"Perk & Work" Article

My husband and I were watching a news program last night when he commented on a gorgeous attorney who was a guest on the show. He said to me, "man, her eyes are really freaky." "No kidding" I replied, "it's all the botox she's had, her face isn't moving."

Believe me, while I've not had any "work" done, I'm not against it in the least bit. It just seems that there are times when it gets taken too far. Case and point with the gal on the news program. She was gorgeous, but looked so lifeless.

Today, I came across an interesting article in the April issue of Vogue Magazine. In the article titled, "Perk & Work" the author, Sally Singer, acknowledges the extreme measures women are taking to look absolutely perfect. "With advances in medical procedures, fatalism (i.e., you work with the body that nature gave you) has given way to a different idea: You work the body that nature gave you." She continues on to say, "manufactured bodies are everywhere now."

The article moves on to discuss the challenges fashion designers face with our ever changing bodies. Which body type will be popular the next few years? Large breasts? Small breasts? Bootylicious? Not so bootylicious? Fashion designer Zac Posen notes, "Pieces are being rebuilt to a whole new body proportion."

All of this made me wonder, what is it that drives us to augment, needle poke, and resurface our bodies? Why does my friend think her lips are never big enough? Or my other friend worry so much about the lines around her mouth? Why do I wish my breasts looked better in a halter top? Who or what is driving us to perfection? I'm not against it, I'm just curious how we got here.
Jennifer