Five years ago, right around this time and at the beginning of a global pandemic, in the midst of uncertainty, we were told to prioritize self-care and mental health. If only it were that simple. It didn’t take long for the internet to do what it always does and flood everyone’s social media feeds with videos of “That Girl,” an trend that began on TikTok and spread to Pinterest and YouTube through vlogs. Since then, the trend continues to persist in the virtual space.
The “That Girl” aesthetic promotes an idealized lifestyle: perfect routines, skin, and constant productivity, and the people presented in this trend, mainly women, embody productivity, self-care, and self-betterment. However, like much online content, it hides the reality. The issue is that these videos or pictures often show only a small, edited glimpse of someone’s day.
In the article “Making the Mundane Sacred Through Technology: Mediating Identity, Ecology and Commodity Fetishism,” writer Peter Vail explains that such curated photos can turn ordinary objects and moments like green juice or pilates into something sacred and unattainable, all while concealing the work, emotions, and imperfections behind them. Viewers, especially young women, are drawn into the idea of a world that seems perfect, creating a sense of insecurity about their own life.
The harm of the “That Girl” trend becomes even clearer when we consider the concept of commodity fetishism. This theory refers to how products, and also social media, are presented in a way that detaches us from the reality of their creation.
We see the finished product: the perfect body, the flawless skin; but we don’t see the behind-the-scenes.
Vail describes this phenomenon as the “sacred” value imputed to edited images, making viewers believe that by purchasing certain products or following a specific routine, they too can achieve this unattainable lifestyle. But this is far from the truth. In reality, achieving such results is hidden, leaving us with a distorted perception of health and beauty.
For young women, this trend can be damaging. Studies show that exposure to idealized beauty images leads to body dissatisfaction and lower self-esteem. The “That Girl” aesthetic glorifies an unrealistic standard of health and beauty, suggesting these can only be achieved by following specific routines or buying certain products. Viewers may internalize this rhetoric and feel their bodies or routines are “wrong” if they don’t meet the influencer-set standard.
The concept of “polar opposition” also plays a role in the harm caused by the “That Girl” trend. Social media creates an artificial divide between what is considered good and bad. For example, drinking green juice is seen as a good thing, while skipping a workout may be a bad thing. This leads to a cycle of comparison, guilt, and anxiety. If a woman doesn’t follow the same routines or achieve the same results as the influencers she sees online, she may feel as though she is failing at self-care and wellness. This all-or-nothing mindset can be detrimental to one’s mental health and reinforces the idea that self-worth is tied to appearance and perfection.
The pressure to conform to these idealized images on social media is where the real damage lies. In the article “Media Policy Fetishism,” Des Freedman points out that such pressure disconnects us from our true selves, making us seek approval through unattainable trends and lifestyles. The “That Girl” trend promotes health, beauty, and success as things we can purchase, but these products don’t guarantee happiness or well-being. What’s often hidden are the costs, side effects, and emotional toll behind these “perfect” portrayals.
This growing obsession with consumerism and perfection takes a serious toll on mental health. The rise of consumerism and the fetishization of commodities in media have far-reaching effects, creating unrealistic expectations that lead to dissatisfaction and anxiety.
The rise of the “That Girl” trend, particularly during the pandemic, exemplifies how consumerism in the media can exacerbate mental health issues by promoting unattainable standards of beauty and productivity, ultimately perpetuating unrealistic and harmful standards. The mental health consequences of this are serious, including anxiety, body dissatisfaction, and low self-esteem. To combat this, we must learn to recognize the filtered nature of what we see online and remind ourselves that true self-care should not feel draining or hard to keep up with.
