In contemporary society, both men and women seem to consider "managing their appearances" a critical part of their everyday life, says a UC Davis scholar who studies the social psychology of appearance. Still, gender biases associate beauty with femininity and fashion. The pitfalls of conforming to the ever-changing standard of beauty include low self-esteem and health risks, among others, says Susan Kaiser, textiles and clothing professor and associate dean for human health and development in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. "Women often feel compelled to conform to achieve success or to be attractive," Kaiser says. And even men and women who insist on having a "natural" look, change their appearances in some way. "We need to think more creatively about how we feel about how we look," Kaiser says. "We worry about how we look, and then worry about worrying about how we look," she says. Perhaps, instead, "we ought to focus on responsibility, respect for self and others, and pleasure and empowerment in everyday life."