Anyone who is truly into designer or high fashion, can’t help but reminisce about the styles once found in a long-gone fresh off-the-press editorial spreads and the iconic early 2000s chick flicks. They’re Cultural staples that shaped the look of a societal era are making a comeback on the trend cycle because Who doesn’t love a good bit of nostalgia? Y2K fashion has been all over pop culture from social media and music videos to runways and stores and understandably so- The y2k fashion captivated a whole generation of young women who adored flipping through glossy magazines, catching the newest runway shows on FashionTV, and hanging out at the mall, enticing them to embrace low rise, high hems, baby tees, mini skirts, micro bags, and heels on the daily. Today, it’s like spending the day with an old friend. Blumarine is giving ruffled mini dresses and hip-hugging denim as Bella Hadid and Dua Lipa sport modernized y2k streetwear.
But this trend is so much more than a case of everything old becoming new again. One thing fashion newcomers may forget is how detrimental many of the fashions from the turn of the century were.
As they say, history repeats itself and the trend cycle is rapid, so we will be delving into the origins of these specific y2k beauty standards in high fashion to better understand where they came from to avoid the unrealistic diet and toxic beauty standards of this era as y2k fashion and culture makes a comeback. In the same way we learn standards is the same way we can unlearn them, which is easier said than done but It’s learned so let’s unpack and analyze this topic so that we can take proper care of ourselves and others.
I love the high fashion of this era and know so many of you do as well. It’s chic, clean, a bit girly anf funt, yet elegant and timeless. I love halter neck tops, oversized coats, high heels, the low rise trousers- the sort of clothes that look just beautiful tailored to any body size. But just because something is beloved doesn’t mean it is perfection.
Now before getting into it, I must do a disclaimer. If you are again a returning viewer you know that I like to use this platform to advocate for education and mental health. So with my forte, I find it important to discuss mental health in relation to image because we live in a time where one influences the other deeply. I like to show through characters that mirror people that we are so much more than a label worn or applied.
So if are struggling with an eating disorder or negative body image I would recommend to skip on this video, I have another on letting go of beauty standards to watch instead. In this one, I will not be showing or saying anything graphic, but I understand this is a sensitive subject that could potentially be triggering for some so please do what is best for your health. Now let’s begin.
For context the late 90s and 90s we saw the rise of the supermodel and the heroin chic era aka a thin body with no curves, but into the early 2000s, the Brazilian bombshell era came and later the Slavic Doll era. So why is this important? High fashion is at the top of the market and trickles down to the mainstream. Fashion Week or many joke fashion month determines what is in the following season and how we will be dressing. Sets the precedent for the mainstream market, and that’s why there are trends such as colors, cuts, pieces, makeup looks, hairstyles, and even fast fashion dupes of designer items. It’s not unusual for fashion houses or celebrities to set the trends. But in the end, it is the rest of the population that makes the trend widespread. Aesthetic values favored in the world of high fashion will shape the look to the general public in due time.
Emerging in the late 1990s, Gisele Bündchen dubbed Return of the “sexy model” in 1999 brought curves back onto the runway for a whole new generation of models after being given the title of “The body” by Alexander Mcqueen. The beauty standard in Brazil depends on the region and state as well, but overall it is to have a healthy look, like tan glowing skin, muscle tone, curves, and full hair.
The rise of the Brazilian Bombshells typifies this new age of sensuality and signals a taste for the provocative body-flaunting fashion after clothing hanging off waifs. Fashion became more about the body, rather than covering the body. Designs were not for a body in clothes, but moreso clothes on a body. We see a rise in ultra-feminity in the fashion of this time as well as on-screen with films such as Legally Blonde, 13 Going on 30, Mean Girls, Bring It On, and so on.
All the Brazilian models were not just sexy, but very warm in personality, mesmerizing with strong walks and unique features. Brazilians are rather mixed, but especially in the location of model land, Located on the border of Argentina, Horizontina where in the early 1800s there were very large waves of immigration from European countries, specifically Germany, Italy, and Poland.
Combine that heritage with Brazil’s African and Portuguese population and the genetic pool of many features considered to be pretty in various cultures all on one person. It is a melting pot that results are Bündchen, Ambrósio, and Caroline Trentini along with many more.
They also work to maintain their looks, culturally it is not taboo but celebrated and to some extent expected. And their looks are not what many people naturally have without extreme dieting, exercise, cosmetic procedures, or plastic surgery. Many women from this small area come to mind and you couldn’t flip through a glossy fashion magazine without seeing at least one top model from model land.
You must remember the modeling industry of this time was so different rather different to some extent. Models would leave their home countries and work very hard barely sleeping, constantly traveling, and at times not speaking the languages of their coworkers, eating backstage foods, and live in model apartments with barely any contact to their family or friends. This still exists today, but at this point in time you have to remember technology didn’t exist the way it does today.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the newfound freedom to travel abroad enabled Russian models to collaborate more extensively with international agencies. For example, Vlada Rosyla started in Tokyo, her first trip abroad in her life by herself at 15. She went on to have a modeling career holding a record for 91 shows in a season and still graces runways today. Another example is Tanya Dziahileva who was signed at 14 and made her debut on the Spring / Summer 2006 catwalk saw her appear for Prada, Chloe, Chanel, and Alexander McQueen. These were girls who grew to have long-lasting careers, but when many became women they struggled to maintain the beauty standard look necessary as their bodies developed. So anyone comparing themselves to this in the early 2000s was comparing themselves to someone who won the genetic lottery and/or the youth of a teenager.
I do not wish to speak on anyone’s specific experiences in detail as I feel it is improper, I’m not here for a gossip sesh but some models were chewed up and spit out, some look back at this as a dark chapter of their life surviving off coffees and cigarettes with pressure to meet the extreme beauty standard, being overworked, underpaid, and facing various forms of cruelty. The media painted them as the image of success, a girl in glamorous clothes jetsetting from New York to Milan walking one show at 2 and another at 4. It reinforced the idea of what it means to look successful. There are even studies about how for women a thin-ideal female body type, not just skinny but specific body composition, is associated with success in multiple aspects of life.
Individuals who do not conform to the societal expectation of the ideal body may experience negative feelings and humiliation due to their own acceptance and societal bias. In an experiment conducted by the University of Regensburg, the ideal body last updated in 2007 was divided into four different types in pop culture.
1. The Classic 90-60-90-Type, with an hourglass figure (Beyonce)
2. The Girl Next Door, Standard measurements, but often smaller (Jennifer Aniston)
3. The Sporty Type: lean muscle, tight pelvis, but big bust (Serena Williams)
4. The Barbie: thin, big bust, tight pelvis, long legs (Angelina Jolie) which became the ultimate standard of fashion and media at the time.
Now apparently dieting isn’t just enough, you have to be thin in the “right” way otherwise you are deemed sickly looking or have a body like a boy, hence all the tabloids of the time, open fatphobia, and body dysmorphia. It is difficult to develop a strong sense of self-worth and a healthy self-image when the media you are exposed to throughout your early years consists of this mentality and reinforcement of the ideal woman when everyone has their own look.
Many girls at one point or another would dream of becoming an actress, singer, or model in this time. The culture was captivated by the Victoria’s Secret Brazilian Bombsheels and High Fashion Russian dolls appearance of this Cinderella-like tale, where a girl from a poor country rises to fame and continues to inspire countless young girls worldwide. That is why when people are nostalgic for this era, I think it is nice to celebrate these girls and women who worked very hard and created this as there is this very specific atmosphere and aesthetic but it will never come back the same. That is not the state of the world we live in now. Fashion is tied to the economy, technical advancements, societal standards and so on.
It wasn’t all as glamorous or fun as it seemed, but it was very romanticized by the media and I think on a societal level we can see the damage done so let’s move into the media of this era starting with The Devil Wears Prada as the fashion industry has a different standard than the television and film industry. This film captures both.
Throughout the film a hyperbolic depiction of the industry, there are many remarks made about Andy’s looks despite the fact she is played by the stunning Anne Hathaway. I don’t believe this was an actual commentary on the actress’s figure and the point was to show how cutthroat the industry can be, but unfortunately, this came across differently and people were thinking, “If she was considered big and can’t fit into the clothes, then what does that make me? How can I ever be stylish or successful without changing myself too?”
I believe the intention was to highlight the challenges of thriving within the fashion industry while avoiding the internalization of any negative self-image. As someone who worked as a stylist, I did not experience those microaggressions much and everyone I worked with was different heights, ages, races, and body types. My coworkers would encourage me to take my breaks and get a snack or lunch because I am the type to focus and let time slip away. At the same time, I do look the way I do and formally entered the industry at a different time. I believe this may exist still in some corners, or if you go into modeling your appearance will be critiqued, but overall it seems we have made a step in the right direction in the modern age, but old ways of this time are still present.
This is exhibited in the introduction montage where Andy is juxtaposed with the women who work at Runway. She’s the woman who is above all this, but really learns about the importance of fashion and presentation through developing her career and takes this with her. We also see that with Emily’s disordered behaviors and remarks. Even when she is crying which is painted a bit as a joke, she says to Andy how she eats carbs and doesn’t deserve to go to Paris. Do I agree with her logic, not at all. Eat your carbs, but I can see why Emily is so upset. In real life, there are even studies about how thin women earned roughly $7000 USD more than those of an average weight, and very thin women earned approximately $22,000 more. Success for women is often tied to their looks, but if they are deemed too attractive it can also cause hardship as well. I break this down in my video “Why Mean Girls Wear Pink” Emily sacrificed so much of her life, not just to look like the beauty standard, but to earn this opportunity and grow in her career. She is always overworked, exhausted, and hungry.
I do not want to speak too deeply on her disordered habits, but what I will touch on is that she is a prime example of the relationship between diet culture and sexism as well as how people will project the beauty standard onto another when they feel they don’t reach it. We can see that she is jealous of Andy and trying to put her down to life herself up. We see Andy make remarks such as, “Oooh, I love that will it fit me?” Instead of completely altering her physical state. Very get the clothes you love that fit, not fit yourself to the clothes you love. Andy is pretty, energetic, talented, intelligent, and hardworking. Even when Andy begins to make more of an effort with the makeover and makes sacrifices in her personal life, we see she isn’t as preoccupied with her weight as Emily since she battling an eating disorder so it is far more complex than just the number on the scale or a bad case of vanity. She works on the verge of passing out, imagine what she would be capable of if she sought out professional help and took care of herself. Imagine where her career and dream of working in fashion would be if she wasn’t in a state of constant suffering.
It reveals that this notion ultimately serves the interests of oppressive social structures since chronically undernourished women use their limited energy largely on appearance upkeep rather than pursuing their passions and/or priorities. These societal expectations are a result of patriarchal and capitalist systems that are deeply rooted in sexism, racism, classism, and ableism. In reality, individuals of all sizes would benefit from an elimination of fatphobia, yet bigger or even slim but curvier individuals often bear the brunt of the system’s harsh treatment.
Also on this note, I know skinny shaming exists and it is hurtful, I admit my confidence at times has been shaken by this in certain moments when I was younger, but is not on the same level as fatphobia which hinders a person from a basic human need to function.
On the other extreme side of diet culture, we have people who are encouraged to eat as much as they want or whatever they want because they fit the beauty standard. Some people simply have a fast metabolism and can eat a lot, but when it crosses a line into this false moral and intellectual superiority that is where the damage can be done especially on screen because a lot of the time people first encounter different cultures, personalities, body types, looks, and styles will be in media. We see this in Gilmore Girls when they look down on women who diet or exercise, thinking they are above them. Even the people around them praise them for this, it sets up another unrealistic standard for women to their diet to another extreme of not eating healthy just eating excessive amounts of junk food.
In How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, which is one of my favorite movies the intro sequence inspires my editing very much, Andie works at a magazine and is writing an article on how not to date. She has this scene where she pretends she doesn’t eat meat and cries saying her boyfriend called her fat then runs into the kitchen to eat and watch the game with the cooks. It’s an act because she’s trying to lose the guy in 10 days, but just the fact this was one of her ideas shows how in media these girls are villainized, viewed as challenging, an inconvenience, or simply annoying.
Often they are belittled in relation to another woman, making her seem down to earth and real while the one caring about her diet is shallow. Painting their behaviors as an indication of superficiality for fashion or beauty rather than someone battling a mental illness with the highest mortality rate or struggling with their self-worth being tied to their looks. It trivializes the issue.
It makes fashion also appear frivolous when it is art, culture, logic, or communication and can be a powerful tool not only to make good impressions and be treated better but as a form of agency and self-empowerment that can help people feel confident without a diet or looking to a beauty standard.
And these women who do make the effort they have been taught to make, are viewed as less desirable if they don’t. Like for instance in Mean Girls, they have the whole point about ruining Regina’s figure to take her down. In Bridget Jones’ Diary, she is determined to achieve her goal weight as she believes that having a slender figure will bring confidence, happiness, and romantic success.
People are afraid of thin being in again, but it never really leaves. The thin physique has always been making a comeback, it just comes back in various ways due to the cultural landscape. For example, in the 1950s designer Christian Dior developed the widely acclaimed New Look, after a prolonged period characterized by military and civilian uniforms, limitations, and shortages. The aesthetic attributes of this particular manifestation were defined by elements associated with femininity and opulence. Subsequently, it became attainable by a broader demographic outside the affluent, hence giving rise to the emblematic portrayal of the 1950s homemaker with the full hourglass figure to match the cinched-in waist with a full skirt of a dress. Into the 60s, we see the standard encouraging women to lose their curves and go for a more androgynous figure. Women of this decade were praised for their narrow hips, long, thin thighs, and narrow shoulders in their tiny mini skirts. Doesn’t this sound familiar?
Hopefully, it won’t anymore as you break the cycle for yourself and maybe this video could open your eyes a bit to the impact these standards have had on society and maybe even yourself so that you can move forward from them. Overall, it is important to mind yourself, make healthy choices, and look at yourself with kind eyes.
Life is very precious and fragile, if you happened to watch this video and are struggling know that you are not less than anyone else, you are not a burden, and you deserve to be loved. It’s not all about getting the body for the clothes, but the clothes for the body. That you love the look of and that you feel most yourself in. You can indulge in the glamour and fun of this style no matter your look, style is all about you as an individual.
Sources:
Why Being Thin Can Actually Translate Into A Bigger Paycheck For Women- https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2011/06/06/can-being-thin-actually-translate-into-a-bigger-paycheck-for-women/?sh=5a79d1eb7b03
Brazil’s Model Land- https://www.fairobserver.com/region/latin_america/brazil-top-model-land-43240/
BEAUTY IDEAL OVER THE DECADES part 3 : THE 2000’s- http://www.idealiststyle.com/blog/beauty-ideal-over-the-decades-part-3-the-2000s
Social Structure & Diet Culture- The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf
