Taylor Swift’s lyrics in Clara Bow speak directly to the pressure of maintaining beauty in a world that constantly demands “more.” The line, “Beauty is a beast that roars / Down on all fours / Demanding ‘more,’” captures the relentless pursuit of physical perfection, where the beauty industry, and society at large, push women to reach unattainable ideals. The expectations are fierce, and only when a certain standard is met does the validation trickle in, “Only when your girlish glow / Flickers just so / Do they let you know.”
In the celebrity industry, this is evident in how trends change quickly, often dictating what’s deemed beautiful or acceptable at the moment. It’s a cycle of chasing the next look, product, or procedure, with little regard for the emotional toll it takes on those caught in the chase. Just like the lyrics say, “It’s hell on earth to be heavenly,” the quest for perfection can feel more like a burden than an act of self-expression. Beauty becomes less about feeling good and more about fitting in—only to be reminded that “them’s the breaks / they don’t come gently.”
In a world where beauty often feels like a constantly moving target, we must ask ourselves: When does the pursuit of beauty stop being about self-love and start becoming a battle for outside approval?