The Disney Princesses: The Ideal Body

We have rapidly changed our perceptions of the ideal body throughout the decades because of new developments and representations in various media. A significant image that is portrayed through all types of media is that of a “princess” - specifically, the Disney Princesses. While it is most likely that Walt Disney’s intentions were nothing other than providing entertainment to younger audiences through the revitalization of old fairy tales, having an impressionable, younger audience created an unrealistic portrayal of the “perfect” woman for the children viewing these movies. Though many young children that watch these movies may not even understand the ramifications of the way these princesses are drawn at the age that they view them, cinching …show more content…
When Snow White was introduced in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1938, advertisements for popular styles for women were not unlike that of Snow White - short, curled hair and padded shoulder dresses. Even the images of the women in the advertisements boasted a thinner waist. Interestingly enough, however, was that Snow White was not the first Disney Princess that Walt Disney created. It was Persephone. And she had a rather different body type from Snow White. Persephone sported a more realistic body type, yet is not as well known and revered as Snow White had been when she was released as the first princess with a full-length movie (seventeen article ). Instead, Snow White was popularized because she reflected the ideal body image for women at the time. This stylistic aspect that Snow White follows from her time period can be seen in other princesses in the time period they were created. Another example can be seen in the 1950’s and 60’s - Aurora from Sleeping Beauty has an image not unlike what was popular at the time as