“Barbie Feet” is apparently the latest Insta trend, and we’re so tired
Another day, another social media craze. Instagram trends often vary — from the hugely problematic (looking at you, Toblerone tunnel), to the empowering (hi, womanspreading), to the absurd (did anyone really need halo brows?). And 2018’s hottest new Instagram trend is…Barbie feet.
“Barbie feet” is when you point your toe like you’re wearing high heels even when you’re barefoot. It creates the illusion of added height, and some influencers are even posing on their tippy-toes in shots to gain an extra inch or two. Celebrities from the Kardashians to Lea Michele to Vanessa Hudgens helped propel the ubiquitous trend forward, which is currently sweeping our Insta feeds.
Of course there’s nothing wrong with posing in faux high-heels (you do you), but it’s important to remember that this trick is just that, a trick, and that Instagram photos are often misleading.
In fact, Instagram culture is proven to have negative effects on self-esteem and mental health. Study author Matt Keracher told CNN the platform encourages women to “compare themselves against unrealistic, largely curated, filtered, and Photoshopped versions of reality.” In other words, while trends are fun to test out, Barbie feet is yet another way of presenting a skewed reality and perpetuating the myth of the “ideal” female body.
That said, for those interested in Keeping Up With the Instagram Influencers, Barbie feet looks like it’s here to stay, at least for a while.
What are your thoughts on the latest Insta fad?
