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Cultural standards of beauty and body types are cyclical and shift over time.

Social media content strongly influences people's self-concept and feelings about their bodies.

Weight stigma remains constant in society and can lead to unhealthy attitudes and behaviors.

The current “kinda chic” craze has gone viral on social media. The good part is how it pokes fun at the mundane while acknowledging the importance of setting healthy boundaries and developing self-acceptance. Shifting the focus away from overly pretentious content is also a welcome change in the age of AI and enhanced images. It demonstrates that we can appreciate everyday reality instead of performing with fake personas.

Yet, this trend is also connected to the ways we internalize an appearance-focused mindset and the relationship we have to our bodies.

Ideals of Beauty in the 1960s

If you grew up in the 1960s, you probably remember supermodels like Jean Shrimpton, Verushka, and Twiggy. These famous faces and figures revolutionized the fashion industry and influenced cultural standards of beauty.

The curvier, more voluptuous shapes of women in the 1950s were replaced with less feminine, reed-thin bodies. Women strove to emulate this look, which was an unrealistic goal for the vast majority. This carried over into the dance community, as the Balanchine aesthetic of a long, lean, slender body type became the ideal standard for female ballet dancers. It also set the stage for unhealthy eating behaviors, the........

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