The Impact of Fashion and Fashion Industry Practices on Body Image
摘要
This chapter explores the impact of fashion and fashion industry practices on body image. It starts with an overview of clothing and appearance ideals in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, highlighting how the thin-ideal has been a constant presence. It then presents the main theoretical frameworks on the development of body image and the factors that influence it. Specifically, it focuses on sociocultural theories, objectification theory, and theories of positive body image. Next, the authors explore three main pathways through which the fashion industry and its practices can affect body image in consumers and individuals who work in the industry: (1) fashion imagery and fashion shows, (2) social media, and (3) the nature of fashion items. Discussing the nature of the items produced by the industry, they focus on how sexualised children’s clothing, limited clothing availability or accessibility, restrictive clothing, and issues with clothing size and fit can impact body image across the lifespan—especially among women. The chapter concludes with recommendations for policies and practices that can promote diversity and sustain positive body image.