That Girl Isn’t New: We’ve Always Been Performing the Perfect Woman

Psst... want to glow from the inside out? Check out my favorite collagen from NativePath here → https://getnativepathcollagen.com/LauraJane It’s been a game-changer for my skin, nails, and even joint health I only share products I truly love—and this one’s become part of my daily ritual. From 1920s flappers to 2020s Clean Girls, every generation has had its own version of That Girl —the woman who seems effortlessly beautiful, perfectly composed, and always just a little out of reach. But this aesthetic ideal isn’t new. In fact, it’s part of a much longer tradition of women being asked to perform the role of the “perfect woman.” This video essay explores how beauty standards have evolved over the last 100 years, and how each decade has crafted a new version of That Girl to reflect its social values, economic conditions, and pop culture obsessions. We begin with the rebellious flapper of the 1920s, move through the polished domestic goddess of the 1950s, the mod minimalist of the 1960s, and the high-powered career woman of the 1980s. We then examine the Cool Girl ideal of the 1990s, the Fitspo influencer of the 2010s, and finally, the hyper-curated Clean Girl aesthetic dominating TikTok in the 2020s. Across every era, one pattern emerges: women are praised not just for being beautiful, but for making it look easy. Behind every glow-up and girlboss was a carefully curated act of control, effort, and discipline—often disguised as self-love. So what happens when we realize That Girl has always been a performance? Can we opt out? Or are we still trapped in a cycle of endless reinvention—chasing an ideal that changes its rules every decade? This video isn’t just about makeup or fashion. It’s about power, perception, and the pressure to be perfect in a world that never stops watching. Which version of That Girl did you grow up with—or try to become? Let me know in the comments. And don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share if you’ve ever felt like beauty was just another script handed to you. Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM4hiMCyAEMxibzIYrOKD5Q/join #ThatGirl #BeautyStandards #CleanGirlAesthetic #HistoryOfBeauty #FeminineIdeal #TikTokTrends #VintageBeauty #PopCultureCommentary #MinaLeStyle #LauraJaneAtelier