We all scroll through countless Insta-models’ pics — it’s hard not to. Let’s just take a moment to acknowledge that, yeah, these girls are hot. It’s especially hard not to notice when your guy friends, your crush or even your brother (ew, really?) like their photos; but it’s even harder not to compare yourself to the countless bikini photos and Belfies galore, each of which gets thousands upon thousands of likes.
It’s a fine line. On the one hand, you love supporting other women — yes girl, love your body. On the other hand, it’s hard not to feel a slight spark of jealousy when you see users who, let’s just say, aren’t following her for the feminism, fitness and pics of cute clothes.
It’s especially important to think critically and take a step back during these moments: who are these girls? There are predominantly three types of Insta-model pages: fitness, travel, and the girl who basically just takes cute selfies. All of them are usually sponsored, therefore regularly posting #ad content. As a result, these girls spend put a lot of time and put a lot of effort into their post; many of them take dozens of selfies while using numerous filters and editing effects to make their posts look “perfect.”
In reality, however, these girls look a lot like you and me. You’ve probably passed a couple on the street without even realizing it. That’s because nobody looks like that. Nobody has a perfect tan, super white teeth, and an impressively arched back all the time (or most of the time, for that matter). Those pictures we obsess over are often results of employing creative angles, body twisting, filters and face tuning.
I know it might be difficult, but next time you see one of those flawless photos, just think about the girl behind the pic sitting in front of her window for an hour, making faces at her phone just to get the perfect selfie. Or, think of the girl having her semi-professional photographer friend take millions of photos of her posing at the beach. Think about how hard it is to capture the perfect candid smile — all while arching your back and trying to not make your stomach stick out.
So yeah, you go girl. Promote that body positivity, fitness tips, cute clothes or even #wanderlust; I will continue to practice checking myself whenever I start to turn a little green with envy. It’s important to remember that a picture with your friends at the football game is a lot more real and worth a lot more (in my opinion) than yet another picture of a model in front of a scenic backdrop. At the end of the day, there are hundreds of ads and models out on social media; however, there’s only one you, and the pictures you’re posting now will turn into the memories you’ll have for the rest of your life.
So if there’s anything to take away from these Insta-models, it’s to love yourself and love the way you look right now. These times won’t last forever, and the last thing you want is to look back on your college years and regret not taking more photos.