SAY SQUEEZE! The recent rise of shapewear has begun the conversation of whether this garment supports or undermines the female body positive movement.
Text rachel cross Photography mia murphy
The desirable hourglass shape: a broad breast, followed by a tightly cinched waist, finished with curvy and enticing hips. Unquestionably ideal and entirely achievable right? What more could a woman want from her body? When women’s bodies do not match these standards, what do they do? Compress themselves into shapewear to get a little bit closer to that perfect silhouette, giving them a shrunken waist in no time! Women around the world are resorting to these tactics when their outfits require a little squeezing. Shapewear as a concept is quite alarming to some and could even be seen as anti– body positive. Many feminists believe that shapewear is contradictory to the cause because it alters women’s bodies in order to conform to the standards of society. This idea of conformity to beauty standards can draw historical connections to 16th-century corsets and girdles. In today’s world, those old corsets and girdles are considered inhumane, but are they really that different from the shapewear that many women wear nowadays? Both are uncomfortable, constricting, hot, and in severe cases, damaging to internal organs and skin. There are clearly drawbacks to shapewear that cause a lot of women to pass it up. However, to others, shapewear is a saving grace. It can be used as a helpful tool to give them that extra confidence they may want to rock a little black dress. Everyone wants to feel secure in their outfits, and sometimes
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shapewear can be that additional assurance of one’s beautiful body. In contradiction to the idea that shapewear is anti–body positive, many people believe that shapewear is simply just enhancing and emphasizing a woman’s assets instead of concealing them from society. Therefore, wearing shapewear could be seen as embracing and complementing the body. This belief is common in the fashion and pop culture industries. Major celebrities have joined the shapewear movement. Kim Kardashian has recently released a shapewear line called Skims. Skims offers bodysuits, bras, panties, and shorts, and each piece comes in six shades ranging in sizes from XXS to 5X. Skims claims to support the body positive movement; their slogan states “shapewear designed to smooth, sculpt, and enhance,” and their models represent all shapes, sizes, and races. The brand has proved extremely successful. In fact, Skims sold nearly $2 million worth of products minutes after the launch. Clearly, the shapewear industry is rising. Although there are both negative and positive aspects, it is important to remember that we each have our own set of personal standards and they should not be determined by what society would prefer us to live up to. If you are resistant to try shapewear because you love your body in all of its natural glory, do your thing! And if you are an avid shapewear fan because you like the way it makes you feel, by all means, rock your shapewear without a second thought! You do you.
culture