"Why Beauty Matters"

As I was researching into the beauty ideals for the Victorian era, I came across a BBC video that was created in 2009 by a man named Roger Scruton. It was all based on beauty and why it matters to the society.

He mentions eras involving the 18th century which is what caught my attention. If you were to ask someone from the 1750's to the 1930's what the meaning of poetry, art or music was, they would simply say 'beauty'.

Beauty was such a valuable aspect for people back in those eras. It was seen to be just as important as the truth and goodness in people. Beauty became less important after the 19th century. Art was aimed to disturb the audience, at whatever moral costs it takes. Roger Scruton believes that if we were to lose beauty, it would be losing the meaning of life. He feels things are becoming progressively ugly in terms of art, poetry, music, and even architecture. He feels beauty has lost its way and needs to be restored to its traditional position of creating something beautiful out of something even if the story behind it is pain and ugliness.


The documentary mentions a painting created in 1827, by a man named Eugene Delacroix. It is the artists way of showing the bed in all its sort and disorder. It is in some way an emotional blessing of his own chaos. From this painting, I personally feel distress and relief all in one due to the tonality of the painting. The screwed up bed sheets showing some type of cry for help. On the other hand, the lightness of the sheets gives a positive vibe.

Traditionally, art always had a meaning and idea about it. Now, art has become ugly as Scruton mentions. Some 'artists' have portrayed art to be whatever you want it to be, but has lost its meaning and way of people to release their emotions through music, paintings, or poetry.

Victorian Makeup

I have been doing some research into the application of makeup and how it was made and used. I was quite surprised with the information I have found, and how little women wore back in this particular era.

To wear makeup, was seen as disrespectful and 'cheap'. Only actors and prostitutes would be known for wearing makeup. Although makeup was frowned upon, being beautiful was what was seen to be an essential in their lives. Women would be encouraged to make their own beauty treatments from their own back gardens. They would make these treatments by using horseradish, lemon, sugar, lavender and sour milk.

Due to beauty being such a requirement in this era, women's diets and exercise routines would be very strict, and if they were to use makeup, it was seen as a way of 'cheating'.

Here is a quote from (Downing 2012, pp. 36–39) which I found this information from 'The insinuation was that absolute beauty is innate, promoted by a strict regime of diet and exercise, and to paint and powder was to cheat, suggesting sternly that a girl not willing to work hard at developing beauty from within did not deserve it.'

If I compare there ideas and thoughts to the era we are in now, I feel they make great sense of themselves. I am in slight agreement that people should be beautiful from within, instead of creating this barrier with makeup of who they really are. On the other hand, I feel makeup expresses your personality and preferences in some way and can bring out the best in people through the confidence of makeup.

Victorian Hairstyles

Early Victorian Era
At the very beginning of the Victorian era, there was a period well known as the 'Romantic Period'. This was round about the 1800 - 1850's. During this time, there was a well known hairstyle called the 'Apollo Knot'.

The Apollo knot is made up of three parts which is the front of the hair is combed into a centre parting. Both sides of hair at the front are then curled into small soft ringlets which fall either side of the face, framing the face shape. The back of the hair is all tied into a neat bun on the top of the head. When creating an Apollo knot, women would either use their natural hair or false pieces. Some Apollo knots were decorated with combs and other adornments.


Mid Victorian Era
As the Victorian era progressed, the hairstyles throughout the years began to became softer and sweet looks. The bun at the back of the hair was getting lower and lower in comparison to the 'Romantic period'. Sometimes, plaits and braids were added into the hairstyle at the back with the bun. Some women of a younger age would even have soft ringlets at the back of the head for more of an 'adorable' look. In the Victorian era, women were seen to be as delicate as flowers therefore the hair began to represent this.

Late Victorian Era
Towards the end of the Victorian era, hairstyles began to become more and more elaborate and accentuated. Hair was sectioned into arranged piles of curls all over the head with soft long ringlet curls to just lie upon the nape of the women's necks. At this time, fake hair pieces became a lot more popular as it helped to gain volume and height in the hairstyle.

Introduction - Victorian Beauty Ideals

I am very excited to start the 'Gothic Horror' project this term as it is completely new and fascinating to me. I did not know much about the Victorian beauty ideals until now.. Next, I will talk about some of the research I have found about the beauty ideals in this particular era.

The Victorian era started in 1837 which was when Victoria became the Queen, and the era ended in 1901. 1901 was the year of Queen Victoria's death. Anon, (2015).

At the very beginning of the Victorian era, beauty was seen to be a very natural look. Women who were known to be of an upper class would wear minimal makeup which would include a tiny amount of powder to get rid of any shine upon the skin, and all lipsticks and eye shadows would be of a natural colour.

Initially, any bright and bold colours were unheard of and they would only really be worn by prostitutes and actors/actresses. The use of makeup products caused disagreements and religions were labelling them as 'tools of the devil'  Kuchinsky, C (2007).

Similar to the past project I just completed, skin tone and complexion was a way of judging a person's social status. Likewise with the Elizabethan period, if you had a pale complexion, you were seen to be of the upper class as you did not have to work outdoors which would create a suntan. Complexion was a very important factor for the Victorian's and they would try and maintain a pale skin tone by using parasols out in daylight and even drink vinegar! Some women may have even drawn on blue lines to the create the effect of veins so it gave the illusion that they had translucent skin.

(ibid) also suggests that hair in the Victorian era was rather simple looking. It was usually pulled back off of their faces and was put into a chignon, bun, plaits, or curls. Long, soft curls were used to highlight the front of the face or even the back. Sometimes, women would also have tiny fringes made up of baby curls across their foreheads. A way in which was common for women to make sure there hair was slick and tidy was by using oil to smoothen it.

Giorgia, (2010), agrees with Kuchinsky, C (2007) as she mentions the use of oils in women's hair for a sleek, smooth finished look. She also mentions that clips and combs were put into the women's hair for added decoration. Women of this era would also very rarely cut their hair as it was what was considered to be their 'pride and glory'. The only expected time for their hair to be cut is if they had fallen ill. Even then, women would usually add false hair to give a little extra volume to make up for their losses.

Dresses in the early 19th century were known for there revealing low cut necklines, with high waists and flowing skirts. Suggested by Riley, (1989), this look was soon replaced by 'upholstered fullness that characterized the Romantic style'. The costume was then more seen to be of an hour glass shape with huge puffed out sleeves.

As the era went on, the fullness of the skirts increased. In 1842, the crinoline was introduced (a stiff circle of horsehair, which then progressed onto using whalebone or a metal hooped cage).

'A popular opinion of many historical clothing “experts” is that the birth of the Victorian dress with all of its pomp and flamboyance came about because the leading clothing designers of the day were men. Men that had a biased and possibly unattainable idea of what women should look like. Therefore you have such an outlandish style (By today’s standards) with exaggerated curves and unbearably thin waistlines. No consideration was given to comfort and practicality.'

I find this particular quote from a website I was reading very interesting and believable. It is very sexist and inconsiderate for the female bodies in which had to wear such uncomfortable, tight clothing.