Debates and discussions at the dinner table are often inevitable, especially the ones that feel personal. I was recently made aware in relation to the latest ‘body trend’ during this exact scenario. According to the latest edition of Vogue UK, cleavage has now been deemed unfashionable or in their own words “over”. As an individual who is fully aware of the dangers associated with following and adhering to ‘body trends’, my mind stumbled upon those who may fall into the dark hole and suffer from what now is called body shaming. Body trends tend follow us everywhere we go and instead of returning the favour, here are a few things you can do the next time you log onto the Internet to find that a part of your body has been deemed out of style.

First off, remove or unfollow all online toxic pages, friends and images that adhere to the idea of following body trends. Being exposed to ideas like this uncontrollably alter our way of thinking and more critically, the way we think about ourselves. Instead, replace the negativity with an overwhelming surge of positivity through loving friends, family and online pages or websites who practise empowerment and appreciation for all body types. Youtube vloggers like LoeyLane and LearningToBeFearless are a great source to turn to if you feel like giving your newsfeed an upgrade.

If by any chance you are unable to completely remove this sort of negative, online behaviour, simply continue to scroll past it and ignore them at any moment they appear. You’ll thank yourself for it later. Another realm of the body trend world is the world of health and fitness, and while it is important to take the time to look after your body physically, your mental and emotional state also requires the same amount of compassion. ‘Fitspos’ or ‘fitspirations’ are another aspect that have the potential to cause damage. Having someone to look up to in terms of maintaining a healthy lifestyle can act as a massive motivator and positive influence in your life, however, it is critical to remember that these individuals, just like us, have bad days. When it comes to social media like Instagram and Facebook, people will always choose to post photos and videos involving the best version of themselves. We are always witnessing an edited version of someone’s life. Think about it.

Let us end with a nod to the idea of a trend itself. Any trend, beauty wise or not, exists like a wave, ebbing and flowing at its convenience, pulling in or drawing out individuals who don’t realise it. While it’s lovely to feel apart of a community with ideas and values you can share around, it’s even more important to remember the fact that trends, like waves, disappear the moment they arrive. This will always be a problem when it comes to trends associated with the human body as we cannot physically morph or reconstruct ourselves to suit a particular ideology. One minute, the thigh gap plagues the Internet and within the next, having thick thighs and a plump butt are all the rage. The irony here is that trends slowly sweep around to every body type, deeming them one-by-one worthy of societal beauty. So instead of waiting for your body type to make an appearance, embrace the now and choose to stay on the sand the next time a body trend comes around.