Skinny, stylish and sinister: The return of "heroin chic" during the social media age

Supermodels Kate Moss and Gia Carangi originated the ‘heroin-chic’ trend in the 90s.

Characterized by androgynous looks, a super skinny figure, and the glamorisation of hard drugs this style was a pinnacle of 90’s societal norms.

Now, just like the flares of the 70’s and bold colours of the 80’s, 90’s fashion is back in.

With much-loved staple pieces such as biker shorts and all out leather it’s no surprise that modern fast fashion brands have leapt to recreate these iconic trends.

But with the return of the 90's also comes the dangerous return of ‘skinny is superior’.

Women driven to be wafer-thin with dangerous encouragement throughout the decades from the likes of Twiggy and Calista Flockhart is even more dangerous in today’s modern world.

No longer just seen in monthly fashion magazines or on the covers of newspapers, impressionable women today have a world of poison in their hands in the form of mobile phones.

The staggering decline of ‘curvy is beautiful’ and ‘love you for you’ is even more evident with Kim Kardashian’s new slim look.

Proudly stating she had lost sixteen pounds in three weeks for a single event is simply perpetuating the harsh beauty standards young people are constantly held to.

The Kardashians along with other high profile celebrities that have access to personal trainers, surgeons, and photoshop are instrumental figures in spreading body dysmorphia.

These tools handy to celebrities make it easy for them to adapt to the fast-changing body trends and leave young people feeling left behind.

Recent rumours that the Kardashians have had their BBLs removed along with recent weight loss is only further proof they are hopping on this new trend.

But we should not only place the blame on celebrities but also on the existence of social media itself.

When the ‘heroin-chic’ era dominated society in the 90s, it was detrimental to women's own attitudes of their bodies and the resurgence of this trend can only be more catastrophic with the arrival of social media.

While we can’t pinpoint social media as the sole cause of eating disorders, constant posts about dieting, workouts and unrealistic photos are sure to have a deep impact on modern disordered eating.

We are facing yet another shift in the “ideal body” which seems to recur every few years. Will this trend ever become obsolete?

Edited By Imogen Bowlt