Billie Eilish might switch up her signature baggy style—because she can wear whatever she damn well pleases
So many young women are objectified by men on a terrifyingly regular basis, and women in the public eye experience it on a global scale. But we’re somehow always alarmed when we see that young female celebrities like Billie Eilish and Ariana Grande are objectified through creepy comments by men, because women face so much scrutiny about their bodies at all times, even when they’re not showing them at all.
Case in point: Eilish, the 17-year-old pop phenom behind our favorite summer ’19 bangers, is known for her signature style of oversized jackets, baggy shorts, and fun, colorful prints. She has revealed in the past that wearing baggy clothes is a deliberate move to, hopefully, help prevent her teenage body from being sexualized—something that makes us somehow both incredibly sad and fiercely angry.
Even sadder and more frustrating is that Eilish—who turns 18 in December—is forced to think about her own image through the lens of men around her.
In a new interview for Elle‘s Women in Music issue, she opens up about what that means for the future of her style.
After the “Bad Guy” singer was photographed in a tank top in June and a Twitter troll went viral for commenting on her body, she told Elle that she couldn’t believe that outlets were writing about her chest. Eilish also talked about being uncomfortable with parents who look to her style as a model for how their own teenage daughters “should” dress.
"The point is not: Hey, let’s go slut-shame all these girls for not dressing like Billie Eilish. It makes me mad. I have to wear a big shirt for you not to feel uncomfortable about my boobs!" she told the magazine.
She revealed that she wore a tank top during a recent FaceTime call with a male friend, who told her to “put a shirt on,” another example that makes her question her style choices, especially as she turns 18.
"I’m gonna be a woman. I wanna show my body. What if I wanna make a video where I wanna look desirable?" She added, "I know it would be a huge thing. I know people will say, ‘I’ve lost all respect for her.'"
We feel sad that a 17 year old has to think about these things at all, and we genuinely hope Eilish and other female pop stars continue to express themselves through their style in the way they feel comfortable. She’s already proven that she has an incredible fashion sense, and we can’t wait to see her style evolve as she gets older.
Also, here’s a friendly reminder that objectifying anyone, but especially a teenager, is not okay, so can we stop it now?
