Fashion

by badriya abdullah

Cosmetic surgery can do a lot for a person’s self-confidence. Take Khloé Kardashian, who admitted she loves her nose job and regretted not getting it done sooner. But recently a wave of celebrities have come out saying that they either regret their surgery or have had cosmetic procedures reversed. Bella Hadid spoke about getting a nose job at fourteen and now wishes she kept ‘the nose of her ancestors’. Victoria Beckham wrote to her younger self advising against getting breast implants. MollyMae Hague documented her reversal of cosmetic procedures in 2021, wanting to embrace a more natural look. There appears to be a shift in people’s attitudes to cosmetic surgery and whether it truly is the one-size-fits-all solution.

This recent shift in mindset comes after an explosion of cosmetic surgery over recent years. With the rise of social media, it became very easy for anyone to become an influencer highlighting aesthetic lifestyles, glamorous outfits, and the body to match. Editing photographs became a skill that anyone with a phone could master, to get the perfect picture to share with whoever they choose. However, with this ability came the realisation that if you have the means, you can forgo the editing process – enhancing your features in real life through cosmetic surgery.

One of the most prominent and talked-about surgeries in the past few years is the Brazilian Butt Lift, or ‘BBL’. The procedure distributes fat from other parts of the patient’s body into the derrière. Widely seen as a natural way to enhance someone’s behind without plastic inserts, it was then achievable to gain a figure similar to celebrities such as Kim Kardashian if you had the funds. The procedure, as well as the slim-thick body type, exploded with popularity on social media. According to the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ISAPS), a global survey of procedures conducted in 2019 showed that buttock surgery had the highest growth among all surgical procedures, with a 77.6% increase in butt lifts between 2015 and 2019.

Procedures of all kinds inevitably slowed in 2020. Potentially, people were starting to find out the unexpected side effects of BBLs. Whilst the BBL became the fastest growing procedure in those four years, it also became the most fatal, with an estimated one in every 3,000 procedures resulting in death. Many people documenting their BBL journeys told stories of their pain and how they wished they knew what it would entail beforehand. Yet, despite this pain, they all achieved the results they desired – a slim-thick body shape without the need for editing.

However, there seems to be a change in the desired body type – this being for people to embrace their natural selves. A number of reasons contribute to this, such as celebrity influences and the body-positivity and neutrality movements (the former focusing on positive sentiments about your body no matter what, the latter appreciating your body for how it performs rather than how it looks). Also, criticisms of the slim-thick trend argue that it appropriates the bodies of Black and Latina women without acknowledging any of the struggles they have gone through. Perhaps it is a combination of these factors, as well as the fact that this ‘trend’ of body type is slowly running its course.

As trends change every twenty years or so, perhaps soon the desired body type will be that of the 90s and 2000s: slimmer, toned bodies. But if this is the way that the trend will sway, I hope that the body positivity and neutrality movements persist with it, alongside an emphasis on maintaining a healthy body regardless of how it looks.

by sienna norris

Recently, the highly-anticipated Coachella took place, a festival which we Brits associate with glitz and glamour – the opposite of what we are used to. Coachella is predominantly known for its impressive line-up which, this year, consisted of Harry Styles and Billie Eilish – even Swedish House Mafia popped in to say hi. The event is also famous for its fashion, with Mr. Styles’ Hannah Montana-esque jumpsuit being one of this year’s highlights.

After being postponed during the pandemic, those attending this year’s festival did not refrain from flooding Instagram with their outfits. Since Coachella is held in a desert, the boho-chic style has dominated these past few years. But, this year, “Y2K” (the year 2000) fashion has taken over the bohemian aesthetic’s legacy. Since the rise in social media influencers, it seems that the festival has resulted in a complete turnaround fashionwise. However, there was no lack of cowboy attire this year, with cowboy boots and fringe being all the rave – although seemingly outshined by the pool of neon and low-waisted denim skirts.

There were some notable looks that were a concoction of boho and early 2000s. One being the queen of Coachella, Vanessa Hudgens, who is arguably one of the best dressed at the festival every year. Some of Coachella’s most frequent guests like Poppy Delevigne and Alessandra Ambrosio sported bohemian galore, yet some of the most memorable looks were from the performers. Not only was Doja Cat’s performance phenomenal, but her astounding outfit changes and Conan Gray’s custom Valentino hot-pink outfit were like a dream.

Over the past few years, there has been controversy surrounding how much pop culture events have changed amidst the rise of influencers. There were a few that crushed their looks for Coachella. TikToker and model Maddie White did not hold back when it came to being a sparkling diamond… quite literally. Euphoria’s influence was not lacking with the considerable amount of rhinestones on show, as well as the show’s Sydney Sweeney bringing out her inner ‘country music star’ with a simple white mini-dress and cowboy boots. One influencer experienced some internet trolling for his outfit choices over the weekend, with some people comparing his final Coachella look to a weather warning alert – that was, of course, James Charles.

Overall, there seemed to be a very different vibe at Coachella this year. Has Coachella truly lost its edge and flare as people say? Photo: Unsplash