Body image a result of fashion? or fashion a reflection of how we want to be and look?

Fashion sets the factors influencing body image as it portrays the ideal image on all possible platform an individual can identify
and relate to fashion. Body Image which is basically the perception of an individual about their body is often influenced by
various factors. These factors which can be broadly classified into two primary reasons. These primary reasons are, the
perception of the society and the perception of the individuals’. It could be sensed on the face of it that both these factors
are always correlative in nature. To analyze the proposed paradigm, the ideal image which is decided or portrayed by the
fashion industry does not always match with the body image that a society or a non-fashion individual would have. The
secondary factors determining body image is again topped by the ideal image of the fashion industry, secondly the society’s
parameters on acceptable body types, fitness and health, social media, clothes on trend, body types of celebrities and body
shaming. These factors always influence the body image of an individual that eventually creates a lot of risks to the mental
health of them. The common connection to all these factors is fashion that clearly finds its way to influence the body image
of individuals.

Body shaming and Body positivity:

To get into the critical analysis on the influence of fashion in body image, the developments and negative impacts of the
industry should be observed. Body shaming has reached that point in the society where it is in one way or the other gets
normalized and thus any voice against the same receives immense support by the victims and sometimes the bystanders.
Looking into the body shaming aspect of this, the very act is done to call someone abnormal or unfit to match the
expectations. By expectations, the ideal image comes into play which is in most cases decided by the fashion industry.
Considering the fact that body positivity that started in 1960s1 has earned immense support throughout the world through
years, it should also be kept in mind that the same was a mere result of normalizing body shaming. The movement did not
only encourage fat people to get out of the closet and explore the fashion but also went against ideal image of the fashion
industry. The sole aim of the body positivity movement was the inclusivity of all body types. In order to achieve the goal, the
tools were the inclusion of all body types in the industry of fashion which was not a cake walk for many decades as the industry
has always set a parameter on who can be models. The body positivity was not targeting the women who did not fit into the
ideal body types but also men.

Trends in fashion, feminism and the effects. :

Since 2012, the concept of body positivity has attracted constant campaign throughout the world by the fourth wave
feminism.2 By such a massive wave, the fashion industry has been pushed to the state where it has to be inclusive of all body
types in order to sustain and attract the modern feminists in general. The fashion trends with no doubt has been changing
every year and thus the ideal image of body has also seen various types, few of which could be recalled now. The emergence
of Size Zero3 took place in 1960’s which is the same time period when body positivity also started that shows the opposition
it received at the very beginning itself. The size zero also hit India in 2008 in Bollywood by Actress Kareena Kapoor that still
holds a good place. After such an ideal size ruling the industry, the emergence of Plus Size models (curvy) slightly happened
in the late 1970s4 as Mary Duffy owned Big Beauties Little Women, the first agency specializing in plus-size and petite models
in 1977. Recently, a new body type which is in between curvy and thin has entered the industry that is promoted by celebrities
such as Kylie Jenner with an hourglass figure. Though an inclusivity could be observed through the trends, the effects of the
same cannot be ignored. These body types have also created a fear in the minds of people, especially the youngsters to
possess a body type that would fit into these that unavoidably ends up in forced physical training, dieting, increased inferiority
complex and low self-esteem that affects the body image eventually. On the other hand, the industry did not welcome the
inclusivity just like that, but had to eliminate its previous agendas as well. The same happened when in May 2017 the French

1
Lew Louderback kick-started body positivity movement by publishing an essay titled “More People Should Be Fat” in which he critiqued
the way fat people were treated in America.
2
Fourth-wave feminism is the feminist movement that focuses heavily on the empowerment of LGBT individuals, trans-inclusivity, sex-
positivity and body-positivity which emerged in 2012.
3
'Size zero' was first used in 1966 for British supermodel Twiggy, who was then a super model in US.
4
Plus size models were first represented by model agencies in the 1970s. Prior to this, models free-lanced directly with retailers,
designers and magazines as the model.
government banned skinny models altogether, with those flouting the rules facing fines of up to £69,000. The industry by
throwing away the skinny models has only excluded that body type and not achieve the inclusivity it aimed for.

Fashion as reflection of body image or individual’s choice:

Inclusivity of body types in the real world is far away from the inclusivity in the fashion industry as the very notion of it differs
in both places. Thus it could be undoubtedly said that fashion does not reflect the body image or the choice of individuals
whereas it always vice versa in all cases. Even the inclusivity of all body types in the fashion industry is the effect of the body
positivity movement and the fourth wave feminism and not the choice of individuals. This clearly shows that fashion is the
influential factor and not the individuals who are just bystanders of the same. The industry always had the power to influence
the body image and perceptions of individuals towards the body image of themselves as well as others. But the steps taken
by the fashion industry to include all body types should be appreciated and promoted with no relaxations from the aim. Thus
it is well – proved that our body image is the result of fashion and fashion is not the result of how we wish to look.