In fashion, we know trends come and go, but those same trends shouldn’t apply to our bodies, right? Well, as it turns out, what we consider “ideal” or “beautiful” has changed dramatically over time.
One Instagram influencer wanted to prove this point by photoshopping her body to match the ideal body from different eras. She realized an important message about self-love in the process of making these photos.
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If you’ve ever looked at famous pictures and works of art throughout history, it’s easy to see that our perception of beauty has changed dramatically over time.
What humans considered the “ideal” female body during the Renaissance looks way different compared to today’s standards.
And now, with the rise of social media, we don’t have to compete against works of art.
Instead, we get to compare ourselves against Instagram influencers. However, one Instagram model used her profile to send an important message about body positivity.
Cassey Ho is an Instagram influencer and fitness model.
Her Instagram account, @blogilates has over 1.5 million followers!
She is also the founder of POPFLEX active wear which makes awesome atheltic wear for all shapes and sizes.
She also hosts a “Puppies and Planks” festival; a charity event for humans and their fur babies.
Even though Cassey is serious about fitness, she still likes to have fun.
She often posts funny comics or relatable memes about working out. This comic about periods made me LOL!
Cassey’s stance against diet-culture is super inspiring and offers a fresh take on nutrition and mindful eating!
“Stop scrolling. Take a moment to ingest this comic. Read every word. Swallow every detail. If you’ve ever been on a diet, you’ve been here before. Maybe you’re still here. The keys will tell you how to escape,” she wrote .
She’s also openly shared how her body has changed over the years.
Cassey shared that she’s gained weight since 2012, but she doesn’t regret it because now she’s actually feeding her body what it needs.
Recently, Cassey posted a series of photos to spread a body positive message.
She photoshopped her body to match the ideal standard of beauty in different eras.
The Renaissance embraced fuller figures with cellulite on display. It seems body positive but the truth is, looking rounder was a symbol of wealth.
The 1920s said, “Goodbye,” to curves,
In this photo depicting the ideal of 1920s, straight “boyish” bodies were in. No curves here, folks!
Things changed dramatically in the 1950s.
Inspired by Marylin Monroe, fuller, hourglass figures were in. Cassey modified her body to try and match Elizabeth Taylor’s 36-21-36 measurments.
A new era, a new body in the 1990s.
The 1990s were the age of stick-thin supermodels (think Kate Moss) and women felt pressured to drop as much weight as possible. Cassey wrote that this body type was described as “heroin chic.” Yikes.
Remember the “thigh gap”?
That’s what reigned in the late ’90s and 2000s. It was all about trying to look like a Victoria’s Secret Angel with big boobs, flat abs, and legs for days.
Instagram has influenced our beauty perceptions of the present day.
Thanks to Instagram and celebrities like the Kardashians, everyone is trying to rock a big booty and tiny waist. Cassey wrote that the demand for butt injections has surged in recent years because of Instagram.
The real Cassey.
After completing this experiment, Cassey said it made her realize how much she loved her own body.
“Sure I’ve got a small butt, small boobs, a soft belly, and hip dips, but I’ve also got powerful legs, strong shoulders, and a figure that is all mine – unlike anyone else’s,” she said.
“My question to all of us women is this: Why do we treat our bodies like we treat fashion? Who’s telling us what’s in and what’s out?”
She concluded, “This is such an important message. No matter what the current trends of the day are, we should try to strive to love ourselves as we are!”
“Please treat your body with love & respect and do not succumb to the beauty standard. Embrace your body because it is YOUR own perfect body.”
Since sharing these photos, thousands of people have commented on her post.
“As we grow older our bodies change as well. We are women. That’s what they are supposed to do. Embrace the change. Love the new you. Don’t let anyone else tell you anything different,” said one Instagram comment.
This post has put things in perspective and is an important reminder that beauty is really in the eye of the beholder.
“Amazing post, it goes to show there is no real perfect body,” said another comment.
If you’re loving Casey’s content, there’s a bunch more places you can follower her on!
@popflex_active , @poppilatesofficial , and @piit28official .
