MarieClaire
  • News
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
  • Career
  • Bridal
  • Podcasts
  • Beyond Beauty
  • Video
MarieClaire
  • News
  • Fashion
  • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
  • Career
  • Bridal
  • Podcasts
  • Beyond Beauty
  • Video
MAFS' Aleks and Ivan exchange wedding vows
Watch 4:43

MAFS' Aleks and Ivan exchange wedding vows

{headline}

{headline}

Does Preventative Botox Actually Work? A Dermatologist Explains

Does Preventative Botox Actually Work? A Dermatologist Explains

Buccal Fat Removal Is The Beauty Industry Secret To Chiselled Cheekbones

Buccal Fat Removal Is The Beauty Industry Secret To Chiselled Cheekbones

Why 'Skin Botox' Is The Answer To Instant 'Glass Skin'

Why 'Skin Botox' Is The Answer To Instant 'Glass Skin'

Let These Nostalgic Oscars Photographs Get You Into The Awards Spirit

Let These Nostalgic Oscars Photographs Get You Into The Awards Spirit

{headline}

{headline}

Elly Miles Reveals She Had Botox And Breast Implants Before 'The Bachelor'

Elly Miles Reveals She Had Botox And Breast Implants Before 'The Bachelor'

These Will Be 2019's Biggest Cosmetic Surgery Trends

These Will Be 2019's Biggest Cosmetic Surgery Trends

The Bachelor’s Cobie Is Barely Recognisable In New Photos

The Bachelor’s Cobie Is Barely Recognisable In New Photos

{headline}

{headline}

Kendall Jenner's Complete Beauty Evolution

Kendall Jenner's Complete Beauty Evolution

Tracking Grace Kelly's Iconic Style, From Hollywood Starlet To Princess Of Monaco

Tracking Grace Kelly's Iconic Style, From Hollywood Starlet To Princess Of Monaco

I Got My Eyebrows 'Laminated' And The Results Were Incredible

I Got My Eyebrows 'Laminated' And The Results Were Incredible

What Is A Deep Plane Facelift? Inside The Plastic Surgery Procedure

What Is A Deep Plane Facelift? Inside The Plastic Surgery Procedure

Grace Kelly Might Make An Appearance In ‘The Crown’ Season 4

Grace Kelly Might Make An Appearance In ‘The Crown’ Season 4

Audrey Hepburn's Most Iconic Hairstyles

Audrey Hepburn's Most Iconic Hairstyles

Tried & Tested: The Liquid Facial

Tried & Tested: The Liquid Facial

  1. Home
  2. Beauty

This Instagram Artist Is Giving Classic Beauty Icons Cosmetic Surgery

Picture Audrey Hepburn with a plumped-up pout - by Kathryn Madden
  • 22 Jan 2019
This Instagram Artist Is Giving Classic Beauty Icons Cosmetic Surgery

A few weeks ago, as I curled up on the couch in front of late-night TV, Alicia Silverstone sashayed onto my screen. She was the It-girl of my youth, the star of Clueless with the big doe eyes and tumbling dirty-blonde hair. Now more than 20 years later in an interview with Seth Meyers, she looked equally radiant – and yet something about her appearance was perplexing, almost jarring. Then it struck me: her top lip was thin.

It was something I hadn’t seen on commercial TV since BK (before Kardashians), never mind the fine lines on Silverstone’s forehead.

I grabbed my phone and Googled the actress in her Cher Horowitz heyday. Again, there was that fine top lip that curled under coyly – a top lip that gave the actress character and charm, and a top lip that suited her fine-featured face. A face so beautiful you couldn’t look away.

aliciasilverstone View Profile
114.2k likes - View Post on Instagram
Baby me

Today, we live in an age where high-profile pouts tend to range from pillowy to positively duck-like, a trend explored by Instagram artist Mat Maitland who takes images of old-Hollywood icons and gives them a makeover based on 2019 beauty ideals: fuller lips, chiselled jaws, contoured noses, plumped-up cheeks and tight foreheads.

The results are unsettling, even garish, but intriguing to say the least…

Audrey Hepburn - before
Audrey Hepburn - before
matmaitland View Profile
2,314 likes - View Post on Instagram
Audrey Hepburn 2018 #matmaitland
Marilyn Monroe - before
Marilyn Monroe - before
matmaitland View Profile
3,115 likes - View Post on Instagram
Marilyn 2018 #matmaitland
Princess Diana - before
Princess Diana - before
matmaitland View Profile
2,156 likes - View Post on Instagram
Princess Diana 2018 #matmaitland

The images, Maitland told PAPER, are not supposed to make a statement against plastic surgery. "Some people might look at this series and believe that I am making a hard commentary on cosmetic procedures. This isn't the case at all," he said. "I've always been fascinated by people who push beauty to the extreme … Cosmetic approaches to beauty were previously restricted to celebrities and the mega wealthy but these have now become more attainable. Everywhere you look there is evidence of these contemporary ideals of beauty. You can observe the new normal across the world.”

The new normal indeed: in 2017 about 500,00 cosmetic procedures were carried out in Australia, including $350 million dollars' worth of Botox injections (according to SBS The Feed). And plastic surgery is no longer the sole domain of sexagenarian starlets – in today’s image-obsessed selfie society, a growing number of women and teenage girls see surgical and injectable cosmetic enhancements as a regular part of their beauty routine. A quick jab on one’s lunch break, if you will.

Of course every era has had a desired “look”, but never has it been so monolithic as today’s raven-haired, teeny-waisted, collagen-pumped ideal. Coquettish Audrey and curvy Marilyn could co-exist side by side in the '50s, something we should remember as we increasingly seek to look the same (and to mimic an Instagram filter at that).

Now look again at Maitland’s images. Do the made-over women look more beautiful? More sexy? More engaging? Perhaps Insta-filter perfection isn’t so perfect after all.

  • Beauty
  • Lifestyle
Kathryn Madden
Kathryn Madden
Kathryn Madden is the Deputy Features Director of marie claire magazine, and spends her days writing about feminism, fashion and everything in between. She’s also written for Grazia, InStyle, Qantas and Home Beautiful, and is the editor and founder of Lonely Continent.

Subscribe & receive a gift from Go-To Skincare-

Subscribe to marie claire

Subscribe Now
Subscribe & receive a gift from Go-To Skincare

Subscribe & receive a gift from Go-To Skincare-

Subscribe to marie claire

Subscribe Now
Subscribe & receive a gift from Go-To Skincare

Recommended to you

MAFS' Aleks and Ivan exchange wedding vows
Watch 4:43

MAFS' Aleks and Ivan exchange wedding vows

{headline}

{headline}

Does Preventative Botox Actually Work? A Dermatologist Explains

Does Preventative Botox Actually Work? A Dermatologist Explains

Buccal Fat Removal Is The Beauty Industry Secret To Chiselled Cheekbones

Buccal Fat Removal Is The Beauty Industry Secret To Chiselled Cheekbones

Why 'Skin Botox' Is The Answer To Instant 'Glass Skin'

Why 'Skin Botox' Is The Answer To Instant 'Glass Skin'

Let These Nostalgic Oscars Photographs Get You Into The Awards Spirit

Let These Nostalgic Oscars Photographs Get You Into The Awards Spirit

{headline}

{headline}

Elly Miles Reveals She Had Botox And Breast Implants Before 'The Bachelor'

Elly Miles Reveals She Had Botox And Breast Implants Before 'The Bachelor'

These Will Be 2019's Biggest Cosmetic Surgery Trends

These Will Be 2019's Biggest Cosmetic Surgery Trends

The Bachelor’s Cobie Is Barely Recognisable In New Photos

The Bachelor’s Cobie Is Barely Recognisable In New Photos

{headline}

{headline}

Kendall Jenner's Complete Beauty Evolution

Kendall Jenner's Complete Beauty Evolution

Tracking Grace Kelly's Iconic Style, From Hollywood Starlet To Princess Of Monaco

Tracking Grace Kelly's Iconic Style, From Hollywood Starlet To Princess Of Monaco

I Got My Eyebrows 'Laminated' And The Results Were Incredible

I Got My Eyebrows 'Laminated' And The Results Were Incredible

What Is A Deep Plane Facelift? Inside The Plastic Surgery Procedure

What Is A Deep Plane Facelift? Inside The Plastic Surgery Procedure

Grace Kelly Might Make An Appearance In ‘The Crown’ Season 4

Grace Kelly Might Make An Appearance In ‘The Crown’ Season 4

Audrey Hepburn's Most Iconic Hairstyles

Audrey Hepburn's Most Iconic Hairstyles

Tried & Tested: The Liquid Facial

Tried & Tested: The Liquid Facial

MarieClaire
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Subscribe Today
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy

Brands

  • Beauty Crew
  • Home Beautiful
  • Who

Our Network

  • Better Homes and Gardens
  • BHG Shop
  • New Idea food
  • New Idea
  • Girlfriend
  • That’s Life
  • Practical Parenting
  • All Recipes
  • Perth Now
  • The West Australian
  • 7Plus
  • Airtasker
  • 7NEWS
  • SocietyOne
  • Health Engine
  • Starts at 60
© 2021 Are Media PTY LTD
Get more from Marie Claire

Magazine Subscription Offer

Subscribe & receive a gift from Go-To Skincare-

Shop This Offer
Subscribe & receive a gift from Go-To Skincare