Feminist writers on the attraction of esthetics to women

[ProvenceBrand]

I am reading about beauty and thinking about beauty and moving into an industry which is about esthetics which I really love. I have read plenty of feminist theorists and thinkers over the years about the dark side of beauty; by that I mean the idea that women are expected to be objects and see themselves as objects, the rejective of the male gaze, rebelling against traditional beauty standards etc.

I am now looking for feminist theorists who have talked about the pleasure women get from esthetics and the beautiful, whether enjoying their own beauty or creating beautiful environments or appreciating beauty in things and others. Why? What it means etc. This seems a sphere that so many women enjoy and find satisfaction from; for example; interior design, creating beautiful gardens, homes and places for children, collecting objects and using their own body and style to express beauty

Are there any women who have written about this and who would you suggest?

[ProvenceBrand]

P.s. I am not any kind of Brand, just a regular poster who changed my name and looked at the nearest thing to me for inspiration which was a drinks coaster with these words!

[NumberTheory]

I read a paper years ago that I think is this one:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/3810974
by an American feminist philosopher. She contended that objectification isn’t a problem per se, but that the issue with female objectification from a feminist perspective is that the values applied are derived from the male gaze rather than from women’s esthetics. That a focus on beautification by women can be nurturing and a form of self expression.

I didn’t find it that convincing at the time but (if you can find a way to access it), you might.

[howdoesatoastermaketoast]

I have no knowledge to maybe point you at what you're looking for but in the meantime I would say for me women's liberation / feminism means that

1. hair styling and makeup as an OPTIONAL hobby women (and men) can have if they enjoy it and if skill and circumstance permit turn into a career & very good luck, but not as a compulsory 'grooming' expectation in work, school, university, even tv and movies. Clean and tidy is clean and tidy.
   
   
2. Interior design and arrangement as an OPTIONAL hobby women (and men) can have if they enjoy it and if skill and circumstance permit turn into a career & very good luck, but not as a compulsory 'nesting' expectation in home, workplaces, even tv and movies. Clean and tidy is clean and tidy.
   
   
3. Fashion and co-ordinating outfits and accessories as an OPTIONAL hobby women (and men) can have if they enjoy it and if skill and circumstance permit turn into a career & very good luck, but not as a compulsory expectation in home, workplaces, even tv and movies. Clean and tidy is clean and tidy, in an ideal word a woman could wear the same outfit to work everyday for a year without anyone noticing or commenting even if she works in tv like that male presenter did that time.
   
   Having a passion for any of the above is in no way wrong or against the goals of feminism women should fill their lives with joy and passion where ever they find it and to the greatest extent possible try to avoid judging and criticising other girls and women for liking 'girly' things (which I think stems from internalised misogyny).
   
   just my perspective