History Main / VanityIsFeminine

* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' provides an interesting case, [[Characters/DragonAgeVivienne Vivienne]] is a stand-out example of a type three where DecadentCourt of Orlais regularly sees assassinations and murders at parties. This is all part of the game where everyone needs to take care to keep an eye on their appearance and presentation as any showcase of weakness is an open invitation. The only difference is that Vivienne is an exponent of the politics there and is the player's guide to that world.

* ''Literature/TheFaerieQueene'': The only woman among the personifications of the SevenDeadlySins is Vanitie. She serves most directly for the queen of the sins, Lucifera, who spends most of her time staring at herself in the
mirror.

* Mumu Momoyama in ''Manga/ChocoMimi'' is the [[DudeLooksLikeALady girliest-looking member]] in the group and also the vainest character in the series. He's often at odds with Mimi over who is TheCutie, and even told off Bambi when he noticed she looked more feminine with long hair.

* Mitsuba Higashikata from ''Manga/JojosBizarreAdventureJojolion'' regularly goes to T.G. University Hospital to receive beauty enhancing treatments (which started with a breast enhancement surgery). What she doesn't know is that these "treatments" are actually experiments by the Rock Humans to test the [[EquivalentExchange powers]] of the Rokakaka fruit. While she initially goes along with it without question, [[spoiler:she changes her tune when [[MamaBear her unborn child is threatened]]]].

* ''ComicBook/{{Sha}}'': the soul of a witch who was burned at the stake by the Inquisition in the 14th-century returns in the 22nd century to exact revenge on the five reincarnated demons responsible for killing her in their past lives. While the four men among them are all killed one by one, the woman who betrayed her is instead [[CruelMercy left alive with a debilitating disease that will slowly take away her beauty from her]].

-->"Or we could leave her here... to be toyed with by lonely mountain men. [Glances at Velda.] ''Really'' lonely mountain men."

---> ''Are you telling me I'm not a pretty guy?''

* Genderflipped in ''Film/CasinoRoyale2006'' with a scene of Bond checking himself out in the mirror after Vesper gets him an exquisitely-fitted dinner jacket.

** Inverted with Hermoine. She dresses up for The Yule Ball and considered it too much of a hassle to do again.

* In ''Literature/QueenOfTheTearling'', Queen Elyssa's excess and focus on beautiful things while her people suffer is a source of shame to her daughter Kelsea. At the same time, Kelsea is ''very'' ashamed of her plain face and overly sensitive to any mention of it, and in her worse moments wastes magic to change it.

* Pretty much all the women, god or mortal are vain in the novel ''Literature/{{Psyche}}''. Even the good-hearted protagonists balks at losing some of her beauty, even though she doesn't think she cares about it.

* ''Series/CreepedOut'': Kiera is obsessed with taking selfies, but when she’s not taking selfies or working at her job she is obsessing over her face and putting makeup on. She takes selfies with loads of makeup on and claims the selfies are showing how she wakes up, but there not. After Kiera loses one of the things that she is most vain about, she becomes more mature, stops constantly taking selfies and even starts to be less lazy.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer}}'' and ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'': Followers of Slaanesh are the only ones who give any attention to their appearance, and are directly opposed by devotees of Khorne, who are of the brutal, real-men-don't-wear-makeup-or-wash-themselves persuasion (Sigvald the Magnificent has a special rule where his entire unit stops moving so he can admire his reflection on their polished shields). Slaanesh being both male and female (and not always at the same time), many of his champions and up partially hermaphroditic as well.

* The narcissistic Peacock from Polish animated series ''WesternAnimation/HipHipAndHurra''. While he has a very manly voice, he's not only very feminine but tends to faint every single time his beautiful tail gets dirty.
* A ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'' episode plays around with this when the girls throw a makeover party and deliberately exclude the tomboyish [[Characters/HeyArnoldHelgaGPataki Helga G. Pataki]]. When Helga tries to play with the boys instead, they mock her for being ugly and unfeminine. Helga caves and dolls herself up, then joins the other girls at the party. After a while, she starts to realize how ridiculous the whole thing is, considering their age. "We're nine years old! We don't ''have'' signs of aging!" She persuades the other girls to her side... and they wind up administering the intended makeover to one of the unfortunate boys who tried to crash their party and found himself outmatched.

* [[Characters/FriendshipIsMagicRarity Rarity]] from ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' is the most feminine of the Mane Six, and also the most concerned with her appearance. Her fussiness has caused conflict in a couple of episodes, but she's usually willing to overcome these bad habits for the sake of her friends. "Sisterhooves Social" showed her willingness to hide in a pool of mud as part of a ploy to make amends with her little sister Sweetie Belle, though Rarity insisted on a trip to the spa to clean up afterwards.

* ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'' has ComicBook/TheEnchantress, a VainSorceress whose entire identity (and much of her power set) flow directly from her epic, supernatural beauty, and its effect on both men and gods. Her vanity (though certainly not unfounded) is nearly as legendary as her beauty, and she never hesitates to mock women who are not as attractive (Jane Foster) or who she sees as too 'mannish' for any male to find appealing no matter what their actual appearance (The warrior goddess Sif). The comic itself seems to be of two minds regarding The Enchantress: On the one hand, she is most often treated as a shallow, selfish, and bratty annoyance by many of the more powerful Asgardians. On the other hand, her exquisite face and body do give her immense influence over most males, be they god, human or superhuman, and even such wise individuals as Heimdal (and, occasionally Thor) have either succumbed to her wiles or sought them out willingly. So, basically, the excessively vain girl is silly, petty, and should be dismissed accordingly... but she happens to be [[WorldsMostBeautifulWoman so genuinely, insanely hot]] that in practice she usually gets exactly who and what she wants.
* In the ''ComicBook/SonicTheHedgehogArchieComics'' issue where Sally [[ImportantHaircut cuts her hair]] and coyly asks Sonic if he likes it, he responds that he'd never known her to be "so... girly." (Ironically this was intended as a sign of her '''de'''-{{Chickification}}, which had had her mooning and crying and generally being passive and ineffective.)
* In the comic ''ComicBook/{{Sha}}'', the soul of a witch who was burned at the stake by the Inquisition in the 14th-century returns in the 22nd century to exact revenge on the five reincarnated demons responsible for killing her in their past lives. While the four men among them are all killed one by one, the woman who betrayed her is instead [[CruelMercy left alive with a debilitating disease that will slowly take away her beauty from her]].
* Believe it or not, ''ComicBook/WonderWoman'' was a pretty big example of this back in UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfComicBooks, where she was much more of a GirlyBruiser than the more hard-bitten warrior woman portrayal today. One particularly infamous story had her ''deliberately go blindfolded'' through enemy territory, rather than pull at the duct tape her kidnappers put over her eyes (which would've risked damaging her eyelashes).

* A ''WesternAnimation/HeyArnold'' episode plays around with this when the girls throw a makeover party and deliberately exclude the tomboyish Helga. When Helga tries to play with the boys instead, they mock her for being ugly and unfeminine. Helga caves and dolls herself up, then joins the other girls at the party. After a while, she starts to realize how ridiculous the whole thing is, considering their age. "We're nine years old! We don't ''have'' signs of aging!" She persuades the other girls to her side... and they wind up administering the intended makeover to one of the unfortunate boys who tried to crash their party and found himself outmatched.
* ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'': Toph is a complicated case. After joining TheTeam, she was the only one who wouldn't join the morning grooming session. Being blind, she's less concerned with visual appearances than most people. When Katara said that she was dirty, she called it a 'healthy coating of earth' (which also makes sense since she's an [[DishingOutDirt Earth-Bending prodigy]] that [[DisabilitySuperpower relies on the sensory aspect of her powers to compensate for her lack of sight]]). Despite this, she hides a side that wants to be pretty, was deeply hurt by girls mocking her appearance, and shared a bonding experience with Katara as they went to a spa.

* Rarity from ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' is the most feminine of the Mane Six, and also the most concerned with her appearance. Her fussiness has caused conflict in a couple of episodes, but she's usually willing to overcome these bad habits for the sake of her friends. "Sisterhooves Social" showed her willingness to hide in a pool of mud as part of a ploy to make amends with her little sister Sweetie Belle, though Rarity insisted on a trip to the spa to clean up afterwards.

* Holo in ''Litrature/SpiceAndWolf'' is extremely proud of her tail, often grooming it when traveling and always interested in human items to help her fur look better. Lawrence tends to be prompted on its quality when she prepares to go into her full wolf form.

[[folder: Real Life]]
* If real-life studies are any indication, this belief seems to be false considering how a vast majority of those diagnosed with [[{{Narcissist}} Narcissist Personality Disorder]] tend to be men instead of women.
[[/folder]]

* [[ThirdLawOfGenderBending Hinted at]] in ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'': Matsuri is for the most part {{indifferent|beauty}} to his AttractiveBentGender, but still gets upset when Soga manages to IgnoreTheFanservice for once (unknown to Matsuri, because of magic). [[WhatIsThisFeeling He may not understand it]], but Matsuri seems to unconsciously want the attention his [[SenpaiKohai senpai]] pays him for being a sexy girl.

** ''Music/ConfessionExecutiveCommittee'' features the positive variant--that girls wanting to look more attractive is the norm and the standard. "I Want to Become Cute" is an anthem all about how all girls want to look their best for themselves and especially the person they like, and a prominent part of Hiyori Suzumi's character arc is her wanting to be more feminine and fashionable like all of the girls she knows. Tellingly, in the equivalent of this arc in ''Heroines Run the Show'', the ending theme of the episode where she has her makeover is "I Want to Become Cute". Only one boy decides to focus on his looks--Koyuki Ayase-- and he was already described to be feminine both in appearance and personality, while his character arc is wanting to do himself over so he's ''not'' perceived as girly anymore. Notably, the masculine equivalent of the song, "I Want to Become Cool", is more about how the singer wants to live up to the masculine ideals expected of a boy and a lover, rather than about him dressing up or the joy of looking good.
** The collaborative song "I Don't Look Cute Just For Guys!" is another version of this theme. Leaning more towards "I Want to Beceome Cute", this song's more explicitly about a girl who likes dressing up and wearing makeup because it makes ''her'' happy, and not because guys ask her or expect her to.

* ''Series/TalesFromTheCrypt'': In "Only Sin Deep", one of Sylvia's fellow hookers comments sarcastically on the amount of time she spends preening in front of mirrors. Sylvia shrugs it off and seems to assume it is the natural state of affairs for someone as beautiful as she is.

* ''VideoGame/DragonAgeInquisition'' provides an interesting case, [[Characters/DragonAgeVivienne Vivienne]] is a stand-out example of a type three where DecadentCourt of Orlais regularly sees assassinations and murders at parties. This is all part of the game where everyone needs to take care to keep an eye on their appearance and presentation as any showcase of weakness is an open invitation. The only difference is that Vivienne is an exponent of the politics there and is the player's guide to that world.
* ''VideoGame/ChronoCross'''s Pierre is first met admiring himself in the mirror and joins your party stating they will be the thorns decorating his lovely rose. He turns out to be MilesGloriosus; a phony and all but useless in combat. However, if you get him a complete set of 'Hero' equipment, he becomes AgentPeacock. This only works for him.

* ''Videogame/DynastyWarriors'' has Zhang He, the AmbiguouslyGay officer of the Wei kingdom who is comically obsessed with beauty in almost all forms.

** ''Music/ConfessionExecutiveCommittee'' features the positive variant--that girls wanting to look more attractive is the norm and the standard. "I Want to Become Cute" is an anthem all about how all girls want to look their best for themselves and especially the person they like, and a prominent part of Hiyori Suzumi's character arc is her wanting to be more feminine and fashionable like all of the girls she knows. Tellingly, in the equivalent of this arc in ''Heroines Run the Show'', the ending theme of the episode where she has her makeover is "I Want to Become Cute". Only one boy decides to focus on his looks--Koyuki Ayase-- and he was already described to be feminine both in appearance and personality, while his character arc is wanting to do himself over so he's ''not'' perceived as girly anymore.

* ''Music/ConfessionExecutiveCommittee'' features the positive variant--that girls wanting to look more attractive is the norm and the standard. "I Want to Become Cute" is an anthem all about how all girls want to look their best for themselves and especially the person they like, and a prominent part of Hiyori Suzumi's character arc is her wanting to be more feminine and fashionable like all of the girls she knows. Tellingly, in the equivalent of this arc in ''Heroines Run the Show'', the ending theme of the episode where she has her makeover is "I Want to Become Cute". Only one boy decides to focus on his looks--Koyuki Ayase-- and he was already described to be feminine both in appearance and personality, while his character arc is wanting to do himself over so he's ''not'' perceived as girly anymore.

* In ''Literature/TheQueenOfTheTearling'', Queen Elyssa's excess and focus on beautiful things while her people suffer is a source of shame to her daughter Kelsea. At the same time, Kelsea is ''very'' ashamed of her plain face and overly sensitive to any mention of it, and in her worse moments wastes magic to change it.

* ''Literature/TheFaerieQueene'': The only woman among the personifications of the SevenDeadlySins is Vanitie. She serves most directly for the queen of the sins, Lucifera, who spends most of her time staring at herself in the mirror.

* {{Series/Creeped Out}}: Kiera is obsessed with taking selfies, but when she’s not taking selfies or working at her job she is obsessing over her face and putting makeup on. She takes selfies with loads of makeup on and claims the selfies are showing how she wakes up, but there not. After Kiera loses one of the things that she is most vain about, she becomes more mature, stops constantly taking selfies and even starts to be less lazy.

** Subverted in the case of Lucius the Eternal, 40K's champion of Slaanesh. He was once the prettiest of the Emperor's Children (the Legion that would eventually turn itself over to Slaanesh), but a fight with a Literature/SpaceWolf broke his nose in a way that couldn't be fixed, and later acquired facial scars in battle. This pretty much broke his mind, now he actually seems to ''seek out'' disfiguring scars when fighting, and his face looks like it's been used as a tic-tac-toe board since.

* [[ThirdLawOfGenderBending Hinted at]] in ''Manga/AyakashiTriangle'': Matsuri is for the most part {{indifferent|beauty}} to his AttractiveBentGender, but still gets upset when Soga manages to IgnoreTheFanservice for once (unknown to Matsuri, because of magic). [[WhatIsThisFeeling He may not understand it]], but Matsuri seems to unconsciously want the attention his [[SempaiKohai senpai]] pays him for being a sexy girl.

* The BridgeBunnies of ''Series/{{UFO}}'' all carry a shiny metal pouch on the belt of their catsuits. In one episode it's revealed that the box contains not a high-tech EverythingSensor or repair tools for {{Zeerust}} computer equipment, but a pop-up mirror and makeup kit!

* ''VideoGame/DragonAge Inquisition'' provides an interesting case, [[Characters/DragonAgeVivienne Vivienne]] is a stand-out example of a type three where DecadentCourt of Orlais regularly sees assassinations and murders at parties. This is all part of the game where everyone needs to take care to keep an eye on their appearance and presentation as any showcase of weakness is an open invitation. The only difference is that Vivienne is an exponent of the politics there and is the player's guide to that world.

* ''Music/ConfessionExecutiveCommittee'' features the positive variant--that girls wanting to look more attractive is the norm and the standard. "I Want to Become Cute" is an anthem all about how all girls want to look their best for themselves and especially the person they like, and a prominent part of Hiyori Suzumi's character arc is her wanting to be more feminine and fashionable like all of the girls she knows. Tellingly, in the equivalent of this arc in ''Heroines Run the Show'', the ending theme of the episode where she has her makeover is "I Want to Become Cute".

* {{Series/Creeped Out}}. Kiera is obsessed with taking selfies, but when she’s not taking selfies or working at her job she is obsessing over he face and putting makeup on. She takes selfies with loads of makeup on and claims the selfies are showing how she wakes up, but there not. After Kiera loses one of the things that she is most vain about, she becomes more mature, stops constantly taking selfies and even starts to be less lazy.

* Creeped Out. Kiera is obsessed with taking selfies, but when she’s not taking selfies or working at her job she is obsessing over he face and putting makeup on. She takes selfies with loads of makeup on and claims the selfies are showing how she wakes up, but there not. After Kiera loses one of the things that she is most vain about, she becomes more mature, stops constantly taking selfies and even starts to be less lazy.