Two weeks ago was the 2014 Victoria's Secret Fashion Show in London, where the famed Angels strutted the runway in beautiful lingerie. They've done it every year for nearly 20 years. Every December, I mark my calendar for the Victoria's Secret Fashion show. I know I'm not alone in this, since virtually all of my friends (and all my Facebook/Twitter friends it seems) watch the show. We all enjoy gathering around a TV with friends and watching glamorous spectacle. We’re usually excited about the musical lineup and definitely laughed seeing Ariana Grande dodge the Angel wings this year. On a surface level, there would be no problem with this scene.
However, my timeline each year is filled with:
“RIP to my self-esteem.”
“How is it possible to look so perfect?”
“My diet starts tomorrow #VSFashionShow.”
These statements from my own classmates and friends, are disturbing to read. It’s obvious in the tweets above (and the hundreds of others that were posted) that this show has a horrific effect on the self-image of collegiate women. The feeling of insufficiency this show cultivates is heartbreaking, and it can also be confusing to those who may see it as “just a fashion show.” The concept of lingerie isn’t evil. The articles of clothing aren’t inherently wrong. But they are being displayed in a public arena that demeans and devalues their purpose. In a fashion show that idolizes women, Victoria’s Secret has formed an image of beauty that is nearly impossible.
I think women love the Victoria's Secret Fashion show because it gives us a small glimpse of another world. This fantasy world is full of supermodels called “angels,” who, by society’s standards, have achieved perfection of their bodies. They have long limbs, gorgeous faces, and stunning smiles. Any girl would love to look like that, and I’m confident that I never will!
It’s certainly no secret that these models spend countless hours working out, intensely watching their diets and nearly starving to prepare for the big event. Many of the Angels give up solid food beforehand in order to attain the right body. I think the VS models are all gorgeous, and they definitely worked hard to get to where they are. But that’s just it: they worked for it. These women are employed to model lingerie, and their day job is not to represent the average American woman. Walking down a runway in your underwear is not a normal lifestyle for anyone, much less to a room full of sorority girls scarfing down pizza as they watch.
Yet to girls who see these angels, it’s real. It’s deemed attainable, and they have not attained it. This cultivates and magnifies the lie many girls just cannot shake, that they are not ENOUGH. The continuation of this lie that takes place because of the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is simply unhealthy. The amount of self-criticism that grows from this can become damaging, as girls struggling with insecurity may base their self-worth on these comparisons.
It’s so important to love yourself enough and know that your weight and appearance do not dictate your value! But as the show attracts even more celebrities and entertainers each year with special performances drawing in viewers, it leaves many women questioning what “perfection” really is.
