The Truth Is Unlike Clothes, We Cannot Konmari Our Bodies

Women's body trends... Yes, it is a thing, much to my terror. I always assumed I maintained a reasonable fashion quotient, being the clothes horse I am, however, never in my wildest imagination I thought that the way to really be trendy is to have the right body type.  No scratch that. The right body part type.

I can fully appreciate the necessity of not being the fruits, apple or pear and exercising to remain the right body shape and thereby healthy but that's about it. My only guilt stemmed from not being of the right weight and shape. Little did I know.

While discussing the architectural beauty of his home, our favourite aspirational and never affordable dress designer said in the same vein about women's body construct:

“I don’t believe in catwalk shows anymore. Instagram is so powerful, 65 per cent of my business originates from there,” he explains. I also spy a new direction in the imagery, with dusky models and, difficult to miss, a lot more bosom. “In fashion, you have to reinvent yourself every three to five years. You need to be fresh. Right now, I’ve become tired of gaunt faces and stick-thin models. I’m obsessed by boobs!”

I can understand the inspiration part however he could have stuck to the first sentence and not gone beyond.

There are articles on the internet that plot women's body part trends over decades. Sometimes curvy is in, then it is stick thin. You need to be leggy in one decade and petite in the other. Thigh gap and designer vajajay added to the mounting pressure. Nose jobs, fuller lips, washboard abs and rounded butts, the list is endless.

We even had Michelle Obama arms; the most insulting of all. I mean if I had one thing I could get from Michelle Obama I would go for her mind and certainly not a measly arm.

Anyway, the truth of the matter is that unlike clothes, we cannot Konmari our bodies. We cannot discard with loving words our long legs or big boobs once they go out of fashion.

It is hard to say whether fashion inspires body type trend or it happens the other way round. Plastic surgery trends follow the catwalk trends as per cosmetic surgeons and who but the designers responsible for the said catwalks could be burdened with promoting the culture of dissatisfaction with one's body?

And finally, to all those who decide which kind of women would be the flavour of the year I ask, remember whether I asked for your opinion? Me neither. So go away. Promote a healthy and balanced lifestyle. Encourage people to think of oneself as a unique and perfect creation rather than a sum of individual perfect parts who look identical to the next designer person.

Also Read: Sabyasachi Mukherjee Apologizes for his “Shame” comment.

Riti Prasad is the author of Double Trouble, Double Fun!: A Supermom’s Guide to Raising Twins, Wicked Temptations and Mathematics Fun, Fact and Fiction. She works in the Fragrance Industry as Creation Head. The views expressed are the author’s own.