Unattainable weights, plastic faces, Botox butts, augmented reality face filters – is it sustainable?
In fashion, “sustainable” usually refers to the environmental impacts of the production, consumption, and waste caused by the industry. However, viewing it from the lens of fashion’s stereotyped “beauty” standards begs the question: as individuals, can we sustain today’s propagated “beauty” norms?
- On Snapchat, 200 million daily active users play with or view Lenses every day to transform the way they look and augment the world around them, with more than 90% of young people in the US, France, and the UK us[ing] the company’s AR products. 1
- Young girls see AR filters primarily as a tool for beautification. As noted by researcher, Claire Pescott, at the University of South Wales who studies the behavior of preteens on social media, “[The girls] were all saying things like, ‘I put this filter on because I have flawless skin. It takes away my scars and spots.’ And these were children [ages] 10 or 11.” 2
- A study of 111 5-year-old girls found media exposure and conversations about appearance were the strongest predictors of dietary restraint associated with future eating disorders. 3
- Researchers attribute increasing social media influence and increasing screen time as a factor in declining body image. A recent phenomenon called “snapchat dysmorphia” was presented in which patients seek surgical consult in order to appear as their filtered selves in real life. 4
- The AAFPRS reported a 6% increase in facial plastic surgery procedures in 2019 compared to 2018, which they attribute to social media’s ever-increasing impact on the facial plastic surgery industry with taggable trends like the “Kardashian Effect,” “Selfie Mania,” “Snapchat Dysmorphia” or the “Glow-Up” challenge. 5
For years, we’ve been misinformed that beauty starts with our physical appearance. This disbelief is reinforced by social media telling us what beauty is: skinny thighs, big eyes, full lips, small waists. The truth is: (1) we’re all beautiful, and (2) beauty starts from within.
Sustainability is the product of habits. This is true for a sustainable environmental (recycling), sustainable lifestyle (balanced work-life), and for sustainable beauty (by disavowing unachievable standards and reshaping our minds and conversations).
Which is why I’m excited to introduce you to The Revury. Created by Remington Fraser (pictured below), The Revury is an online marketplace to consign and shop designer fashion.
Their mission? To provide fashion for:
The planet – they’re combating climate change by reselling consigned quality products online, which extends the product lifecycle, reduces demand on new production, and curbs the fashion industry’s carbon footprint.
The people – they’re re-inventing fashion beauty norms by promoting “sustainable” beauty through diverse models that range in size, ethnicity, disability, and body and facial differences. Through habits like routine exercise, educated diet and exposure to realistic “models,” we can create sustainable beauty – an inclusive multi-standard for every body shape and type – not limited to one shiny, plastic goal. We’ve been fed a diet of unhealthy perceptions of beauty — let’s change that. By absorbing content that reflects real people as models, we can internalize a new perception of beauty — starting with how we shop.
Simply put, I adore The Revury. Their models are real people — the accountant next door, brilliant Ph.D. candidates, badass chiefs, and inspiring individuals with down syndrome.
On top of that, they offer affordable deals on quality designer clothing like Tory Burch, Mother denim, LoveShackFancy, Isabel Marant, Chanel, and more!
Visit www.therevury.com to learn more and shop their amazing selection of designer pieces — and enjoy FREE shipping and returns on all orders within the U.S.
And remember, befriend your body and know you’re beautiful, babe!
1 Ryan-Mosley. “Beauty filters are changing the way young girls see themselves”. Technology Reviewed. April 2, 2021. https://www.technologyreview.com/2021/04/02/1021635/beauty-filters-young-girls-augmented-reality-social-media/ utm_source=CB+Insights+Newsletter&utm_campaign=f99f1c39fc-newsletter_general_Tues_20210406&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9dc0513989-f99f1c39fc-93889445
2 Id.
3 Damiano, Stephanie R., et al. “Dietary restraint of 5-year-old girls: Assocation with internalization of the thin ideal and maternal, media, and peer influences”. Int J Eat Disord. 2015 Dec;48(8):1166-9. doi: 10.1002/eat.22432. Epub 2015 Aug 18.
4 Singla, Gaurav, et al. “Rising dysmorphis among adolescents: A cause for concern”. J Family Med Prim Care. 2020 Feb; 9(2): 567–570. Published online 2020 Feb 28. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_738_19 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7114025/
5 “AAFPRS Survery Says the Selfie Endures and is Stronger Than Ever” AMERICAN ACADEMY OF FACIAL PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY, INC. https://www.aafprs.org/Media/Press_Releases/Selfies%20Endure%20February%2027,%202020.aspx
