Body standards have plagued us for decades. The pressure to look a certain way isn’t a new idea — it’s been haunting us for a while, and Instagram influencer Sia Cooper wants to show us how ridiculous those standards have always been.
This article deals with some sensitive topics related to body image. Please be mindful and gentle with yourself if that upsets you!
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Let’s get started with the roaring ’20s.
“Roaring 20s: this body style was all about boyish. Women even opted for short hair. Boobs and waists didn’t matter and women felt liberated as they were.”
The ’20s were more about that androgynous look, and the looser clothing styles allowed for more body diversity.
See also: films like “Chicago” and “Thoroughly Modern Millie.”
Julie Andrews’ struggles to achieve the perfect, flat-chested look to allow her beaded necklace to lay flat is the perfect example of 1920s fashion as Sia described it.
Reneé Zellwegger in Chicago is another good example.
Relax with the Hollywood Era.
“Hollywood Era 1950s: Women focuses on curves-think Marilyn Monroe. They didn’t care about weight, but a slimmer waist was ideal. Playboy was also introduced in this era.”
Not caring about weight? Sign me up.
Of course, Marilyn Monroe was the epitome of that ideal body type.
Imagine living in a world where people cared less about weight… sounds amazing. However, the pressure to have a snatched waist sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
The more things change, the more they stay the same.
The ’60s and ’70s saw a resurgence of that ’20s silhouette.
“Swinging 60s & 70s: this was the area of the ‘twig’ body style thanks to famous model Twiggy. Women wanted a thin and girly, adolescent appearance.”
Unlike the ’20s, women were pressured to look more feminine.
Twiggy changed the way we look at fashion.
And how we take in the bodies that wear it.
Androgyny was the name of the game in the ’60s and ’70s, and Twiggy ushered that in. Unfortunately, Twiggy was also blamed for promoting an “unhealthy” body image.
Supermodel bodies rose to popularity in the ’80s.
“Supermodel 80s: catwalks and supermodels became the it thing. Think Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford. Lean and tall legs and an athletic body type were ideal. This was also when fitness started hitting big.”
There was a clear and present danger to women.
At the same time that supermodels were becoming en vogue , eating disorders were on a drastic rise.
Singer Karen Carpenter suffered from severe anorexia. It eventually led to her death, and thus started a new wave of awareness for eating disorders.
The ’90s saw the most drastic look yet.
“Heroin ’90s: the waif look took over once Kate Moss took the world by storm. This gaunt malnourished look was the thing as well as appearing androgynous-neither female or male. CK One was also created during this time,” Sia wrote on Instagram.
This drastic look came at a high price.
Bulimia hit its peak in the ’80s and ’90s. The pressure to achieve model-perfect bodies took a toll on women everywhere.
The public was more aware than ever of the danger of eating disorders, but standards hadn’t changed.
Fast forward to the present.
“Postmodern Beauty aka today: it’s the era of @jlo and the Kardashians where big boobs and butts and flat tummies are on the rise. Women also turn to plastic surgery to achieve their desired look. Women are unhappier than ever with their appearance,” Sia said.
Of course, we all know who heavily influenced this era.
Kim Kardashian’s body is now considered the “ideal” body. The introduction of social media to the fashion world changed the way all of us look at ourselves.
If you don’t have a waist trainer, are you even on Instagram?
So, what’s the message here?
“It’s no wonder why we are all so obsessed and screwed up with our self appearances. We’ve let society tell us how to look for YEARS-it’s nothing new,” Sia said.
But here is Sia’s real message:
“If you want to be truly happy, focus on self acceptance and body love. Make this the decade you choose to forget what the media says and choose to love your own self as you are.”
A-frickin-men.
