Ellie Preston | Fashion Culture & Society | AD5603
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To begin with, for our Fashion Culture
happenings such as Trump’s inauguration
and Society module, we created
and his disrespectful comments against
presentations based around our own chosen
women, as well as the Harvey Weinstein
subjects to do with social and economical
#MeToo scandals I believe we’re at a
issues surrounding the fashion industry.
time when more than ever women are
My presentation was titled “The Fashion
finally standing up for themselves and
Magazine and how it has Evolved” and was
demanding respect as well as being more
based around the history, present and
supportive of each other. However, when
future of the fashion magazine. I chose
researching for this topic, there wasn’t
this subject as it relates to what I want
as many reports, journals and articles
to do when I leave university, which is
about it as I thought there would be
working in the editorial or journalism
considering it’s such a prevalent,
sectors of a fashion magazine. However,
relevant and important subject. This is
after feedback from my tutor and further
what drove me to dig deeper and share
reflection by myself, I decided that
the statistics, facts and opinions of
it would be better to focus on a more
others as well as my own, surrounding the
specific, and social or political subject.
topic of women’s body image in the past
I also decided that my research area was
and today. This essay will discuss the
too broad and didn’t have a clear-cut
history of women’s body image ideals and
focal point, so after conducting further
how magazines impacted that, as well as
research into issues surrounding the
the control that reality TV royalty; the
fashion magazine I decided to focus on
Kardashians have over women’s body image
how the fashion magazine and social media
today. I also examine the impression that
has affected women’s body image through
social media and influencer marketing more
the years.
recently has had over women and girls,
With recent political and social
and the way they look at themselves.
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Throughout history, the body image
for their covers. These covers often
ideals for women have fluctuated and
pictured a tall and extremely slender
evolved dramatically. With these powerful
woman adorned with charming clothing and
changes being broadcasted and documented
jewellery as well as perfect cropped
by fashion media publications, its not
hair and makeup (Zachary, C. 2015). The
surprising that many people hold fashion
use of illustration likely appeared more
magazines accountable for the body image
unattainable and less relatable than
dissatisfaction of many women in today’s
the use of photography as it was not an
society.
actual person, however women of this era still strived to fit into this body ideal.
For this section of my essay, I thought
Next moving onto the 1940’s and 1950’s,
it would be interesting to create a
which were again, post war decades
timeline comparing the different body
heavily influenced by the absence of men
image ideals for women throughout history
and women taking over the work at home,
and how these body types were reflected
influencing the new strong and solid ideal
in fashion publications. I will then also
body image. Due to this, the 40’s saw the
discuss my research into how magazines
rise of utility clothing and less glamour
are affecting how satisfied women are
amongst women, which in turn influenced
with their own bodies in today’s modern
the rise of ‘Dior’s new look’, featuring
society.
chic and well tailored skirts, dresses and blazer jackets. (Idealist Style,
My historical research begins with the
2014). With adverts in magazines and
1920’s. The 20’s was the decade in which
newspapers exhibiting how being skinny
American women were given their right to
was thought to be unattractive, tips and
vote, the rise of the ‘flapper’, as well
products were given and advertised on how
as many women around the world wanting
women could gain weight, often for the
to continue working after the jobs they
pleasure or attention of men. Seeing this
were given to help in the first World
ideal in magazines through advertisements
War (Yang, Celestino, Koeppel. 2015).
and models would have caused women to
This rebellion is part of what influenced
be dissatisfied with their own bodies,
the body type ideal for this era, with
using models as a window to future self
women sporting cropped hairstyles and
of what they aspire to look like. Sexism,
ditching the corset for ‘boyish’ and
misogyny and male approval of the way
curveless figures. Fashion publications
women looked as well as a fuller figure
definitely had a large influence on the
carried on being popular into the 1950’s,
body image ideals for this decade, with
which the idolisation of film stars
the likes of Vogue not producing its
such as Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth
first photographic cover until 1932,
Taylor who both adorned voluptuous and
it opted to instead use illustrations
curvaceous figures (Gerstein, J. 2015).
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Now we have the 1960’s, when again
increase of anorexia (1996), yet again
women were exposed to yet another wildly
showing that the idolisation of certain
different body type. The 60’s was
body types has affected women not only
described as being the beginning of the
mentally but also physically.
sexual revolution, with access to birth control pills and greater liberation.
Next, we have the 1990’s-2000’s, which
Having a tall and thin, ‘hipless’ frame
once again was dominated by the super
became popular after the rise of the Mary
skinny and tall, “heroin chic” or toned
Quant mini skirt and A-line dresses. This
and athletic body ideal. The 90’s was
figure was donned by (naturally thin)
lead by models such as Kate Moss and
magazine cover models such as Twiggy and
Jodie Kidd (George-Parkin, H. 2017) who
Jane Birkin, which were in turn idolised
dominated magazine covers and runways,
by many young women wanting to fit into
described as ‘waifs’ after the grunge
this ‘ideal frame’. Women in the 60’s
music scene influenced the fashion
went to such lengths to lose weight, that
industry, further pushing the need and
there was said to be ‘large quantities of
want to be skinny onto society. By the
amphetamines dispensed by diet doctors
early 2000’s, it became more popular
and weight loss clinics.’ Causing an
to be toned and athletic, promoting a
Amphetamine epidemic across America, in
healthier yet skill thin body image to
an academic study by Rasmussen, N. 2008.
women. The supermodels of this decade included Gisele Bundchen, Heidi Klum and
Moving onto the 1980’s, which was when
Tyra Banks, and although more healthy
health and fitness really started to be
it was no secret that dangerously
at the forefront of people’s minds and
underweight models were still being used
the way they dress. It wasn’t just about
in magazine editorials and catwalk shows.
being skinny it was about celebrating
According to a study by Micali N, Hagberg
healthiness and self-care. “Let’s get
KW, Petersen I, et al. 2013. Between
physical” and Jane Fonda come to mind. It
2000-2009 there was a 15% increase in
was also the decade in which supermodels
diagnosed eating disorders in people aged
really began to be idolized by women
10-49. The highest increase in the study
globally, including the likes of Cindy
being in girls aged 15-19, proving that
Crawford and Iman. However, due to the
print media and the increase in use of
heavy use of thin, athletic models
extremely thin models was detrimental
in print media combined with the ever
to not only women but also young girls
growing amount of gyms and workout videos
mental health.
there was said to be a considerable rise in the eating disorder, anorexia.
Moving onto the decade that we’re
This claim is supported by Hof, S. and
currently in, the 2010’s. Where so far
Nicolson, M.’s academic report into the
we’ve seen the rise of social media, the
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Kardashians and influencer marketing. Social media has fast became one of the most valuable tools for companies to market their brands as well as for people to market themselves and their blogs, who we now know as influencers. According to Statista (2018), the number of worldwide social media users between 2010 and 2017 grew by over 150% from just under 1 billion to nearly 2.5 billion users, with estimations of it growing another 15% from 2018 to 2021, in comparison to Vogue UK’s magazine readership, which by the end of 2016, had dropped to just under 1.1 million readers, nearly as few readers as it had in 2003 and the lowest its readership has been since early 2010 (Statista, 2016). From these statistics, it’s clear to see that social media has now got a much larger influence on the way society view themselves than the fashion magazine. Women and girls being more and more influenced by and exposed to celebrities and bloggers, who are then in turn affecting their own body image and what they aspire to look like.
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Focusing on the Kardashians, who first properly came into the spotlight when Kim Kardashian’s sex tape was leaked back in 2007 (Baxter-Wright, 2017) and have since rose to TV royalty across the world. With their series Keeping up with the Kardashians airing the same year, and Kim even releasing her own work-out DVD, this originally helped to cement their name in the world of body image and fitness. The Kardashians began to be well known for their bodies, featuring small waists, big
young at the time of her lip surgery,
bums and toned abs, however they’re also
their younger audience will be more
well known for being so open about having
impressionable and therefore wanting to
plastic surgery to achieve elements of
change their bodies and faces to fit in
their bodies. After Kim announcing her
with todays beauty and body image ideals.
bum implant surgery in 2014, the American
A positive impact on body image for
Society of Plastic Surgeons stated that
women coming out of the Kardashians fame,
there had been a 98% increase in implant
is that according to Sobel (2017), before
procedures between 2013 and 2014 (Stern,
they were met with such popularity, the
2015.) proving that women globally were
majority of celebrities or influencing
so heavily influenced by the way her body
figures that women looked up to all had
looks that they went to the extremes
extremely skinny frames, similar to that
of getting plastic surgery themselves.
of Kate Moss and Twiggy. The Kardashians
Another incident lead by the Kardashians
were said to be the ones to bring curves
thats shaken the world of women’s body
back into fashion, and to make it more
image was Kim’s younger sister; Kylie
acceptable to be more than one body shape
Jenner, admitting to having lip fillers
across Hollywood
in 2015 at just 17 years old. This
A quote that I feel sums up the
admission caused a huge increase with lip
Kardashians impact on the women and
fillers in the UK, with one clinic even
girls of today is; “Ten years ago, women
claiming that there was a 70% increase of
in their late teens and early twenties
enquiries for the surgery within 24 hours
rarely sought plastic surgery, but now
as stated by (Akbareian, 2015).
young people are doing it because they
With the 5 sisters having a combined
are seeing themselves on social media
Instagram following of over 424 million,
from different angles next to models
they have massive reach that will have
like Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian
a huge influence over women of all ages
with curvaceous bodies.” Dr. Miami via
and races and with Kylie being so
Highsnobiety (2017).
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One of the main catalysts for the
media on body image has to be on teens.
Kardashian’s success is social media, not
With Statista (2016) stating that in 2016
to mention the fact that social media
in the UK, a massive 82% of 12-15 year
has become the main place for people to
olds use Facebook and around 56% use
share their lives and photographs with
Instagram. Leaving them to be exposed to
their friends and followers, and although
trending hashtags such as #thinspo and
celebrities do still have a significant
#thighgap, as well as more explicit tags
influence on body image, according to
that have been created in association
Ratcliffe (2017) its actually seeing
with eating disorders and sharing
people you know posting selfies on social
pictures, aspiring to look like an often
media that can cause women the most guilt
dangerous and unattainable weight.
surrounding their body image. As quoted
Although it’s clear that social media
by Jasmine Fardouly via. The Guardian;
has been detrimental to women and girls
“Celebrities may seem more distanced and
both physically and mentally, a huge
their appearance may seem less attainable
positive to come out of social media
than people you work with or see
surrounding body positivity is the avid
regularly.” Which shows that women are
use of body positivity campaigns from
actually being more influenced by their
brands, as well as hashtags such as
friends or acquaintances as they think of
#EffYourBeautyStandards and #BodyPosi. An
them as being more candid and relatable,
example of one of these amazing campaigns
as opposed to distant celebrities or
is Dove’s Real Beauty Campaign, in which
models. However, research from The
they pledge to always use real women in
Renfrew Center Foundation (2014), states
their campaigns rather than models as
that 70% of women aged 18-34 admit to
well as reflecting diversity of different
editing their images before uploading to
body types and ethnicities. Dove also
social media platforms, proving that when
don’t edit their bodies in any way and
women see these photographs and in turn
have more recently started a ‘Self Esteem
are personally affected by the content on
Project’ with a goal to teach 20 million
their social feeds, majority of the time
more people around the world about body
the images aren’t exactly ‘real life’ and
confidence by 2020, as stated on their
instead are images that people think of
website (2018). I think this campaign is
as being their ‘best selves rather than
a brilliant example of what companies can
their real selves’ (Ressler, A. TRCF.
do to spread positivity outside of their
2014), which will in turn gain people the
brand and trying to sell products.
positive attention and validation through
A more recent extender from social
comments, likes and followers that they
media, is influencer marketing. Influencer
want to feel good about themselves and
marketing is when brands choose to
their bodies.
promote and sell their products through
One of the largest impacts of social
influencers, rather than paying for TV
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and radio adverts, pages in a magazine or billboards and bus stops (Carlson, 2016). The influencers, who are usually celebrities and bloggers, use their social media accounts to share and promote these products through imagery and videos to their followers. You can usually tell if you’re favourite blogger has posted a sponsored post, as they have to disclose through hashtags such as #Ad or #Spon. Although the thought of advertisements is that they’re probably harmless, in a lot of cases the promotion of some products that we’re seeing on Instagram can also be quite dangerous to the way we think. One example of this is the promotion of ‘Detox Teas’ that at one stage were polluting our social feeds and were pretty hard to get away from. Promoted by the likes of Vanessa Hudgens and Kylie Jenner, who claimed that these teas induce weight loss in a candid ‘relatable’ style posts, which then in turn drove over 300,000 posts under the hashtag #teatox on Instagram, according to Mcneilly, 2016. There’s no doubt that this amount of re-posts drove a large amount of sales from young women and girls, aspiring to look like their idols, yet further research from Dr. Karin Kratina via Teen Vogue (2016), suggests that
“The weight loss [from detox teas]
to theirs, rather than being happy with
is primarily, and probably all, water
how you look is actually causing people
weight,” and that the consumption of
to be misinformed. Women and girls of
caffeine can actually induce weight gain
today in most cases are more influenced
rather than weight loss. This proves that
by what their favourite celebrity says
the influence of wanting to look like
to do, rather than qualified medical
these celebrities and have similar bodies
professionals.
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I wanted this essay to be two-sided,
development of social media, celebrities
showing both the positive and negative
and influencers. The obsession that
effects that the fashion magazine and
young women and girls have with certain
social media/influencer marketing has had
celebrities, is actually proving to be
on women and their overall health and
quite damaging to the point where they’ll
body image. However, from researching
buy anything they promote, or even pay
heavily and spending a lot of time
for surgery on their bodies to look like
articulating and writing, I haven’t came
them. Not to mention the fact that aside
across a lot of positive research or
from celebrities, it’s actually people we
statistics at all. Even when specifically
know that make us feel the worst about
looking for ‘positive effects social
the way we look, from snapchat selfies to
media has on body image’, I found maybe
edited bikini pics.
one or two articles. And, as an avid social media user and magazine reader
It’s true that scrolling through my
myself, when racking my brain to think of
Instagram feed doesn’t always do wonders
anything really positive that has came
for my mood after I’ve eaten a lot that
out of either channels for me, I really
day or haven’t been to the gym in a
couldn’t think of a lot.
while, however it is enjoyable for the fact that you’re able to stay relevant
So, in conclusion, its clear to see that
and up-to-date without even needing to
from my research its always been difficult
leave your bed.
for women to have their natural body
I do think that if more companies and
shape accepted. Back in the 20th century,
influencers worked together to bring more
every decade you were expected to look
diversity into magazines and social
completely different which was not only
platforms then it could be a much more
unattainable but also unreasonable.
body positive world. I also think that in
Fashion publications, although they’re
the future, the promotion of weight loss
desirable, for the majority of history
products that aren’t prescribed medically
haven’t actually reflected the diversity
should be banned, especially from being
of the women that they’re selling to by
advertised by influencing figures that
using specific models that fit a specific
people idolise. No body is perfect and I
body type, often to do with their
don’t think people should be made to feel
inherited genetics. From this has derived
that they have to be.
not only low self esteem for a lot of women but also eating disorders and other unhealthy habits. This carried on into the 21st Century, with continuity of fashion magazines using models with extremely thin body types, and the
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Akbareian, E. (2015). Kylie Jenner lip filler confession leads to 70% increase in enquiries for the procedure. The Independent. Retrieved from http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/fashion/news/ kylie-jenner-lip-filler-confession-leadsto-70-rise-in-enquiries-for-the-procedure-10232716.html Baxter-Wright, D. (2017). How did Kim Kardashian actually get famous? A timeline of her career. Cosmopolitan. Retrieved from http://www.cosmopolitan.com/ uk/entertainment/a12464842/who-is-kimkardashian/ Carlson, K. (2016). The Definition of Influencer Marketing. Experticity. Retrieved from https://www.experticity.com/the-definition-of-influencer-marketing/ Dove. (2018). The ‘Dove Real Beauty Pledge’. Dove. [Website]. Retrieved from https://www.dove.com/us/en/stories/aboutdove/dove-real-beauty-pledge.html Gerstein, J. (2015). This Is What The Ideal Body Has Looked Like Over The Past 100 Years. Buzzfeed. Retrieved from https://www.buzzfeed.com/juliegerstein/ what-the-ideal-body-looked-like-over-thepast-100?utm_term=.dmXqnjNqz#.ifGlVWyl7 Hof, S., Nicolson, M. (1996). The rise and fall of a fact: the increase in anorexia nervosa. Sociology of Health & Illness. [Journal]. Retrieved form http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ doi/10.1111/j.1467-9566.1996.tb00395.x/ abstract Idealist Style. (2014). BEAUTY IDEAL OVER THE DECADES part 9 : THE 40’s. Idealist Style. [Blog]. Retrieved from https://www.idealiststyle.com/blog/beauty-ideal-over-the-decades-part-9-the-40s McNeilly, C. (2016). Why Instagram’s Favorite Diet — “Teatoxing” — Won’t Actually Help You Lose Weight. Teen Vogue. Retrieved from https://www.teenvogue.com/ story/tea-detox-teatox-bad-for-healthdangers Micali, N., Hagberg, KW., Petersen, I., et al. (2013). The incidence of eating disorders in the UK in 2000–2009: findings from the General
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Practice Research Database. BMJ Journals. Retrieved from http://bmjopen.bmj.com/ content/3/5/e002646 Rasmussen, N. (2008). America’s First Amphetamine Epidemic 1929–1971. Am J Public Health. [Journal]. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2377281/ Ratcliffe, R. (2017). Friends’ pictures on social media have biggest impact on body image. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/ mar/05/friends-pictures-on-social-mediabiggest-impact-body-image Sobel, G. (2017). Here’s Why the Kardashians Are a Good Influence for Female Body Image. Entity Mag. Retrieved from https://www.entitymag.com/kardashian-good-female-body-image/ Statista. (2016). Social media sites or apps used by children in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2016*. Statista. [Statistics]. https://www.statista.com/statistics/415138/social-media-usage-amongchildren-uk/ Statista. (2016). Average issue readership of Vogue magazine in the United Kingdom (UK) from 1st half 2003 to 2nd half 2016 (in million readers). Statista. [Statistics]. Retrieved from https://www. statista.com/statistics/288773/vogue-magazine-readership-trend-uk/ Statista. (2018). Number of social media users worldwide from 2010 to 2021 (in billions). Statista. [Statistics]. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/ statistics/278414/number-of-worldwide-social-network-users/ Stern, C. (2015). Butts are on the rise! Plastic surgeons see major tush trend as requests for derriere implants and lifts continue to grow - thanks to Kim Kardashian, Nicki Minaj, and J.Lo. The Daily Mail. Retrieved from http://www. dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3376356/ Butts-rise-Plastic-surgeons-major-tushtrend-requests-derriere-implants-liftscontinue-grow-thanks-Kim-KardashianNicki-Minaj-J-Lo.html
The Renfrew Center. (2014). Afraid To Be Your Selfie? Survey Reveals Most People Photoshop Their Images. The Renfrew Center. Retrieved from http://renfrewcenter.com/news/afraid-be-your-selfie-survey-reveals-most-people-photoshop-theirimages Yang, EL., Celestino, M., Koeppel, K. (2015). Women’s Ideal Body Types Throughout History. Buzzfeed. Retrieved from https://www.buzzfeed.com/eugeneyang/womens-ideal-body-types-throughout-history?utm_term=.smM92XB9g#.ibVGyYrGJ Zachary, C. (2015). Inimitable Style: Fashion Illustration vs. Fashion Photography in 1914 Vogue. The Art of Dress [Blog]. Retrieved from https:// theartofdress.org/2015/07/24/inimitable-style-fashion-illustration-vs-fashion-photography-in-1914-vogue/
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