From the likes of Twiggy and Kate Moss and now to Kendal Jenner, society has always fixated on the beauty of the modern-day woman. But what does it take to become an ‘it girl’? Being paid to attend fashion shows, designer dinners and publicity events all to raise the kudos of a brand requires a certain aesthetic and allure.
A new feature on Vogue’s YouTube channel presents ‘24 hours in the life of…’, videos following around the fashion world’s current ‘it girl’ for the day, leaving viewers fixated on their routines and desperate to replicate them and manifest their beauty.
Possessing this social magnetism doesn’t come cheap, with models spending thousands a week to maintain the beauty that is demanded of them by so many. From the front of magazine covers to the notorious on screen pairing of Blair Waldorf and Serena Van der Woodson in Gossip Girl, we are continuously being vicariously inspired to change our beauty regime, buy the newest release of Prada handbag or lose 10lbs to fit the defined formula of the ‘it girl’ aesthetic.
In this modern day obsessed with social media following, the term ‘it girl’ warps into that of an ‘influencer’, with the emerging necessity of an effective social media strategy. One’s individual online worth is now rooted in numbers of fans, followers and likes received on each post.
Let’s take the earlier example of Kendall Jenner, a woman born into stardom who continues to raise her online profile with displays of modelling, brand deals and her Hollywood social life. Typically, brands would charge upwards of $30,000 for the chance to advertise their product on Kendall’s Instagram (insane!)
However, time is of the essence when being centre of the public eye. The continuous discovery of new ‘treasures’, as well as the industry questioning their abstract definitions of beauty, opens up the opportunity for any girl to become the centre of society’s attention.
With the catwalks now exhibiting significant diversity of race, size and looks, the trend of being labelled as an ‘it girl’ is dying out. Individuals want to stand out in their own right, not conform to the strict regime of beauty from the past. By manifesting your future goals, living a healthy and balanced lifestyle and putting time aside for self-care, you can become your own ‘it girl’ and inspire yourself to live a better life without the need to rely on inspiration from others.