Celebrity stylist Ariel Tunnell typically pulls clothing options from the runway for her clients of all sizes.
But this past year, she’s noticed an alarming trend in the fashion industry. While there are designer options out there for bigger bodies, the choices have become few and far between.
“I think we’re all aware that we are taking a step backwards,” said Tunnell, who has styled stars including singer Camila Cabello and actor Rachel Bloom. “There was a bigger push for inclusivity and body acceptance of all shapes and sizes that feels like it is trending backwards.”
Tunnell’s concerns echo those of body positivity advocates, who have spent years advocating for self-acceptance regardless of body type. Now, many worry 2024 marked a return to “thinness” as the norm.
Influencers who are known for championing body positivity began sounding the alarm earlier this year, saying it feels like the way people talk and think about people’s bodies has reverted back to an obsession with one specific size.
More recently, some of Hollywood’s biggest stars have commented on unfair beauty standards. This month, actor Sydney Sweeney clapped back at online trolls who described her as fat in paparazzi images of her relaxing in the Florida Keys. Actor Florence Pugh also addressed public commentary on her body, telling The Sunday Times in a recent interview that there are people who are “still angry with me for not losing more weight.”
In its spring/summer 2025 size inclusivity report, Vogue Business wrote that “progress has stalled and we are facing a worrying return to using extremely thin models, amid the Ozempic boom,” referring to the popularity of the semaglutide drug used for weight loss.
The fashion publication said it analyzed “every runway show and presentation featured on Vogue Runway from the official New York, London, Milan and Paris schedules to calculate the proportion of total looks that are straight, mid and plus-size.” The publication found that less than 1% of the more than 8,700 runway models were plus size. Meanwhile, more than 94% were between a U.S. Size 0 and 4.
Even some brands’ attempts to be more inclusive were seen as falling short. Victoria’s Secret, a lingerie brand that once faced criticism for its lack of inclusivity, included plus-size models like Ashley Graham in its revamped Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in October. The brand said it would move “from promoting an exclusionary view of what’s sexy, to celebrating all women throughout every phase of their lives.” However, some said they felt the show still mostly included skinny models and “missed the mark.”
In recent years, the world of plastic surgery has also appeared to move away from the Kardashian-esque to more streamlined frames. A study released in June by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons found increased interest in what it described as the “ballet body,” or a body that appears both natural and athletic, and is accomplished through several procedures including liposuction, breast augmentation and filler.
Some who have studied the body positivity movement said they believe it has never actually gotten much traction.
There’s “no evidence that we’re seeing less anti-fat bias” or “less shaming of women for their body size,” said Renee Engeln, a psychology professor at Northwestern University.
“Certainly, in recent decades, I don’t think we have seen meaningful change,” she said. “I think we need to remember that there’s a difference between seeing messages around body positivity and body neutrality or anything like that, and actually feeling OK about your body.”
Many people, women in particular, have continued to face unfair beauty standards as their bodies are scrutinized. For example, during the “Wicked” press tour, online commenters discussed the weight of stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, whom they criticized as being “too skinny.”
“I’ve been kind of doing this in front of the public and kind of been, you know, a specimen in a petri dish, really, since I was 16 or 17,” Grande said in a recent interview with French journalist Salima Jeanne Poumbga. “I’ve heard every version of it, of what’s wrong with me, and then you fix it, and then it’s wrong for different reasons.”
Many attempts to change people’s thinking about their own bodies are individualistic and don’t try to tackle systemic issues at the root of why thinness is often praised, according to Engeln.
“Like, ‘There’s something wrong with the way you’re thinking about your body. You need more confidence. You need to accept it,’” Engeln said of body positive messaging. “And that would be great if those things happened, but that does nothing to change a broader culture that is just steeped in toxic attitudes about women’s bodies.”
Tunnell, the stylist, echoed Engeln’s belief that societal change requires a widespread effort.
“If no one fights and no one continues to speak up, I think thin will always be in, and thin will always win,” Tunnell said. “Because that is unfortunately ingrained in our society, and unless we are always kind of bucking that norm, it’s not going to be broken.”
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