Body Image Bullshit

I was chatting with a good friend of mine the other day on the beach. We were out in our bikinis, talking about if we had a body part we’d change. We both said we had, but that would be telling.
I got thinking in more depth about what I would really like to change and why and how our society has created an image we would all like to fit.

Long hair, a straight nose, full lips, large round boobs with small nipples, slim waist but with curves… you get the idea. And of course, the ever growing trend of shrinking down to a certain size.
I am SO pleased to see that this is coming to a halt pretty sharply.

There was a big ordeal about the latest mannequin in Topshop, idolising an unattainable weight for most women. Now, I wouldn't have batted an eye lid at it before, at least not consciously but I think that’s the operative word. Consciously. I realised how subtly I have looked at clothes on a mannequin, thought “those jeans look pretty dope” and then gone into the changing room to realise I wasn't in fact 7ft with no butt. Nothing looked the same on me. I would say I’m pretty stable in my body for someone who isn't that mentally stable (ha) but maybe for someone who isn't comfortable, or someone who is younger or more impressionable, this is not a good thing.

Top shop had such a backlash they were forced to admit that it had been there for “striking purposes” and took it down. But this isn’t the first time a shop has come under light for unrealistic mannequins and the lush thing about it is, were all actually being heard. There is a super movement for things to change and it’s something I love and want to actively be a part of. Remember that beach body protein advert that everyone went shits up about?
The first time I saw it, I wasn’t bothered. It was like every other poster I had seen and it was normal. I didn’t realise that was the problem. It’s normal.
It shouldn’t be normal for other people to dictate how we should look, it shouldn’t be normal for companies to capitalise on that or even create billion pound industries on it.

The worlds a pretty mental place. We pay for food that we have pumped crap into, that our body would rather not have to deal with, which cause us health problems which we then have to spend money on (either individually or as a country) fixing.
Add that very same logic to the society we live in and you can see an advert for an oreo cookie cake icecream flavoured pizza with Disney flavoured sprinkles and in the next breath, a very slim woman holding a jar of “fuck off fat” pills with a giant smile on her face.
I’m not saying eating a slice of said magical pizza will make you gain weight but also in a sad and truthful way, our food is scientifically engineered to taste fucking delicious and equally as addictive. We are then told to stop being so overweight and to wrap ourselves up in cling film, foil, slather ourselves with coffee granules and take pills which contain extracts of a small beetles wing to become thin and beautiful again. Because the 2 are simultaneous, obviously.

I don’t even want to think about how much the diet industry gains in money. They must have had at least 500 quid off me in my teenage years and that’s just me being hopeful it wasn’t more.
It makes me sad. How do we live in a world that earns money on making us feel like we’re not good enough? Like we could be better or look like someone else (which is shown as the same thing).

I was thinking about how guys are super into their man buns and beards right now. FYI guys, it’s a strong look.  It’s a weird chain of reactions where people see someone who is in a position of power to influence i.e celebrity, create a hair style or endorse a product and the world goes mad for it. All of a sudden I couldn’t walk down a street without a guy having a better bun than I did. I can’t believe how many crumbs I’ve seen in beards either.
Obviously, companies have clocked onto this so there are things now as mandarin scented beard oil and special beard combs.
We all spend so much money and a certain amount of time and effort on trying to look the same way as everyone else. And for what?
Why do we all want straight noses? What do we all want bizarre triangle, nude nails and the same dress? Why do you want to look the same as everyone else?

Fashion is equally bonkers. We live in a world where money controls everything, including how you feel about yourself (which is insane). So you could get the latest shirt that’s about as expensive as next month’s rent and feel like the shizzle, only for that to wear off until you need to buy something else that makes you feel socially accepted and of course, certain ‘cool’ brands come with certain (ludicrous) price tags. #expensivecycle.

Have you noticed when you look at a group of ‘lads’ in a picture or a group of girls before a night out, they all just look the bloody same? I don’t know about you (I’m sorry if Taylor Swift automatically comes into your head then) but I don’t want to look like anyone else, or blend into anyone else’s standards. I stick out like a sore but happy thumb and that realisation made me not want to change anything.