The Kardashians have singlehandedly changed the perception of what the perfect woman’s body is.
Over the last decade we have seen women endlessly try to achieve the unattainable. But what is the Kardashian look? It’s the typically long dark hair (usually middle part), large breasts, a teeny-tiny waist and huge derriere. Let’s not forget the racially ambiguous skin tone, accomplished by tanning and darker make-up, to round off the archetypal Kardashian /Jenner look.
Growing up I used to enjoy watching Keeping Up With Kardashians - I loved their family dynamics, but after a while I couldn’t but help but feel the impact they were having on me. I was comparing myself way too often to their unrealistic body goals.
Being a black woman there are certain natural features that I was bullied for, I remember being called duck lips during my teens. Those same kind of lips are now praised because the Kardashians/Jenners have made them one of their most sought after features. I also remember when having a large bum was a not desirable; woman used to ask other women if their bum looked big, in fear of it looking too big.
That has all changed because of the Kardashians. Women are literally risking their lives to achieve their physical aspirations of looking like a Kardashian. You can’t scroll on Instagram or Tik-Tok without being submerged with images of women sporting the “ideal” look. Fast fashion brands tend to use these same aesthetically pleasing, racially ambiguous women too. There is literally no escaping the world of “perfection” they have created.
On an episode of KUWTK in 2017, Kim Kardashian spoke about having body dysmorphia and recently we saw Khloe share how she has always felt like the ugly sister and the pressures she felt from the public to uphold a certain level of beauty. There’s an old saying “you make the bed you lie in”. These same expectations that Khloe speaks of, are the same expectations that her family has set - subconsciously or consciously - for millions of women across the world. Millions of women feel the pressure she refers to. Millions of women have tried, are trying to achieve the Kardashian look. Imagine, trying to guilt trip women into feeling sorry for you, after you have profited off these same expectations that you are now so ”traumatised” by? The Kardashian brand is so ingrained in popular culture that we see their influence everywhere.
We all look to other women for inspiration and that’s more than fine, but I believe we need to be careful at who we are looking to and how they achieved their look. Filters and fillers are becoming the ‘new normal’ with many women feeling like they can’t appear online without either. We are creating a generation of young women who want to change their appearance before they’ve even hit puberty - with the Kardashians and social media influencers being the blueprint. So while their influence causes the beauty industry to boom, is it worth seeing millions of women’s self esteem plummet? I’ll let you decide on that one.
READ MORE:I Feel Like I'm Being Gaslit By Khloe Kardashian's Statement About Her Unedited Bikini Photos