How the Conservative Era Is Redefining Beauty — and Why That’s Still Not Enough”

In Vogue Business, writer Madeleine Schulz takes a sharp look at how beauty standards are shifting. The reason? A new conservative wave—and yes, Trump’s name is all over it. As politics heat up, so do the lashes, lip liners, and skirts. Turns out, the return of Donald J. Trump isn’t just changing policy—it’s changing how women show up to work.

She highlights the rise of hyper-feminine aesthetics like “bouncy blowouts, modest skirt suits, heavy makeup” as symbols of what she calls “a return to ultra-gendered values.” Don’t get me wrong, part of me wants to cheer that America is finally glancing back at her roots, but we’ve got to ask ourselves a hard question: are we trading one toxic extreme for another? Because whether it’s the liberal free-for-all or the conservative pageant parade, both are wrapped in the same old idol—vanity.

Tradition isn’t the problem. In fact, a little order and a return to godly values is exactly what our culture needs. But when tradition turns into a performance—where femininity gets reduced to a full face of makeup, layers of hair extensions, and a sprinkle of Botox just to “belong”—we’ve missed the heart of it. As Schulz points out, these beauty ideals are really “a visual representation of the ruling class.” And let’s be honest—that’s not modesty. That’s marketing. It’s not about honoring who God made us to be—it’s about selling an aesthetic that most women can’t afford, can’t maintain, and frankly, shouldn’t feel pressured to chase. Because in the end, it leaves everyday women exhausted, comparing, and quietly wondering why they never feel like they’re enough.

On the flip side, the liberal extreme has spent the last decade pushing a different kind of vanity: one rooted in radical self-expression and body modification, often framed as liberation. But whether it’s excessive filters or excessive fillers, both sides of the spectrum feed the same beast.

Neither hyper-femininity nor hyper-individualism reflects God’s design for women. Scripture is clear on what matters most. In 1 Peter 3:3-4, we’re reminded: “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment… Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” That kind of beauty is sustainable. It doesn’t sag. It doesn’t expire. And it doesn’t demand a political identity to be valid.

Schulz also notes that it’s the younger generations driving this aesthetic shift—many of whom are turning away from liberal ideologies and finding appeal in the clarity of traditional roles. But clarity isn’t the same as truth.

Real beauty—the kind that matters to God—isn’t about politics, trends, or looking perfect for social media. Proverbs 31:30 says it best: “Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” True beauty starts with a heart that honors God. Modesty isn’t about hiding—it’s about letting God be the focus. It protects our worth instead of covering it up.

While the conservative shift in the White House is a welcome change, we can’t afford to get so caught up in the aesthetics that we forget why God placed Trump there in the first place—it wasn’t to glorify image, but to restore order. We weren’t called to conform to either mold. We were called to something higher.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2)