Is Cleavage Over?

If there is one thing I’m obsessed with, it’s Vogue. As a subscriber, I get the monthly issues delivered to my dorm room. Vogue understands me. It feeds my craving for fashion and it tells me the basic do’s and don’ts of the fashion world. While I’m subscribed to the American version of Vogue, I still keep up with the international editions of Vogue. Recently, British Vogue released a somewhat controversial article concerning cleavage. In this article, the magazine  claimed that cleavage is officially out.

Kathleen Baird-Murray, the author, states that, “The cleavage — those magnificent mounds pushed together to display sexual empowerment, to seduce, to inspire lust or even just to show off — is over, or at least, taking a well-earned break.” Wow. Quite a bold and risky statement for a fashion editor to make. Yet, when looking further into this declaration it becomes a tad easier to understand why Baird-Murray said this. Celebrities and fashion designers are tending to design for the smaller chested woman, the one who can’t achieve cleavage  Take Beyonce as an example. At the Met Gala in 2016, Knowles wore a beautiful beaded sheer gown. This gown did not have cleavage, as it pushed her breasts away from one another, and this trend is becoming increasingly common in the fashion industry. On this past week’s episode of Project Runway, designer Dexter Simmons designed a dress that once again, got rid of cleavage. Yes, the look landed him on the bottom that week, but it shows that modern designers have begun to stray away from cleavage-bearing designs.

Yet, this train of thought could not be any more problematic. In today’s society women have unrealistic body expectations. Women are told to always wear makeup, but not to over do it. Women are always told to look nice and present themselves in a respectful manner, but don’t look too “slutty.” Women are told to be thin and tan, but they are told to not be too thin and still maintain curves. And yet, here is another unrealistic body expectation to add to the list. Suddenly, women are told that cleavage is out, and that if they do want to be sexy, cleavage is not the way to go anymore. British Vogue has created another expectation for women to abide by, and it’s an expectation that is detrimental to women’s causes and women as a whole.

Some women have bigger chests, and you know what? That’s amazing. Some women have smaller chests and don’t have cleavage, and you know what? That’s amazing too. A fashion magazine that’s purpose is to inspire women and give commentary on fashion just eliminated an aspect of many women’s lives - an aspect that made them feel sexy, and an aspect that not everyone can control. Yes, celebrities and fashion designers are starting to trend towards design that doesn’t feature cleavage, but that needs to change as well. The fashion world must realize that when they design and comment on certain fashion “issues,” they are commenting on every woman’s body. So to all of the women out there, flaunt your cleavage, or you know...don’t. It’s completely up to you. Body standards are awful, and your body is perfect.