Standard-clad, perfectly shaped - the issue with body standards

We all know it: body standards are quite a thing.
They are a) everywhere, b) constantly changing, c) hardly attainable for many women, and d) simply incredibly persistent.

No matter where, we are constantly confronted with the topic, whether in the media, on social networks, or in advertising, online and offline. They often appear so naturally and casually that we only realize afterward what was just shown to us. At the same time, they are constantly changing. The ideal body from two years ago is not the same as today’s. Depending on when you read this, it may have changed again. While in the early 2010s the thigh gap was the ideal, the focus shifted to a large butt at the end of the 2010s. Currently, the 2000s concept of heroin chic is experiencing a comeback, especially on social media—where else? How are we supposed to keep up with that?

Moreover, body standards simply describe a utopia that is unattainable for many of us because the necessary physical prerequisites are missing, which cannot just be “trained away” or changed at will. Sure, with time and money (and a bit of luck) you can achieve a lot, but let’s be honest: why should we do that for an ideal that will look different again in a few years? And then the whole game would start all over again.

So the reality of bodies looks very different. Since many of us do not conform to societal norms of weight, proportions, and specific body features, reality is diverse and not uniformly "ideal."

The problem, therefore, is not really with our bodies but with these very norms by which they are measured.
But where do these norms actually come from, and who decides on them? Simply put, it usually comes down to practical, economic interests. Because with the promise of beauty, a lot can be sold to people.

These beauty standards, which have developed from history and media representation, are ultimately just a money grab. For example, we ask ourselves far too often why women’s pockets are so small or why sometimes there aren’t any at all. Or why there are so many creams to make sure we don’t get a single wrinkle.

Beauty ideals paint a very uniform picture of bodies. Yet our bodies are anything but uniform. Small, tall, soft, muscular, with a belly, with curves, with asymmetries, and everything in between. The list is long, and it describes no exceptions but perfectly normal bodies.

Standing outside of body norms is not an abstract concept but quickly noticeable in everyday life. It’s not just about seemingly superficial issues like finding suitable clothing, because we all know these experiences: pants that are too short or too long. Blouses that pull at the chest. Pant legs that are too wide while the waistband digs in. Something always doesn’t fit, and eventually, you just get annoyed.

Altering garments costs time, money, and above all patience, which you no longer have after the thousandth time, especially when it makes it even clearer that you were once again not considered in the fashion world. This lack of visibility and constant reminder is exhausting. You look around and hardly find yourself in images, advertising, and social media, and slowly you get the feeling of not belonging or not being represented.

This is not an illusion but an experience many know. Depending on the situation, this experience often fluctuates between invisibility and the feeling of standing out. Both can be quite difficult. Assignments based on appearance are part of everyday life for many women, whether subtle or obvious.

Short women know the feeling of sometimes being taken less seriously or treated condescendingly. Women with large breasts often experience that their cleavage is more in focus than they are themselves, along with comments on their clothing and noticeable looks. Women with broader builds or very tall women are often denied femininity. What all these experiences have in common is that the body is judged and commented on before one is perceived as a person at all.

And then there are those unsolicited comments, ranging from openly derogatory to supposedly well-meaning advice. It is expected that you should be grateful for advice you actually don’t want to hear: how you could dress “more advantageously” or live “healthier.” When you point out that these comments are not very helpful and even intrusive, you suddenly become ungrateful. And once again, it’s directly about the body and not the personality.

It’s clear that being constantly confronted with such things can have emotional effects. You get frustrated, maybe even insecure, or you start to feel ashamed of something that was imposed on you from outside. So you develop strategies not to stand out. Sometimes you wear concealing clothes, leave the high heels in the closet, or simply hold back consciously. And actually, you don’t want to do that, but this constant external focus on the body is just exhausting.

Against this background, demands for constant body love in the sense of “Body Positivity” sometimes feel almost surreal. Loving your body should not be a prerequisite to being visible, taken seriously, or allowed to dress well. With the solution “Love yourself,” the responsibility quickly lands back on the individual woman. This turns a societal ideal suddenly into an individual mindset problem. But actually, it’s about why some bodies are shown and thought of as natural and others are not. If Body Positivity is too overwhelming, Body Neutrality can be a helpful approach. Here, it’s initially about accepting your own body. But even that is not enough as long as diverse bodies are still treated as exceptions.
What we need and want is visibility that is not a special bonus but simply natural. Because what we see and hear repeatedly eventually feels “normal” to us, and what is shown less appears more as an exception. Bodies outside of norms are not exceptions but simply reality. “Normal” has never been just one body shape but the diversity we encounter every day.

Our body is not a project we have to change to be valuable. It is valuable. Period. It’s about being allowed to show yourself and take up space. Fashion is exactly the starting point we pursue in the Les Soeurs Shop. Because we don’t have to adapt our bodies for clothing. No, clothing must fit our bodies.

As a Curvy Concept Store, we have stood for inclusive, cool plus size fashion for almost ten years. We see ourselves as a place where you can not only shop but also browse, try on, feel, and exchange ideas. From our own experiences and the long-standing fashion expertise of our founders, our own brand Loved by Les Soeurs Shop was created early on. Loved by stands for sustainable, timeless, and modern plus size fashion that thinks ahead. We design our clothing so that you don’t have to worry when wearing it and feel comfortable, cool, and confident all day long. At Loved by, it’s about the natural fact that clothing is made for the wearer and not the other way around. For example, our blouses are equipped with an extra button to prevent gaping. Our pants styles come in different lengths and with various leg widths. Since our brand is designed directly in our store, we have immediate influence on cuts and fits. This allows us to continuously optimize, develop new things, and respond directly to your feedback and needs. The result is a brand that our customers—and we ourselves—love.

Simply Loved by Les Soeurs Shop (and by you)

Text: Alicia Münch