The world of fashion is broad, trends don’t only dictate what we wear but also extend their influence into our culture, including lifestyle choices and attitudes. Two concerning trends are diet culture and the promotion of tobacco products, specifically single-use vapes. At the surface level, these seem unrelated, but under further examination, many overlaps are revealed, showing the harmful contributions
they lend to one another. Fashion has been synonymous with thinness for decades, the perpetuation of unrealistic and harmful body standards that prioritise slender figures above all. The pressure to conform to fashion ideals fuels a toxic environment of body dissatisfaction and leads the way for disordered eating. The fixation on weight, paving the way for diet culture to expand, and promoting calorie counting
and restrictive eating habits have become so ingrained within the fashion industry, leading to an obsession with creating an unattainable body image. Alongside the glamorisation of thinness, the fashion industry has a history of romanticising smoking. Associating tobacco with sophistication and allure. Traditional cigarettes as seen smoked by celebrities such as Audrey Hepburn were once considered a symbol of elegance and class. However, as the known health risks of smoking became more public, smoking rates declined, and the fashion industry found a
new device to promote smoking products: single-use vapes. Both the fashion and tobacco industries rely heavily on aspirational advertising, promoting and capitalising on ideals and consumer’s insecurities. They use the idea of a dream to create an illusion of desirability and exclusivity. Furthermore, the glorification of being thin and smoking within the fashion industry maintains harmful stereotypes, alienating individuals who do not fit the narrow ideals. Fashion brands have a responsibility to promote diversity, inclusivity, and body positivity, they must reject harmful stereotypes instead of embracing them. The promotion of smoking products, specifically single-use vapes, has broken into the fashion world, blurring the lines between style and substance. Traditional cigarettes have long been suggestive of rebellion, the emergence of vapes introduces a modern twist, a step into the future of fashion. With sleek designs and customisable features, vapes are favourable among influencers with young followings, further embedding smoking imagery into the foundations of the fashion industry The most notable overlap of fashion and smoking is the behaviours maintained by social pressures, smoking can emerge as a substitute for food in the complex world of diet culture. as a substitute to eating comes with a high price tag – both physically and emotionally. Smoking poses a significant risk to your cardiovascular health and respiratory system. Psychological distress and further behaviours arise from the psychological and social factors which reinforce unhealthy habits within individuals struggling with insecurities and body image problems. The need to conform to a beauty ideal triggers a desire to exert control over one’s body, feelings of inadequacy can be kept at bay with the relief of smoking, temporarily providing a relief from anxiety and insecurity. Cigarettes, in this context, serve as a way of controlling appetite and weight, suppressing hunger and providing a sense of satisfaction. Body dissatisfaction that underlies disordered eating behaviours is also a large risk taken on by smokers. Smoking also perpetuates a cycle of dependency, ultimately giving way to a deeper sense of dissatisfaction, this is caused by the relief felt from smoking. The physiological effects of nicotine on appetite and metabolism also contribute to using smoking as a substitute for food. Nicotine is a stimulant found in tobacco that has been proven to suppress appetite and increase metabolic rate, occasionally leading to weightlessness in some individuals. For those struggling with insecurities and weight loss, the promise of weight control offered by smoking may provide an incentive to pick up this harmful habit, further perpetuating the overlap of diet culture and dependency on substances. It is very important to note that the few “benefits” of smoking ultimately fade away leaving a feeling of emptiness. By confronting the issues of smoking and diet culture it is vital to address the underlying factors that provide the foundation for these harmful behaviours. Adopting a culture of acceptance, inclusivity and compassion will challenge these toxic norms and empower individuals to take on healthier behaviours and relationships with their bodies. Breaking free from the toxic cycle of dependency and substitution requires a collective commitment to caring for our well-being and fighting back against societal
pressures and expectations