The most crucial thing in creating the dieting outfit was to avoid furthering the archetype that those who suffer from a dieting mindset are skinny, white, and female. Thus I tried making an androgynous piece and focused more on the mentality of dieting rather than the lean physique that the media commonly portrays.

The piece is very skin-tight, symbolizing how sufferers are often detached from their bodies, seeing their bodies as something in need of work rather than being a part of themselves. On the upper half, I added a detachable baggy sleeve that wraps around the waist on one half of the garment. This reflects how being body dysmorphic might cause one might perceive themselves as bigger than they really are. On the bottom of the pants, I’ve added stone gems to the pants, commenting on how the values of diet culture have become entrenched in so many people’s minds– weighing down on their confidence and self-worth.