When I was a kid, I had a notion of what was "sexy" or "attractive" for females. Being a girl myself, I felt it was necessary to identify with some trope (and I still feel that way). However, I feel also that there are so many different versions of what is sexy or attractive that it is impossible for me to decide which one I should go with.
As a girl, I really had a thing for Anjelica Huston in The Addam's Family. Another big influence for me was Winona Ryder in various roles such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, and Star Trek. I was also very fond of Cher, especially in her role from Mermaids, along with Whoopi Goldberg, Demi Moore, Gillian Anderson, Madonna, Julie Andrews, Deborah Kerr, Betty White, Bea Arthur, Catharine O'Hara, etc. Even my mother fell into this category for awhile, but that may have been because I did not yet know her intimately as an adult does, as I do now.
I think I lost my gusto for this halfway through making that list. It wasn't about who was pretty in the face for me (though that was a factor) but it was more about who they were (or are) as a person and the roles they chose to perform during their careers be it on a musical or theatrical stage or both.
I'm also not saying I don't still look up to these people, or that they are any less an ideal of beauty than they used to be--just that I finally feel society's push for what I should feel is attractive. And maybe society has changed since I was a kid (most likely) and that's okay too I suppose.
I guess all I really wanted to accomplish with this is a throw-back to my childhood and remembering those values that I had in mind then--values I had selected myself and not because someone or a group of people told me to choose differently.
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