Relationship Between Fashion And Body Positivity Clothing In 2022

It’s time to love the skin that you’re in.

As a child, I remember flipping through magazines and seeing adverts for fair-skinned, tall, and thin girls and women. Being a guy, I never saw girls like those models around me. My sister and friends had all different bodies, shapes and sizes, and none would look like those cover girls. Even men in fashion adverts would look godly perfect. Their chiselled face, washboard abs, and glistening hair was nothing like the guys I had around me.

Their arms and legs would be airbrushed smooth with an even tan, and I'd be wondering, perplexed as to why their bodies looked so godly perfect. Only a few years later, I realised how deceitful the modelling and fashion industries can be.

Well… I made my peace with it.

Fashion Then

You’d be surprised to know that the plus-size fashion industry in the United States was valued at 21 billion dollars in 2018, accounting for slightly over 20% of the women's wear market. This upbeat projection seemed to augur a surprisingly inclusive turn for an industry that had previously relied on exclusivity.

Thanks to the body positivity movement all over the world, now clothes aren’t designed for stick figures and a set body type.

It’s no surprise as we live in a world that is presumptuous. As per the fashion industry, what is worn should instil confidence in a person. To embrace body acceptance, the fashion industry may be inclusive and inspiring, but that was all a facade as people have found themselves dealing with numerous health problems trying to fit themselves into model-sized body moulds.

One method to accomplish body positivity is to have a variety of people demonstrate items. Consumers will be able to view a wider range of models, making it more realistic to the actual world. Thankfully, now we’re actually seeing this happen.

What Is Body Positivity?

Body positivity champions the belief that everyone deserves a good body image, regardless of how society and pop culture define ideal shape, size, or appearance.

Body positivity raises its voice for the following aspects:

• Changing the way people think about the body in society
• Promoting acceptance of all people's bodies
• Assisting people in developing self-awareness and acceptance of their own bodies
• Unrealistic body norms are addressed

It is about more than just questioning how society views people based on their physical size and shape. It also acknowledges that race, gender, sexuality, and disability are frequently used to make judgments about someone’s body.

Body positivity tries to enlighten people on how fashion, pop culture, and media tries to brainwash people's attitudes toward their bodies, including how they feel about food, exercise, clothing, health, identity, and self-care. Thankfully, now people have become more aware about body image and creating a healthier and more realistic relationship with their bodies by better comprehending the impact of such forces.

How Are Fashion And Body Positivity Related To Each Other?

You would be surprised to know that origins of body positivity may be traced all the way back to the Victorian Dress Reform movement. Women pushed for the acceptance of women's bodies in this movement, and were discouraged from utilising excessive corsets or bodily mutilation to suit the standard of an exceedingly small waist and or hourglass form. Kudos to these women who refused to hide their bodies beneath layers of cloth in overly ornate dresses. It is also known that during this reform, women also fought for the freedom to wear pants.

Dress forms being constructed in idealised feminine form in a British garment company (1912) below:

The fashion industry has recently placed a strong emphasis on body positivity, particularly among plus-size individuals. As a result, we have seen the introduction of a slew of new plus-size lines across the globe. Several major brands, including Forever 21, Calvin Klein, and even Victoria's Secret, have joined the effort to accommodate larger sizes for its customers. The movement is gaining a lot of traction, and it has a sizable following.

It's incredible to see how far body positivity has progressed in the fashion industry. Hopefully, there will be no need for a "plus-size" label in the near future, and items will simply be classified based on their real measurements. While we are still a long way from achieving perfect equilibrium, let’s just hope that the day of embracing complete fashion inclusivity isn’t far off.

Body Positivity Icons

The fashion business has progressed significantly and has become more diverse. Several celebrities, including Demi Lovato, Lizzo, Selena Gomez, and Serena Wilson, are role models for body positivity. The future of fashion is to reduce normative beauty standards and highlight varied people in the fashion business to foster self-love and confidence.

Here are some body positivity icons you can look up to for some inspiration.

• Adele: There’s something about Adele: the woman doesn’t really care about people’s opinions. So whether it is about dissing her ex-boyfriends in her songs or giving us the body transformation to get inspired by, she’s out there living her best life. Adele has acknowledged many times about her body transformation and said that she never did to fit in a mould, but did it because she wanted to and it made her happy.

• Kelly Clarkson: Clarkson has come a long way since winning American Idol more than a decade ago, and she's been scrutinised for her weight swings throughout her career. Well, Clarkson has embraced whatever body shape she’s had all through her career by showing it off in its real, raw glory.

• Vidya Balan: Kudos to Vidya for always keeping her head held high even when the media has asked her some ridiculous questions about her weight on numerous occasions. As it turns out, Vidya doesn’t give a flying eff to all those people who criticise her body weight and instead, she loves to woo us with her kickass performances.

• Demi Lovato: Demi Lovato's activism inspires us all, from her strong support for Black Lives Matter to her work as a mental health champion. She's really upfront about her challenges with eating disorders and bipolar disease, which is crucial because the more we talk about them, the less influence they have over us.

International Brands That Are Championing Body Positivity

There are brands that have been chastised for using body positivity as a performative marketing technique. However, the fact that people of all sizes can see themselves represented in media by their favourite fashion brands is a big win. Nonetheless, some businesses have made a concerted effort to spread the actual message of body acceptance to their customers.

These brands take body positivity to a new level by designing clothing that is both sustainable and inclusive for individuals of all sizes.

Asos, Modcloth, Swimsuits For All, Everlane, American Eagle are some international brands that are championing body positivity.

Body Positive Fashion Brands In India

This is the best time for shopping. Literally all we have to do is open our browser and access a vast variety of stores that are catering to our needs right on our fingertips. There are Indian brands that have sizes available from XXL to 6XL. So dear women of all shapes and sizes, it’s time to sway in style because there are some companies that will leave you spoiled for choice. Look no further!

• Nexus By Lifestyle: A plus-sized brand from Lifestyle, Nexus is one of India's major fashion retail chains, and it exhibits the company's customary contemporary, comfortable, and sophisticated design. They make distressed jeans, layers, and printed maxi dresses available in sizes XXL to 6XL.

• Amydus: Amydus, India's own local brand, is a curvy beauty's dream come true. They create amazing silhouettes for all Indian body types without apologies. They have sizes up to 7XL and reasonable prices, making them an ideal shopping destination.

• Intermod: Intermod is a brand for women who are always on the go. Women who love power dressing should lookout for them during their next shopping spree. Work dresses, immaculate shirts, bold jackets, and slacks that scream power are all available. This all-inclusive brand has sizes ranging from XXS to 6XL.

• PlusS: Its selection of nice flowy dresses, solid denim to t-shirt, in a rainbow of colours, patterns, and motifs, will make it to every girl’s lust-list. They are available in sizes XXL to 6XL.

• TurnBlack: The brand offers customization options where you can simply get your favourite piece of garment tailored for you as per your body size. They offer minimalistic kurtas, trousers, shirts, and other garments for both men and women.

• True Browns: Another brand that champions fashion inclusivity is True Browns. They offer simple yet statement pieces with an option to customise your clothes.

Summing It Up

A lifetime of disliking one's body is not the most productive use of one's time. Get it right?

Your distinctive personality, your opinions, attitudes, thinking, habits, expressions and body language, manners, and your body… all these things make up who you are. Accept yourself as you are, whether you are tall, short, voluptuous, or slim, and go on from there. Once you start accepting and loving yourself for who you are, opinions and standards won’t matter to you anymore.

On a great note, it's wonderful to see how fashion is allowing women and men to embrace their own skin.