By: Rachel Liao

Have you ever imagined what it would be like to be perfect? An article from the BBC’s style section entitled, What Does the ‘Perfect Man’ Look Like Now? by Myra Ali, published on July 8th, 2021, describes the norms of modern society and what it takes to be a successful man. The criteria are mostly based on attire and appearance. The man that fits the label “perfect” shifts from time to time. To understand this world of “near-perfection,” Myra Ali looked at several of the most good-looking young men. After reading this article, I would give Ali’s perspective a rating of four out of five. I found two positive and one negative aspect in her thinking. This article is quite clear and descriptive but doesn’t include enough information of past expectations on the ‘perfect man.’

First, the author does a fantastic job of making the article straightforward. I typically enjoy reading articles that get straight to the point. It doesn’t seem fascinating to have the main idea appear on the third page of an article, when there are only five pages altogether. As a result, understanding the context and content would make it enjoyable, since it wouldn’t leave the reader confused for several moments. What makes it even better is if the topic is captivating. There is no doubt that every person reads a story or passage partially because the concept itself is appealing to them. The article What Does the ‘Perfect Man’ Look Like Now? embodies both of these features, which is why I rated it so highly.

Next, the interesting details that Myra Ali includes in her article also support my high rating. To support the main idea of a story, one should include several examples that support their perspective. What made this article so interesting to read was not just its captivating title, but also the ideas explored in the writing. Ali writes about how young men have experienced judgement and “discrimination.” She also mentions that two men, both “alike in dignity,” had contrasting memoirs. This is because one actor, who was tall with brown hair and generally considered good-looking received the role for a popular movie after few auditions. This example is compared to another man who is less attractive; he attempted to be casted in a film for 10 years and eventually failed. Examples of real situations like these are what also makes this story amazing.

Lastly, the only piece missing of the puzzle is how the author doesn’t mention the styles in the past too much. In other words, the only reason why the article isn’t rated a five out of five is because Myra Ali should prove how quickly the expectations in appearances shift. For instance, if the conception of “perfect” changes at a constant rate every decade, Ali should encourage readers to make a comparison between the past and the present. Moreover, just because the title of a passage mentions what something is currently like doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t include information of what the previous perspective that led to the creation of today’s beauty standard was.

In summary, these are the reasons why I rated this article four out of five. The author made the article concise and included plenty of details for the reader to digest and enjoy. Nonetheless, Ali could have been more descriptive with past examples of fashion. I did not rate this article a three out of five because I didn’t find too many criticisms in this piece, and I felt that this whole passage ran smoothly, with a clean finish. However, there were several components of the article that were missing, as I addressed in more detail in the previous sentences. Each person has their own perspective about style and fashion articles, and I happen to be a reader who is fascinated by this topic.