What do you think about women who strive for the 90s/00s "skinny b*tch" look?

[BeAlertRaven]

I'm asking because I'm one of those women myself. I think it's because I grew up in that era and watched a lot of MTV and shows like America's next top model etc. I also idolised skinny women in my teens. I feel like other women see me as vain and overly concerned with my appearance or assume I have an eating disorder (which I don't have btw).

I'm not sure why you think anyone would be giving any thought to this at all tbh. It had never occurred to me to consider that there was such a category as 'women who strive for the 90s/00s skinny bitch look', never mind what their motivations or neuroses might be.

Well, from the outside I wouldn’t know if you ‘strive’ for that look, or if you’re naturally slim, or just ill. If you talked about trying to be thin I’d think it was sad but wouldn’t be rude about it.

Nothing at all

I was really skinny in those days, but it didn't occur to me that anyone was thinking of me in that way

I think you have just explained some of the bitchy remarks that were directed towards me in those days.

I never watched TV shows like that either. So I have no judgement on anyone being thin, fat or anything in between. I've been both.

I'll grant you I do have judgement on people who use terminology like this.

I don't know what 'the 90s/00s skinny bitch look' is! I'm 50 so definitely lived through it but don't know what you mean. Can you give examples of women I would have heard of who would be an example of this look?

I think it's a pretty niche look to be striving for.

Have I misunderstood this?

Is it actually the heroin chic thing? I Didn't look like that. Nor did I look like a lollipop lady. I was just a bit underweight until my late 20s.

I think it’s a look that doesn’t age well and starts to shade into scrawny
I prefer the strong and toned look that more young women are into these days and think it’s a whole lot healthier long term.

Even ANTM started featuring a wider range of sizes and different looks in later series.

I don't think about what other people look like or strive to look like

Never heard of this.

Do you mean people that just make an effort to be slim and a healthy, comfortable size?

I am from the same era as you and I don’t know anyone that tries to be skinny because it makes people look older.

I would think it odd that a woman who must be 35+ or so wants to be so “skinny”. Granted, I like to keep slim, but definitely not the look you’re describing.

I know exactly what you mean, though. If I watch tv shows like “Friends” now, I’m shocked by just how thin the women were.

Btw, are curves (The Kardashian look) still “in”? Something tells me that the thin look, possible thanks to weight loss injections, is creeping back in?

Honestly, I prefer this look for myself. Prominent collar bones, very small boobs etc. I feel like I can wear so many more things and I feel more, I dunno, agile? I’m tall and when I’m carrying excess weight (or even more muscle), I feel physically ‘big’ and that my body is quite cumbersome. The Kardashian look or even the idea of big boobs, big bum etc does not appeal to me at all.

Is this the same as

heroin chic

??

I do rember tyra banks and janice Dickinson calling the potential Next top models fat or having a "paunch" and asking if they had been eating carbs, i dont think that is a concept i would still be aspiring too.

I think it's a bit strange to aspire to being skinny and it doesn't appeal to me, neither aesthetically or as something to admire, but each to their own. I don't judge women who aspire to be skinny, even if I think it's misguided.

I don’t care if people strive for that, as long as they don’t talk to me about it all the time. I’m not interested in talking about weight or dieting at length with people.

I think the same as @BabyCatFace . Younger women tend to be into fitness, not thinness. It feels a bit 90s tbh.

Personally, I do not feel I need to lose weight at all, but in so far as I focus on my body it's about athleticism and power. I notice women my age (mid 40s) whose shoulders are a bit rounded or stooped, or who don't have strong muscular structure like glutes. I think that is an indicator of ageing unhealthily myself, and I invest a lot of time in building muscle, power, strong core, litheness, and great posture.

But don't really care if others are doing differently!

Victoria Beckham maybe?

Well, there’s a bit of an overlap I guess. Basically think of female celebrities and models (maybe not the obviously anorexic ones) from the 90s and 00s.

I don’t know about ‘skinny bitch’ but I definitely like being thin, and I really enjoy everything about it. I’d love to be rail thin, but I’m 52 and my body appears to want me to hang onto a bit of blubber these days. If anyone says I’m looking skinny, I take it as a huge compliment.

Each to their own really. I do think there is more to life than looks and if someone wants to spend their energy like this then good luck to them, but looks fade and metabolism changes and hormones and genetics pay a big impact on body shape as we age, so if you strive for this then you need to be realistic about it most likely changing in time.

I'd rather spend all that time and energy on my career, which is how i paid my mortgage off on my own at the age of 39 and don't have the worry of finances and budgets in life. Ive also lost 3 stones with mounjaro, but that was health related as i was prediabetic. Others invest in their families etc.

If you "strive" for that look, you have to be pretty obsessed in order to achieve it - you are talking about working to achieve it and not being skinny naturally because you are an ectomorph.
To be very thin, unless naturally thin, takes a lot of time and energy, is exhausting, affects moods and requires some form of restriction. This is not a good thing to aim for physically, mentally or emotionally. It will require a lot of mental energy compared to someone being slim and healthy for their height.
I say this as I once was this person and thankfully am no longer.

It can be hard to relax, to enjoy food, to socialise if you are determined to achieve a body weight that is way below your natural default weight.

I think there is no way to achieve this look without some form of disordered eating and thoughts.

Are you talking about the ‘size zero’ or double zero thing? Do you think you’re referring to those times specifically because it was during your formative years, for want of a better term? I was trying to think of why anybody around you would know that was what you were aiming for, the only person I can think of that seems to talk about things like that quite bluntly is Polly Vernon.