How “Tuberculosis Chic” influenced the overwhelming presence of thinness and femininity in modern women’s fashion
Many are familiar with Ozempic, a prescription drug administered through a needle to the abdomen, thigh, or upper arm-- originally created to help manage Type Two Diabetes, but recently rebranded to help people achieve previously impossible levels of weight loss in record time. Ozempic’s unprecedented levels of success caused the drug to skyrocket in circles of the elite, or whoever could afford the nearly $1,000-a-month price tag that comes with the prescription-- like Elon Musk, Rebel Wilson, and Heather Gay. But Ozempic’s popularity is not improperly attributed, as many testify that proper use of the drug truly can help those struggling with Type Two Diabetes and those craving a permanent solution to the seemingly never-ending fight with weight loss. Whatever the politics of the drug may be, the recent “trendiness” of Ozempic has already begun to affect the modern fashion industry.
Vogue Business noticed that the rise of Ozempic is resulting in an overconsumption of clothes in the United States and Great Britain, as those taking the drug want new sizes and styles of clothing. Furthermore, “Ozempic face” is becoming an increasingly noticeable phenomenon, where those taking Ozempic experience hollowed-out and sharp facial features. Ozempic certainly seems to be bringing in another era of thinness for the fashion industry, which is unsurprising to anyone who keeps track of the cyclical nature of fashion. Even in 2024, the fashion industry has wrestled between the thin aesthetic of the 1990s and the body positivity and body neutrality movement of the 2010s. This resurgence of incredibly revealing, often deemed “fatphobic,” low-rise jeans is an incredible example of late 90s fashion in 2024. Now it seems with the modern presence of Ozempic in the beauty industry, we may be returning to the days of “heroin chic” and Kate Moss. But were the 90’s really the birth of this movement?
A young Kate Moss - Pinterest | Gia Carangi - Andrea Blanch, Getty Images
Most attribute the creation of the “Heroin Chic” aesthetic to original supermodel Gia Carnagi, who was discovered by a local photographer at the ripe age of 17, and who struggled with drugs until her untimely death from the AIDS epidemic at 26. Carnagi’s (who was often nicknamed “Sister Morphine”) lifelong battle with drugs is the apt namesake of the “Heroin Chic” phenomenon itself. “Heroin Chic” boasts a thinness that can only be achieved through an excessive deterioration of a woman’s health, often through eating disorders, drug abuse, and alcoholism. Although participation in this sort of harmful lifestyle may allow the right person with the right genetics to achieve this particularly thin frame, it is not sustainable. Both Gia Carnagi and model Kate Moss suffered visible and mental effects of the lifestyle, with Moss herself retracting her popular mantra that “nothing tastes as good as skinny feels” in 2018.
Kate Moss particularly, who was credited with popularizing Carnagi’s “Heroin Chic” aesthetic, is an easy target for the creation of this infamous phenomenon. Both Moss and Carnagi seem to have taken the quintessential, 80s and 90s party-girl lifestyle to the extreme. But this may not be necessarily true, as “Heroin Chic” does not truly originate from either of these women. In fact, it has a much less likely, and a much more historical source: “The White Death.”
“The White Death,” or the Tuberculosis epidemic of the early 1800s had massive impacts on women’s beauty standards and the evolution of historical fashion in the 19th and 20th centuries. As one of the first recorded instances of the glorification of disease, “Tubercular Chic” emphasized the beauty in feminine frailty-- that is, it encouraged women to take on the appearance of someone dying from Tuberculosis. The phenomenon coaxed women to emulate red cheeks, rosy lips, glossy eyes, pale skin, poor posture, and, most importantly, thinness. Makeup, specifically rouge and lipstick, became popular, as women painted themselves shades whiter than they were to appear more feminine, frail, and sensitive. Furthermore, the clothes themselves were altered to mock the disease. In the early 1800s, white, empire waist gowns became popular; the shapeless, white form resembled the nightgowns sickly women used to wear in bed. Furthermore, the hemlines of these skirts were raised so as not to drag in the dirt of the streets to avoid contamination with potential bacteria.
As the 19th century continued, undergarments began to reflect “Tubercular Chic” as well, and stays were replaced with corsets. Stays previously served as a structural garment under a petticoat and dress, but the newly popular corset shaped a woman’s body to a fashionable silhouette and held up the weight of the skirts she was expected to bear. From the 1840s through the 1860s, the fashionable silhouette emphasized an hourglass figure: a minuscule waist with a larger bust and skirt circumference. It is important to note that in many recorded instances, these corsets were created to give women seeking the “tuberculosis look” a hunched posture. This posture was indicative of a sickly, susceptible, sensitive woman. Indeed, this was the ideal woman and the ideal representation of femininity at the time.
Two illustrated women in Paris 1841 - Modes de Paris | Bella Hadid - Pinterest | Marie Antoinette's Little White Dress - National Gallery of Canada
The connections between “Tuberculosis Chic,” the disordered obsession with thinness in the 90s, and the Ozempic craze are shockingly clear. The obsession with femininity framed through the lens of disease, whether it be an infection like tuberculosis, an eating disorder, or drug addiction has been prominent for the past two centuries. As these dangerous ideals are spread throughout the fashion industry, they affect the clothes people wear and people’s confidence in their bodies. While corsetry and silhouettes were the primary forces for fashionable change in the 1800s, the waist line of our jeans and the cut of our shirts are similarly what models the 21st century. When drugs like Ozempic, which prioritize thinness, grow in popularity (in women particularly) it is important to remember the ramifications of commodifying the bodies of people to fit an ideal or aesthetic. This dark cycle of “what is chic,” whether it be Tuberculosis or Ozempic, never truly seems to end.
If you or someone you love is struggling with an eating disorder or body dysmorphia, help is available. Click here to contact one of the many hotlines listed to find support.
Maizie Hirsch is a blog writer for Revolution. This article was edited by Alyssa Guevara.
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