“Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months.” – Oscar Wilde
Its been more than a century since Wilde proclaimed this. Since time immemorial fashions have come and gone, and they have not always been ugly. But never has fashion been so unhealthy as it is in the current times.
The last one decade has seen the rise of a kind of fashion which forces its followers to be as thin as a stick. Fads have come and gone but the thin (read malnourished) look has stayed put as the ultimate in being fashionable. It has particularly affected Indian women who are naturally curvy. Trends like low-waist jeans and skinny jeans have sent a whole generation on a path of self-starvation. Those who don’t want to do it are forced to follow it due to peer pressure.
So we have young girls starving themselves to acquire a flat stomach to be able to carry off those low waist jeans. A bit of cellulite is nothing short of shameful – how can one get into those skinny jeans with cellulite on the thighs! In fact the legs need to be as shapeless and thin as possible – only then one becomes good enough to wear those jeans. On top of that ‘Size Zero’ heroines and models add to the feeling of inadequacy in girls. What happened to good old puppy fat? Well it just dosn’t suit the latest fashion. So what if the constant dieting weakens the immune system and creates health problems for later life.
One of my colleagues is the fashion guru of the office. She wears all the latest designs and carries them off pretty well too. The price she happily pays for it is that she is constantly on a diet – no oily food, no maida, no sweets, nothing that is remotely tasty. A few days ago she was morosely picking on her diet food at lunch.
When I asked what was bothering her she said, “I have to attend a pool party over the weekend. I had bought a bikini especially for the party but now I won’t be able to wear it. I’m just not in shape.”
“Sorry? You are not in shape? But you are so slim” I said.
She snorted, “Yeah I am slim but not bikini perfect as yet.”
This was the first time I heard the term ‘bikini perfect’. So even being stick thin is not good enough now. And this is not something limited to youngsters. Even 40+ women haven’t been able to escape the size-zero phenomena. Majority of the women in my neighbourhood gym are 40+, and most of them believe more in weight reducing pills then exercising. Being healthy is a good thing but starving and using hormone-disturbing pills never did anybody any good.
I remember being totally clueless about fashion as a kid. My Mom chose my frocks for me and I just wore them happily. So I was surprised when a colleague complained that her 4 year old daughter insists on buying her outfits only from Liliput. And then wants matching shoes and accessories to go with them. The fashion establishments know that by targeting the young they are making customers for life. And such customers don’t care about money as long as they get the latest designs off the ramp. A whole new generation is growing up with a completely skewed perception of looking good.
The desire to look attractive and well turned out is universal. But when this desire forces us to make bad lifestyle choices, we need to rethink our priorities.
PS. Sujata’s DP Wish I loved you the way you are inspired me to write this one.
