Beneath the surface

For countless people, especially teens who are at pivotal points in their lives, fashion is a way to showcase their personalities to the world with ease. However, with today’s extensive social media platforms, it is a common occurence to lose the positive essence fashion is supposed to hold. Publicity typically lacks diversity and adds an additional layer of pressure to young adults to look a certain way.

“All across social media, I see workout videos and pills that can help you lose weight,” junior Alicia Rivera said. “[It] shouldn’t be happening [because] we are just developing our bodies and seeing so much pressure [to] obtain the perfect body or perfect skin can lead to so many problems with the way we view ourselves.”

Magazine covers and photos uploaded by influencers tend to feature photos that have been edited to perfection. This culture of bloggers and influencers creates an artificial and unrealistic image. Despite the lack of authenticity, young people, especially girls, are eager to fit the image presented by popular brands.

Though there is a rising demand for change, name brands continue their promotion of a sole body type. Focusing on one body type only, one that is tall and thin, enables companies to create masses of clothing that is one size at a quicker pace; better known as fast fashion. The term “one size fits all” is one that has been criticized for years, but still overpowers the fashion industry.

“It’s easier to have one body type, because then they [companies] don’t have to go out [of their way] and think, ‘Oh, are we being inclusive? Are we making sure everybody’s covered?,’” Galvez said. “They have one body type and it’s like ‘We can make clothes for one shape at a faster [rate] and we can put them on models [to] represent the clothes [we] are making.’ It’s [favoring] how [a certain] figure looks. [Companies] think ‘This is what we want our brand to look like. We feel like because this is a very pretty body type, most people are going to think it’s pretty, [too]. [They will] be drawn to our clothes, which makes them more likely to buy them.’”

With the media’s constant tendency to focus attention on thinner figures, adolescents become infatuated with one look and change their daily regimes to fit the figure portrayed on screens. This often serves as a foundation for serious health problems, such as eating disorders and other mental illnesses.

“Being healthy is about feeling good about yourself, [exercising] and eating better,” Rivera said. “But the body the media deems perfect is so hard to obtain that some go to extreme measures to get that body. Around this time last year, I hated my body so much because I would always compare myself to other people I saw on social media. I took extreme measures to lose weight. I started to cut off a lot of what I would consume in a day and started to track my calorie consumption. I didn’t see the results myself but I was losing weight at a rapid rate. My family realized I needed help and took me to see a professional where I got diagnosed with body dysmorphia.”