“That girl,” is something we’ve all heard of at some point. Being the IT girl, or the kind of woman that others are envious of, and whose counterparts lust after sounds appealing, right? “That girl” has its own entire subgenre across social media platforms, and is no stranger to users as it has taken its many forms through Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram, and now TikTok. Although intriguing, even seemingly harmless ‘trends’ such as this one also have a downside.
One aspect of being “that girl” includes having an entire array of whole foods in one’s arsenal. Typically, those who wish to embody “that girl” concoct meals that are more often aesthetically pleasing than they are nutritious. Endless amounts of superfood smoothies and acai fruit bowls, one would think that viewing this kind of content is harmless, right? But diving deeper into what actually constitutes this certain aesthetic strictly includes a certain way of consuming food. A facet of this aesthetic perpetuates a certain level of regional privilege, as in those who are “that girl” do not live in areas where food deserts are common, or where access to fresh, high quality whole foods are few and far between.
The kind of disconnect that this trend creates only really fuels self-fulfilling prophecies that individuals may feel in their day to day lives; I have to function a certain way to be this kind of person. It is not lost on us that this is not necessarily the best way to inspire or inform others on what ways of living that are conducive to a fruitful life, as everyone deserves to have a say in what they wear, eat, do, etc.
What is lost on a lot of people is the true reason why being “that girl” is so appealing. This is a personal conclusion that one must make, but think about this: Is this something that we may want to partake in because we feel it makes us “better?” or does it reflect an untrue version of ourselves that seems to be more desirable to others, therefore to ourselves? This is no doubt a touchy subject to cover, but it feels important to bring light to and take the time to evaluate what we consume online and how that consciously or unconsciously affects our personal lives.
For some, social media consumption can do more harm than good, and understanding what being “that girl” means is more than likely to discourage viewers into thinking that how they currently live is not enough. From time to time we all need to take a break from our phones, be easy on ourselves, and remember that what works for you is more than enough and should not be examined under a microscope. Our day to day lives don’t always look the same or look picture perfect, and that is okay!