Victoria Secret Fashion Show: Getting Real with Body Image

November 20th 2017, today (GMT time) is the day the highly anticipated annual Victoria Secret angels will grace Shanghai's Mercedes Benz arena (barely) dressed from head to toe in glitz, glamour and this year exclusively, Balmain. The leading stars of the model world, Lily Aldridge, Taylor Hill and the one and only Adriana Lima will be walking down the runway in nothing but a skimpy thong, a push up bra to be envied by Bravissimo, and if they're lucky and have worked hard enough a glorious pair of jewel encrusted wings weighing almost 20 pounds. As a complete model obsessed fan girl I in no way wish to knock Victoria Secret as a brand nor the show itself as the work ethic behind those involved and the models is admirable. I do however want to get real about the Victoria Secret model's body image: This is NOT realistic nor is is obtainable!

As someone who has struggled with their body image, eating disorders and mental health for years now I feel compelled to write this article. I've faced my struggles, fine - but when I have friends approaching me not knowing who to go to now facing struggles of their own, I know its time to use my (not so influential) presence within the world and speak up.

As a generation bombarded with something ridiculous along the lines of 500,000 images a day (this is the sort of fact my degree entails I can assure you), its hard to avoid images of 6ft, Repunzelish models dressed in designer clothes with access to the world leading PT's and stylists gracing our twitter and Instagram feeds when we just fancy a quick scroll through a few memes. These women are gorgeous, there is no denying that. They have legs for days, bone structures chiseled by Zeus himself and shiny locks only attainable by years of zinc vitamins and expensive serums. The reality behind the show is often abandoned due to the desire for such an opulent lifestyle. As a 5ft 5, average looking university student I have come to terms with the fact I am never going to look remotely like Sara Sampaio no matter how hard I try (note the guy who paid $100,000 on surgery to look more like Justin Bieber). As much as I would like to have a 23 inch waist and hair that doesn't frizz when there is the slightest bit of humidity in the air, its unobtainable, unrealistic and quite frankly DOESN'T exist. Yes, that's correct, it doesn't exist. Although Stella Maxwell may have rock hard abs and perfect pins at present, the behind the scenes work that takes place for the 120 second walk down the runway is laborious, lengthy and concealed to the masses. Over the years I have typed into google 'How to look like a VS angel', 'What does Gigi Hadid eat', 'Jas Tookes workout routine' on many an occasion, but what has really struck me is the result that I have unexpectedly found. Yes I could probably recite Gigi Hadid's daily diet, but what is more beneficial right now is recognizing what really is her DAILY diet. Not her pre-VS show diet.

The casting for the VS fashion show take place in late August. The show is 3 months subsequent to that. For the casting the models must already be well on their way to looking runway ready. This essentially meaning their slimmest, most toned body, best dewy complexion, fullest shiniest hair (and non-hair if you get what I mean), and on top of that have perfected their pose and runway walk. Although this is their day job, the models are tested and pushed to their absolute max for the VS show. They must literally be the most perfect version of themselves they can be and more i.e. sparkly expensive Swarvoski underwear. The overall preparation time for the show is at an estimated 4 months. For this time the models will train twice a day, with a rest day every two weeks, eat strictly no sugar, often cutting dairy and gluten too. They will be under a strict life routine ensuring they get enough workouts but also sleep in for that perfect glowing complexion. They will absolutely not be allowed to drink alcohol and 12 hours before the show aren't able to consume anything other than the occasional glass of water to ensure their muscles show the best they can. The models will have to abide by this for the following 4 or so months.

This is where I want to make the point that even for these beautiful women, the amount of time they spend looking this good is well within the minutes. They put in all this hard work for two maybe three appearances on the runway. This is their full time job. It isn't a hobby. It isn't part time work. Its how they make their living and they've been in preparation for years to become the world leading models. Now apply this to your life. If like me you're at uni you will understand how little time you have once you've subtracted lecture time, part time work, housework and socialising. VS models don't have uni to attend, they don't have to work stacking shelves or folding clothes over the weekends and as they're often travelling so rarely have to worry about housework. Or are rich enough to afford house keeping... Unlike us this is their sole aim, to look like a Victoria secret angel. Not to make sure that deadline is submitted on Tuesday by midday going out for your best friend's 21st the night before.

I also want to include the fact most of these women are 5ft10 plus and have extremely fast metabolisms. These women will have always been naturally slim their entire lives, and gaining 1kg of fat will be very different to someone only 5ft5 gaining it due to their height. In light of today's hype around fitness and nutrition, these women will be working with the world leading (and most expensive) nutritionists and fitness instructors to achieve their bodies. How does that explain their boobs then I hear you ask? As I noted earlier, push up bras, padding and surgery. Take Alessandra for example who has had her ears pinned back! Fitness is a huge component of their appearance. As mentioned they often work out twice a day (they have the time and resources to do that unlike us). Their workouts don't entail running up that hill as fast as they can or squatting the heaviest set of weights in the gym. Rather they train very specific muscles and use very precise training methods in order to achieve their avatar-esque appearances. And where is the fun in that when you're not lifting the heaviest dumbbells in the gym!

To round this up, I am in no way slating these women. They're powerful, influential, hard-working, and not to forget drop dead gorgeous. But I want young women/girls who are trying to achieve the impossible to realise they shouldn't try and look like someone else, rather be the best version of themselves. You are you and no one else can be you. Eat your greens, lift your weights, but remember life is too short to turn down a cocktail and a pizza every once in a while! Live passionately, everyone's perception of perfection is different, and as long as you're the best version of yourself you can be and are happy then why be anything other than that. And believe it or not, Bella Hadid eats her fair share of pizza too. But remember she also gets paid to look good so sometimes has to make those tasty sacrifices for a chance to walk down the VS runway, you on the other hand do not! Being a VS model has it's perks, but live your life as a lawyer, an engineer, a publisher, whatever inspires you. Having abs may be awesome, but so is having fun and living your life. Don't let wanting to look good get in the way of what really matters. Don't sacrifice your mental and physical health for your appearance because really who cares if you weight 5 pounds more than your ideal weight? And most importantly, NEVER compare yourself to anyone else. Health and mindfulness come before everything, and although I can't wait to watch the models grace the runway in Shanghai, I've come to learn I'm never going to be 6ft tall with thin legs and a Hollywood smile. But I can always push to better myself as the individual I truly am.

P.S We all need to take a leaf out of Gaga's book, 5ft, battled an eating disorder, goes onto the VS 2016 runway in Paris - steals the show.