BEAUTY STANDARDS AND SOCIETY

As a fashion blogger, I am always keeping up with important people in the fashion industry and their lives, even if this is just simply following them on Instagram. Even though this is my choice I kinda hate it!! I'm stuck in a place where I feel I can't unfollow someone because of FOMO. I am almost forced to look at these 'perfect' people with their 'perfect' lives and feel envy and aspire to be them. But how 'perfect' actually are they and how detrimental are these constant images of people who are seen to be the highest level of beauty?

I saw a video today, that I recommend everyone watches. It was created by Em Ford and it is about the effect that seeing these images of 'pretty' people has on us. Seeing constant images of Instagram models and the Kardashians paints an image that we all should look a certain way to be happy and perfect. Have you ever noticed how they basically all look the same, with just slight variations? To me this is boring it's not beauty. They may be beautiful women but they aren't something everyone should aspire for. We need more models like Winnie Harlow so EVERYONE can feel represented, normal and beautiful. People with skin conditions or something that isn't seen on these 'perfect' women shouldn't feel like they have to cover it up and feel ashamed. As much as I love seeing the Victoria Secret Fashion Show, the fact they have said they won't use transgender or plus-size women is something that should be spoken about more. Perfection is BS and beauty standards are too unrealistic. 

Because of my blog I am constantly comparing my outfits, photos and personal appearance to other bloggers. While this does mean I work harder, it also could become detrimental to my mental health. Constantly comparing ourselves to others and 'bettering' ourselves is something we can't just 'get over', there needs to be a change of some sort which means not every single model looks the same. People shouldn't feel like they have to change themselves through surgery or filler to look 'prettier'. Surgery is obviously the persons choice and if you want it done, go for it!! But I wonder if less people would get it if there was more diversity in beauty standards and models. This includes skin colour, like why aren't there more races other than white people??? In the words of Ellen Pompeo, I don't see enough colour!!!

When you think about perfection and your ideal beauty, what do you actually think of? I think true beauty is from within and having confidence in who you are. Cringey I know. It makes me so disheartened when beautiful girls feel ugly because they have 'bad skin' or they're 'too fat'. Women should be taught to love themselves not hate themselves and want to change or hide any 'flaws' so companies can make money of their insecurities. Flaws by the way are such BS. What makes something a flaw?? Who decided that's a flaw and that's beautiful??

In the research by Em Ford, brain scans showed that every single woman had the same reaction to pictures of models compared to themselves or someone natural. Plus, it was the area of the brain associated with trauma!! Yep, trauma!! I think people are prone to see the worst in themselves and it's ingrained in us from a young age. They do say that if you were to walk past yourself in the street you wouldn't recognise yourself. How crazy would that be. Some companies are trying to combat this idealistic view of beauty and get women to love themselves, like the Dove 'Real Beauty' campaign. One of my favourite ads is where they ask people to describe themselves to a painter and they point out any negatives they feel about themselves whereas when someone who they met just before describes them they're positive and the drawings are pretty accurate. 

I do find myself often judging and comparing myself and I am a sucker for make-up and covering up my under-eye bags (what I class as my biggest 'flaw'). As I said before, more diversity is needed so EVERYONE can feel beautiful. As a society we need to recognise the unrealistic goal placed us and how beauty isn't static. There isn't one type of beauty which everyone needs to fit. Go watch the Em Ford video, it's 15 minutes and definitely worth it!

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BODY IMAGE AND POSITIVITY

This is a topic very close to me and I feel like it is very relevant in the fashion industry, probably more than any other so I want to discuss it with you all, as many blogs I follow have been talking about the subject and it became more apparent how I'm still affected whilst I was at Hideout Festival. I know it is something that many people will also understand and struggle with. I am my biggest critic and often feel like I'm not good enough and need to do better. But who isn't? It takes me so long to get any pictures for my blog because I hate most of them; my hair doesn't look right or I look too 'fat' or too pale, and so I end up deleting them. 

When I was younger I felt confident in my own skin but soon started to feel shame and a knock in confidence as my body developed, comparing myself to celebrities and peers. This was from a young age, and when I developed curves and a larger chest when I was 14 or 15 people would call me names such as 'slut', and police my body for something I couldn't change. Wearing a top that showed even a slight bit of cleavage would cause girls to call me these names and say I always got them out on purpose whereas someone with a more petite figure wearing the same top would get compliments.

Going from my thin, petite figure to my curvy, voluptuous figure meant I gained weight in the places I didn't want, such as my thighs and stomach, which made me extremely self-conscious and caused me to limit what I eat, diet and exercise excessively. However, my body wouldn't change and the lack of progress deflated me, causing me to see a different person in the mirror. 

But finally, curvy figures started to become celebrated in the media; from the likes of Beyoncé (the Qween of everything) to Nicki Minaj and Kim K. This started to make me feel more confident. Studying in Brighton for college meant I was surrounded by feminism, acceptance and body positivity. I learnt that my figure was something I should be proud of, my friends and boyfriend reinforce this every day. 

There is still an issue with body image today and the 'Instagram' summer bod and validation from likes and comments. However there has been a shift in attitude through the use of plus size models and those who represent everyday women and minorities. The attitude of everyone is beautiful is spreading through campaigns such as Missguided's #KEEPBEINGYOU campaign and one of my personal favourites, Dove's Real Beauty campaigns; one of the first large companies to take this leap. I still have my darker days where I feel unattractive and bloated from eating basically nothing but that's normal and we have to remind ourselves of we aren't these things. Some days I feel so positive I want to take loads of pictures in my gym wear, bikinis and my underwear and walk around in them all day. Just me?

 

Now I like to decorate my skin with tattoos to remind me of its beauty and to create positive scars. I have three tattoos now: a 7 for my lucky number, the rose from Beauty and the Beast as it is my mum's favourite Disney princess film and my star sign Cancer's constellation but with flowers. I hope to get more over the years.

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