How has the body image changed over the past year?
Beauty industry, as well as fashionable, over the past year has experienced a lot: the dominance of models with atypical appearance, the increased activity of transgender activists, viral posts in social networks with "imperfect" bodies and much more. We understand how it all influenced the perception of beauty, and choose the most important trends that will remain with us in 2016.
Transgender people stop hiding
In addition to the obvious problems caused by gender dysphoria, transgender people also experience a lot of others: even in the LGBTQ community, they are not very friendly, let alone societies with so-called traditional values. Against this background, it is especially pleasant that more and more transgender people are not afraid to lead an open, “normal” life and set an example for those who still lack the spirit or knowledge to deal with their identity. The autobiographical essay of trans-diva Hari Nef literally yesterday got into the Lena Dunam newsletter, more public projects about body changes and its consequences are also multiplying. I remember, of course, the popular “Obvious” series about a 70-year-old transgender woman, in the last season of whom Hari Nef also starred.
"Ordinary" people become models
Today's supermodels Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner do not resemble their colleagues from the nineties a bit - but the changes affected not only the most demanded models. Increasingly, stamps of a different order are chosen for the transfer of their ideas and the presentation of clothing by "ordinary" people - those whose photographs would hardly have posted a typical glossy magazine. This trend started earlier than 2015, but last year it gained unprecedented momentum. Now more and more brands want to deal with the characters (which, of course, affect the appearance), and not with the standards, so this year promises to be even more interesting and certainly marked by a variety of beauty. Russian fashion, by the way, is not far behind: Lumpen models appear in progressive journals more and more often, while the “modelless agency” itself is growing.
Ultra Short Haircuts - Most Popular
A special case of the previous trend: today it is hardly possible to call a haircut more relevant than shaving for zero or almost zero. Such a radical change in appearance allowed Ruth Bell and her short-haired colleagues to become one of the most sought-after models, and brands who chose them to sign for their modernity and courage, which is necessary to change the previously unshakable standards of femininity. Perhaps the most conspicuous brand of last year, Vetements, also released more than one sheared model onto the podium, but unlike the conservative Lanvin and Versace who risked Bell, the public was not impressed - because Vetements was anyone but conservatives. The conclusion from this is one - today everything is possible for everyone.
walmart underwear vibes pic.twitter.com/wo66OQGIdo
- pakola papi (@iranikanjari) December 24, 2015Naturalness has ceased to be shameful
Few things are so annoying to the opponents of body repository, as the fact that people are not shy of hair and such a natural thing as menstruation. The standard of beauty is clear: ideally smooth body everywhere or almost everywhere. Women especially suffer from it, but men also get it, although for hairy armpits, the stomach and legs are branded just girls. Last year, social media has repeatedly blew up selfies of heroines who do not see the need for regular hair removal and do not consider that it is an indispensable condition for the beauty of the body. An even sharper topic, menstruation, has become the object of ordinary advertising, social, actions to protect the rights of women and photo projects - in other words, many (but, unfortunately, not all) have stopped seeing something shameful in it.
Society cares about the health of models
Unhealthy thinness has long caused a fair resentment of the public. Recently, desperately thin girls on the catwalks and in advertising are not visible, but sometimes even conscious brands find an eclipse - like, for example, Saint Laurent, whose advertising was banned precisely because of the complexion of the model and the styling and post-processing features that made it look more skinny. The case is slowly shifting from a dead end: in France, for example, this year a law should come into force, according to which all models are obliged to provide a doctor's opinion on a satisfactory state of health.
Anyone has become the beach body
Okay, this is not final, but more and more people, with the supply of bold brands and activists, put a logical sign of equality between the "beach body" and "just the body." So, YouTube channel CHIX Productions last summer published a devastating video about the standards with which any woman is frightened before the start of each beach season. CHIX Productions picked up the initiative Swimsuits For All and Refinery29 - they not only criticize, but also offer a solution to the problem (briefly, it can be formulated as “not to steam”).
Athletes showed their real bodies
What do some people usually appeal to when they see a person with “extra” weight, who is quite comfortable in his body? To not enough healthy diet and lack of exercise. One iron argument can oppose this stereotypical thinking, namely photographs of the bodies of athletes. The sports magazine ESPN showed last year as many as six covers with athletes of different types of figures, and not all of them fall under the mythical image of a healthy and athletic person with whom the average man compares those around him. And the new Pirelli calendar, which has already been called revolutionary, includes a bombing photo of Serena Williams, which doesn’t care much what detractors think about its volume (and correctly).
They began to talk about diseases openly.
Diseases, unfortunately, are as much inherent in man as more pleasant states. True, they tend to talk less or not at all. There are many reasons for this: ignorance (recall the advertisement “Love and loyalty - your protection against AIDS”, which appeared in the Moscow metro at the suggestion of the authorities), fear, lack of empathy, and so on. Against this background, a few enlightenment projects stand out in particular: a photo project about diseases that are not visible to the eye has spread through all social networks and made them talk about - this is necessary to begin with overcoming stigma. And of course, psychological diseases also began to be discussed: from Hollywood stars to TV series heroes and relatives.
For men, recognized the right to vulnerability
Even in spite of the fact that gender stereotypes are gradually weakening, society still needs a lot of time to get rid of their harmful consequences. The problem with male diseases arises in at least two aspects: as we have said, people don’t really want to talk about diseases, as well as recognize the physical vulnerability of men who are supposed to be strong. Actions like Movember and #InTheNipOfTime not only increase awareness of specific health problems, but also encourage men to look after their health and not be afraid to admit difficulties.
The blurring of age boundaries continues
Last year, more and more mature women became faces of cosmetic and fashion campaigns - the audience learns to see beauty at any age. This trend is part of a more general trend followed by the fashion industry, gradually moving away from a single model standard — a tall, thin, white young woman. Gazing at forty-, fifty- and sixty-year-olds (and older) companies do not pay without financial considerations, but the fact remains: standards, if they don’t become a thing of the past, become more humane. In confirmation of this, we cite as an example the latest L'Oréal advertising campaign, whose face was 69-year-old Susan Sarandon.
Photo: & Other Stories, Lumpen, Joseph, Saint Laurent, Suffering the Silence, L'Oréal Paris
