Kim Kardashian’s Tiny Waist Corset at the 2024 Met Gala Looks Unreal and That’s the Problem
Kim Kardashian made a buzz at the 2022 Met Gala when she graced the red carpet in Marilyn Monroe's "Happy Birthday, Mr. President" gown. Opinions were greatly divided with some excited to see her donning the famous dress, while others disapproved of her choice to wear a delicate and meaningful piece of clothing. However, the focus of criticism was mostly directed towards the drastic approach she employed to fit into the dress.
Just before the Met Gala, Kardashian stated to Allure in their August 2022 feature that she had lost 10 pounds and felt proud. As she lost another 15 pounds, her body started fitting into her outfit, which was unbelievable to her. Kardashian made it clear that she received guidance from a nutritionist and trainer, and assured that her weight loss methods were not unhealthy nor did she starve herself. However, her diet resulted in a psoriasis flare-up that caused her discomfort.
Many people criticized Kardashian for allegedly promoting unattainable body standards by altering her body to fit into a dress. Kardashian rebutted these claims, saying that there were many false and untrue things being said about her. Nonetheless, at the Met Gala in 2024, Kardashian appeared on the red carpet wearing a corset that appeared to be extremely constricting, leading some to argue that her appearance was once again promoting damaging body ideals.
In the blog post, it was mentioned how Kardashian donned a Maison Margiela couture with an extremely tight corset which resulted in her waist being squeezed to tiny proportions. This time though, early reactions online seem to praise Kardashian for her tininess rather than criticize her diet comments for her Marilyn look. This only shows how society has moved back to early-aughts body norms in the Ozempic era by associating thinness with beauty and worth. While we are now more aware that our bodies are personal and political, what we look like now speaks volumes about who we are and the world around us. It cannot be denied that Kardashian looks incredible, almost unreal even but this is where the problem lies.
Kardashian emphasized that she lost weight for the 2022 Met Gala using apparently healthy methods. Although it is unclear if she undertook any diets for this year's appearance, it is evident that she persists in transforming her body into shapes that are impossible to attain without significant intervention. She may have adhered to a rigorous diet plan supervised by experts or worn a restrictive corset that left her unable to breathe or move freely.
Kardashian has the right to decide what she does with her body, but it's clear that her and her siblings have influenced what people see as normal for their bodies over the past 10 years, whether it's positive or negative. This is especially worrisome with the growing popularity of Ozempic and the potential for unsafe copycat versions to become more desired and available. Kardashian and other famous people have access to all kinds of professionals to help them achieve their desired look, but young people who want to emulate them might be inclined to take unsafe shortcuts.
It can be difficult to find the right balance in this situation. Kim Kardashian has the right to make choices about her own body, including how she dresses and presents herself. However, we should not rely on celebrities to dictate what we consider beautiful or to influence how we view our own bodies. Unfortunately, this is often the reality, especially for young people. Therefore, it is important to consider the message that Kardashian's appearance at the Met Gala sends. Currently, it seems that the message is focused on her waistline.
The following article was first published on Teen Vogue.
