Concerns Rise Over the Resurgence of Thinness as a Trend
The ongoing struggle with body image affects many, but millennial women are particularly vocal about their experiences with body dysmorphia. Recently, they’ve begun to examine how the influences of the Nineties and early Noughties have contributed to this issue.
During that era, the “heroin chic” aesthetic dominated fashion and media, epitomised by Kate Moss’s notorious quote: “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” Alarmingly, this same thin ideal appears to be resurfacing in today’s culture.
The revival of “skinny” as the desired aesthetic can be traced back to Kim Kardashian’s announcement of her 16-pound weight loss to fit into Marilyn Monroe’s iconic dress at the Met Gala. This moment signalled a return to the belief that “thin is in,” permeating public consciousness through platforms like TikTok, where #WhatIEatInADay videos promote restrictive diets, and fashion trends that cater to a narrow body type.
A viral TikTok by Amanda Lekland highlights this issue, featuring the text: “Why do I hate my body? Nineties kid edition.” The video showcases images of stars such as Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, Lindsay Lohan, Nicole Richie, and Paris Hilton, alongside magazine covers that pitted bodies against each other with phrases like “best and worst beach bodies.”
In her caption, Lekland stated, “It’s not weird that we hate our bodies. We’ve been taught to.” This sentiment struck a chord with many women recalling the damaging messages they received during the height of the skinny craze. One commenter recounted how Cosmopolitan magazine had her “eating cabbage soup and almonds,” while another shared memories of a mother who had “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” taped on the fridge, surrounded by model cutouts.
Despite the progress made by the body positivity movement, which advocates for acceptance of all body types, signs of a regression into fat-shaming are evident. Two decades ago, seeing anyone over a size zero on the runway was rare, but today, more diverse bodies are represented in fashion shows, as observed during London Fashion Week SS23. Yet, critiques of models like Ashley Graham and the rise in cosmetic procedures like buccal fat removal indicate a troubling return to old ideals.
“Skinny culture” is making a comeback on magazine covers, too. Body confidence advocate Alex Light recently shared a cover of First For Women magazine that proclaimed, “Drop 48lbs by Christmas,” expressing her disbelief at its publication date of 5 December. Her followers echoed her shock, with comments like, “OMG stop, I thought that was from 1997 or something!!!”
For many millennial women, the re-emergence of these harmful images and messages feels disheartening. Social media amplifies these trends, making it increasingly difficult for individuals to escape the pervasive narratives surrounding body image.
