Billie Eilish is one of the world's most successful - and recognisable - musicians. Like Ariana Grande has her ponytail and over-the-knee boots, and Lizzo has her sparkly on-stage leotards, Billie has become known for her trademark look: baggy designer clothes, complemented with her unmistakable green roots. (While most of us would look like we'd had an at-home hair disaster, she somehow manages to look even more stylish - which really is a testament to just how cool she is.)
Billie might look uber-cool, but her choice for oversized outfits isn't just a fashion statement. When speaking in a Calvin Klein advert last May, she explained why she opts for baggier clothes, saying that she doesn't want people to comment on her body. 'Nobody can have an opinion because they haven't seen what’s underneath,' she said. 'Nobody can be like, "she’s slim-thick," "she’s not slim-thick," "she’s got a flat ass," "she's got a fat ass." No one can say any of that because they don't know' In a video played on her tour last year, she further addressed body-shaming, saying 'If what I wear is comfortable, I am not a woman. If I shed the layers, I am a slut' while she removed her baggy clothes, leaving her at the end of the interlude in a tank top.
It's a real shame, then, that there was such a reaction yesterday to paparazzi photos of Billie wearing a cami top, along with a pair of shorts. The pictures were plastered everywhere, with one tabloid saying she had 'unveiled her svelte figure'.
If it was another female popstar, the pictures might have made some websites, but nobody would have battered an eyelid. But because Billie rarely shows her body, it somehow became headline news, as if we've always been entitled to see what her body looks like. Truly, it is nobody's business - and it's worth a reminder that, at 18, she is still a teenager. It's more than a bit creepy to be talking about her 'unveiling' her figure.
Unfortunately, as with any female in the public eye, and as Billie has spoken about before, following the photos, some felt the need to comment on her body shape. Some asked why she would ever 'want to hide' her figure, while others were snide, saying she should go back to her trademark clothes. Her name is trending, and there are horrible tweets. (One, which has been retweeted widely, said: 'In 10 months Billie Eilish has developed a mid-30's wine mom body.')
Thankfully, Billie hasn't let any of this nonsense get to her - and she's continuing to wear what she wants. Baggy or not. Last night, she posted a photo to Instagram in another tank top. It already has nearly eight million likes. Whether she starts to switch up her style or not, her fans will continue to love her whatever she decides to wear.
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