For years, the media and fashion industry has been the target of blame for eating disorders and low self-esteem among young women. I've recently begun to wonder how the obesity epidemic can be coinciding with the phenomenon. The only consistent thread is unhealthy body image.
The ideal silhouette has fluctuated throughout history. I don't think anyone is complaining that the days of corsets and stomachers are over. However, for at least the last half century, the feminine ideal has been thinness. Things haven't changed much in the fashion industry since the 1960s when Twiggy ushered in the Mod look and only became more intense in the 1990s with Kate Moss's heroin chic.
Typically, I play the role of fashion industry defendant when others have brought up the negative influence of fashion and media on young women's health. It is especially hard to listen to these appeals when they are spoken by an obese young women, as was the case in my Women's Studies class last year. However, I've began to wonder if the idealization of a body type that is unattainable for most girls and women is actually attributing to the obesity epidemic as well? Are overweight individuals giving up because they have unrealistic expectations and goals for themselves?
Many young women idolize celebrities. When they look at successful and
beautiful women only a few years older than themselves, they often
become insecure. Instead of being inspired by these powerful females,
they are comparing themselves to their idols and, as expected, are
falling short. One friend refused to watch the Victoria's Secret fashion
show with me because the beautiful models gave her negative feelings. Another came over my house for dinner and whined about needing to lose weight while picking at her healthy meal and side salad, preferring to munch on Oreo cookies later that evening.
Although the media's obsession with celebrities' weight may trigger disordered eating habits that could lead to unhealthy weight in either direction, I don't expect the fashion industry to change fundamentally. While Milan's fashion week now refuses to use models with an unhealthy BMI, much of the reason for using thin models is tied to practicality. A skinny model functions like a hanger for clothes and can wear anything. If there was too much size variation in the modeling world, there would be a problem with sample sizing.
So if we can't rely on the media and fashion world to set a healthy example, how can young women find a healthy body image? We should be focused on looking and feeling our personal best through healthy food, an active lifestyle, and realistic self-expectations. If we stop worshiping these unhealthy ideals, media and fashion trends will follow.
For years, the media and fashion industry has been the target of blame for eating disorders and low self-esteem among young women. I've recently begun to wonder how the obesity epidemic can be coinciding with the phenomenon. The only consistent thread is unhealthy body image.
The ideal silhouette has fluctuated throughout history. I don't think anyone is complaining that the days of corsets and stomachers are over. However, for at least the last half century, the feminine ideal has been thinness. Things haven't changed much in the fashion industry since the 1960s when Twiggy ushered in the Mod look and only became more intense in the 1990s with Kate Moss's heroin chic.
Typically, I play the role of fashion industry defendant when others have brought up the negative influence of fashion and media on young women's health. It is especially hard to listen to these appeals when they are spoken by an obese young women, as was the case in my Women's Studies class last year. However, I've began to wonder if the idealization of a body type that is unattainable for most girls and women is actually attributing to the obesity epidemic as well? Are overweight individuals giving up because they have unrealistic expectations and goals for themselves?
Many young women idolize celebrities. When they look at successful and
beautiful women only a few years older than themselves, they often
become insecure. Instead of being inspired by these powerful females,
they are comparing themselves to their idols and, as expected, are
falling short. One friend refused to watch the Victoria's Secret fashion
show with me because the beautiful models gave her negative feelings. Another came over my house for dinner and whined about needing to lose weight while picking at her healthy meal and side salad, preferring to munch on Oreo cookies later that evening.
Although the media's obsession with celebrities' weight may trigger disordered eating habits that could lead to unhealthy weight in either direction, I don't expect the fashion industry to change fundamentally. While Milan's fashion week now refuses to use models with an unhealthy BMI, much of the reason for using thin models is tied to practicality. A skinny model functions like a hanger for clothes and can wear anything. If there was too much size variation in the modeling world, there would be a problem with sample sizing.
So if we can't rely on the media and fashion world to set a healthy example, how can young women find a healthy body image? We should be focused on looking and feeling our personal best through healthy food, an active lifestyle, and realistic self-expectations. If we stop worshiping these unhealthy ideals, media and fashion trends will follow.
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