Social Media, Consumerism, and Beauty Standards

“Hi guys, I have a haul!”

You probably hear this phrase on social media every single day, and if you don’t, a “haul” is when people show items they got on a shopping trip or for a specific holiday. 

For decades, consumerism has been a significant component of daily life in America, crucially, surrounding women’s fashion trends. Whether it’s vibrant and bright-colored 80s fashion or neutrals from the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic, fashion trends remain pertinent. While there is no science behind what starts fashion trends, it is fair to assume that today, social media plays a big role in fashion trends. Recently, social media trends have received new names in order to make them more enticing to young women. Some of these include, “blueberry milk nails” which are simply just light blue nails. The “Clean Girl” aesthetic is an aspirational lifestyle that has been popularized in recent years. In order to “achieve” the entirety of the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic, a certain fashion style is needed, as well as beauty products, and even a specific daily routine which is not only costly but time-consuming, taking valuable time and money out of women’s accounts. Often times on social media, the comment sections will be full of various opinions, questions, and aspirations. As seen on a TikTok labeled “How To Be a Clean Girl”, user @paigetedesco3 states, “whats your makeup routine?” Another comment by @ilb..14 states,  “I wish I had clear skin.” This is just one example of how insecurities through social media can impact consumerism, encouraging girls to buy certain makeup brands or skincare products to achieve that “clean girl” lifestyle.

Within consumerism, marketing has developed dramatically throughout the years. Previously, products were advertised through print, like billboards and magazines which have subtly targeted women for decades. In past years, technology has advanced immensely, including the transition from television commercials to iPhones. Televisions led to advancements like commercials and movies/shows that advertise certain products. Even as current teenagers, many GenZ kids can recall seeing convincing toy commercials on Disney Channel or Nickelodeon during breaks. Arguably, the most significant technological advancement has been the creation of the internet and social media, which has changed shopping forever. Gen Z has stopped idolizing commercial actors and moved on to new public figures: influencers. 

Social media is programmed to make others, especially young women, feel inferior about their lives- whether it’s about how they look, how they are spending their spring break or their daily routines. While many teens are aware that a lot of content on social media, specifically relating to physical appearance, isn’t always accurate to real life, teens, especially young girls, spend hours scrolling on social media. When they witness endless hours of ‘picture perfect’ women with ‘picture perfect’ lives, it can lead to unhealthy and unnecessary comparisons. This can lead to feelings of inferiority and even depression.

Companies have taken advantage of social media’s diminishing qualities in the past few years. At this point in time, companies get to sit back and watch consumers convince other consumers to buy their products. These people are called influencers. Influencers are best defined as a person with a large following who takes photos or make videos on various social media apps. One app that many influencers use is TikTok. TikTok is a social media app that lets you scroll through a personalized ‘for you’ page of short videos or film your videos. One of the more popular styles of video on TikTok is hauls. These videos are typically targeted towards young female viewers. Hauls, get-ready-with-me’s and even shopping vlogs, are all videos made to inspire girls to buy products. Often times, content creators will link an Amazon Storefront in their profile biography. These storefronts are direct links to the items they are wearing and using in videos. If a viewer buys those items, the content creator gets part of the income. 

Influencer marketing weaponizes the ways that social media can induce an inferiority complex in its users. Most influencers are not super famous, at least in Tiktok’s eye. “Normal influencers” have around 20k-500k followers, making them appear relatable to the average person. As stated previously, influencers and even people without a following will film videos showing what they got on their shopping trip or for their birthday. These hauls vary in amount and price, but most of the time, there are a lot of items and they are extremely expensive. Hauls like these can leave viewers who lead normal, non-influencer lives, to feel inferior about their life. For example, in the comment section of a recent Black Friday haul video, user @jailyn459 said, “I wish I had this much money.” On another TikTok of an expensive 13th birthday haul, user @akhld0 states, “I got a cake and half a song.” Social media has created a worldwide phenomenon where people can make a living off of other people’s financial and physical insecurities. Many people watch these hauls and compare themselves to the person on the screen. The reason this can take such a toll on regular people is because it’s not like Taylor Swift is achieving the clean girl makeup look and you’re not. Instead, it’s a girl who appears to have a life just like yours, and yet, she seems to be exponentially more put together. Regardless of the trend, there will always be money to be spent. 

Fashion trends have always existed to subjugate women, and further the implications of beauty standards. But even though these trends have always existed, its worth keeping a close eye on them, as the relatively new player of social media only furthers that subjugation by creating new trends that encourage consumerism. 

• beauty
• fashion
• mental health