Science

An important issue regarding the standard of women participating in international beauty pageants is whether it is possible to compare the attractiveness of women from different geographic populations using objective criteria that are sufficiently exacting for the purposes of a high profile beauty pageant.

One possible explanation of the typical heavy masculinization seen among the female models in mainstream fashion magazines -- such as Elle -- is that these magazines do not cater to men.  The implication is that women -- at least the ones who patronize the magazines -- are apparently interested in masculinized models, and the publishers are simply using models with looks that appease magazine buyers and maximize sales.  Is this the case?

Some people would explain the extreme skinniness typically seen among high-fashion models in terms of a demand for skinniness on the part of the consumer [of fashion imagery/merchandize].  If this is true, then given that high-fashion models have the highest status among female models, it would appear that the aforementioned demand is especially great and characterizes a substantial proportion of the population, especially young women.  This issue needs to be formally addressed.

This entry addresses the aesthetics of the eyebrows in women; note the emphasis on a feminine appearance.  The ideal shape that the author talks about in the introduction is applicable to white women and oval faces.

Whereas this site mainly focuses on masculinity-femininity as it pertains to beauty in women, it is also interested in promoting overall high aesthetic standards among female models and beauty pageant contestants.  This post addresses some anthropological data on the proportions of a beautiful backside in white women, pertaining to both masculinity-femininity and other aspects; data on non-white women were not available at the time of this posting. The data shown below can be used to describe with some precision why the backsides of high-fashion models are typically seen as pathetic by most people, with the notable exception of gay fashion designers.

Estradiol and progesterone are hormones related to fecundity and fertility in women. Fecundity refers to the probability of conception per act of intercourse and fertility refers to the probability of successfully completing pregnancy.

A recently published study assessed the relationship between estradiol levels, progesterone levels and facial masculinity-femininity in 59 young white women not on contraceptives (mean age = 20.4 years, S.D. = 1.5 years, range = 18-24 years). Estradiol and progesterone levels were assessed from their metabolites in urine samples provided by each of the women once per week for 4-6 weeks, and the women were photographed each time they visited the research lab. The women provided information about their menstrual cycle from diary data to enable the researchers to use hormone levels at the same stage of the menstrual cycle of the participants.