If Looks Could Kill: Why the Generation that Preaches Body Positivity is Bringing Back Heroin Chic
Generation Z (those born between 1997-2012) have been a powerful voice in the realm of body positivity; urging individuals to love and accept their bodies and demanding the fashion industry to diversify model body types and expand size ranges in clothing. So why is the rail thin emaciated look of the 90’s being brought back to the spotlight? Amongst the craze for Ozempic, coke, and diet culture, our generation is once again romanticizing a deadly aesthetic.
This isn’t the first time unhealthy body ideals have been re-sensationalized. Look back to the 2010’s Tumblr era and the plethora of eating disorder-promoting media that was circulating. Or look at the Kardashians, who will risk life-threatening procedures like BBLs and liposuction to dramatically alter their bodies as trends shift.
The high fashion scene of the 1990’s birthed the aesthetic we call “Heroin Chic”- characterized by models with gaunt frames and sallow faces, adorned with dark smudged eyeshadow. The Heroin Chic model was typically associated with a lifestyle of partying and illicit drug use. Supermodels of the era seemed to all have this look, from the poster girl Kate Moss to Jaime King to Gia Carangi from whom the term originated. Young women idolized this image as they flipped through the pages of Vogue, leading to a massive spike in eating disorders from 1990 to 1998. The Heroin Chic obsession began to dwindle at the turn of the century, however excessive thinness continued to be prevalent on the runway and in print.
Flash forward to the 2020’s, Generation Z have typically been outspoken about retiring old-fashioned and unhealthy body standards, and have often been credited with “inventing” the body positivity movement. Unfortunately, social media platforms (primarily TikTok) have become the champions of breeding extreme trends like the carnivore diet and toxic body shaming workout content. Additionally, the sensationalizing of weight loss drugs like Ozempic or other substances like cocaine have skyrocketed due to this generation’s adoration for influencers and musicians like Charlie XCX. The culmination of all of these obsessions have led young people to once again idolize the jutting collarbones and Tim Burton-esque faces that were worshiped in the 90’s.
When it comes down to it, body types should not be “trending”- let’s leave that to the clothes. The drugs, disorders, and surgeries required to “keep up” with society’s ever-changing ideal body are not sustainable and are beyond dangerous. So why did we switch up? And where do we go from here?
Prevalence of Eating Disorders by Age. Our World in Data. Retrieved November 14, 2022, from https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/prevalence-of-eating-disorders-by-age?country=~USA
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