different hairstyles that enhance her features, from slicked-back styles to bangs. Miley has a fearless approach that encourages her fans to embrace their own unique traits.
More celebrities: Rihanna, Tyra Banks, Angelina Jolie, Natalie Dormer, Christina Ricci, Zoe Saldana, Jennifer Garner
Pockmarked skin
The beauty industry promotes products aimed at achieving perfect skin, something that reinforces the idea that pockmarked skin is unattractive, Acne scarring can be perceived as flaws, detracting from a person’s appearance.
With smooth skin often regarded as a sign of beauty and youthfulness, individuals with scarring can remain feeling insecure about their skin.
Such perceptions can create pressure on individuals to conform to some beauty standards that are not easy to achieve for a person dealing with acne, Many celebrities step up and talk about this, embracing features that challenge the norms and help in redefining beauty to be more inclusive.
Tyra Banks, known for her successful modeling career and as the host of America’s Next Top Model has openly discussed her struggle with acne and the remained scars. Her open platform is often used to promote self-acceptance and to challenge conventional beauty. Tyra wants to remind people that beauty is not about being flawless and it has more to do with confidence and personality.
More celebrities: Scarlett Johansson, Edward James Olmos, Cameron Diaz, Randy Quaid, Danny Trejo, Bill Murray
Short height
While modeling and entertainment industries favor taller individuals, shorter people can feel marginalized. Heightism in social settings can foster feelings of inadequacy and pressure to conform to societal ideals. Short stature seems to be associated with a lack of maturity, authority, or attractiveness in many cultures, leading to stereotypes. These beliefs can affect individuals in their personal and even professional interactions.
Kristen Bell, standing at 5’1 is a successful actress who played in movies such as Veronica Mars and The Good Place. Disregarding her short stature, she never had a problem with being co-starred with taller actresses and actors, and she never shielded away from wearing heels with her height. Kristen is a person that promotes self-confidence and she has openly spoken about heightism, showing that the only thing that matters is talent.
More celebrities: Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Salma Hayek, Daniel Radcliffe, Bruno Mars, Kevin Hart, Danny DeVito
Uneven eyebrows
The need for perfectly shaped eyebrows is often emphasized in beauty tutorials and trends, This reinforces the belief that unevenness is a flaw. Focusing on symmetry usually overshadows the natural variations in people’s features and while uneven eyebrows can be seen as unkempt, this can contribute to the overall perception of a disheveled appearance if you’re not part of the symmetrical eyebrow team associated with the meticulous beauty standards.
However, the Colombian-American actress Sofia Vergara, known for Modern Family, has actually slightly uneven eyebrows that add even more to her expressive face. Embracing a natural look most of the time, when she decides to be bold, she goes with choices that highlight her eyebrows with confidence. Her charisma made her a beloved figure in Hollywood and she proved that beauty can be defined by uniqueness.
More celebrities: Megan Fox, Kristen Stewart, Jennifer Lawrence, Ryan Gosling, Natalie Portman, Bella Hadid, Emilia Clarke
If you’re interested in this topic and how beauty standards always shaped society, we recommend: Perfection: 400 Years of Women’s Quest for Beauty. This is the Kindle version and you can order it via Amazon to see fascinating details in the beauty industry.
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