With the 'indie sleaze' aesthetic making a comeback, will toxic body image culture be part of the mix?

Editor’s Note: This article contains mentions of eating disorders and disordered eating. Please take care while reading, and note the helpful resources at the end of this story.

The indie sleaze aesthetic, the once-beloved style characterized by deep V-necks and disco pants, has been making a comeback on TikTok, with the hashtag #indiesleaze amassing more than 164.9 million views. The renewed buzz around the aesthetic has some TikTokers, many of whom lived through its first wave of popularity in the late aughts and early 2010s, worried that its associated toxic body image ideals will also be making an unsavory return.

What is indie sleaze?

Derived from the film genre of the same name, indie sleaze is an aesthetic that was prominent from the late aughts to the early 2010s. According to Aesthetics Wiki, the indie sleaze aesthetic originated from the “mid-2000s party scene” that was growing on platforms like MySpace and Tumblr and seen as a “counterculture reaction” to the bedazzled McBling aesthetic.

At the time, Alexa Chung, Sky Ferreira and Sienna Miller were major purveyors of the intentionally unkempt hipster style, often seen in minidresses with ripped tights and a thrifted fur or leather coat, and likely with a cigarette in hand. Journalist Christianna Silva also notes that the “rise of the thigh gap” coincided with the height of the indie sleaze era. The desire for a “thigh gap,” that is, a space between the inner thighs, was further fueled by blogging platform Tumblr.

“Indie sleaze glamorized eating disorders and encouraged binge drinking as a replacement for a genuine personality,” Silva wrote for Mashable. “People, particularly femme people, talk about living during the first iteration of indie sleaze with vitriol for the expectations set on their legs.”

‘I think I was lucky to escape that era without an eating disorder’

Indigo Grigsby (@indigosfashions), 26 (they/them), a midsize fashion influencer on TikTok, tells Yahoo News that they were frequently on Tumblr in the 2010s when the indie sleaze style was going strong. Luckily, despite following some “aesthetic blogs” at the time, which highlighted thin creators, Grigsby said they found inspiring mid- and plus-size bloggers as well.

“I was extremely active on Tumblr during the 2010s when the indie sleaze style was popular, but at the same time, so was the body positivity movement,” they say. “I did follow a lot of ‘aesthetic blogs’ with pictures of thin women, but it was around this time that I found blogs that posted submitted photos of real mid- and plus-size women, which was something I’d never really seen before. I think I was lucky to escape that era without an eating disorder, because it was not only online, but a lot of my friends were skipping lunch at school.”

‘I was so young [and] impressionable when the aesthetic was first popular’

During middle school, Taylor Graboyes (@unacceptabletay), 25, says that she was also active on Tumblr. Graboyes told Yahoo News that, at the time, there was a “massive desire to be stick thin” among everyone she knew, especially the “Tumblr-obsessed girls.”

“I think the indie sleaze aesthetic itself isn’t meant to glorify toxic diet culture, but unfortunately the two definitely go hand in hand,” she says. “I am really excited for the indie sleaze revival in terms of fashion, but when it comes to diet culture I worry. I was so young and impressionable when the aesthetic first was popular and got myself involved in toxic behaviors and habits in hopes of achieving the look or vibe I saw online. I think the revival has a chance of really affecting young impressionable minds, and that scares me. I also think we live in a time where social media holds way more importance in our day-to-day lives, which definitely can cause insecurity and mental health issues.”

‘A balanced perspective is needed’

Claire Law, a relational psychotherapist in the U.K., tells Yahoo News that the fears surrounding the impact that this aesthetic’s resurgence can have on Gen Z TikTok users in particular are extremely valid.

“When the indie sleaze trend first emerged in the 2000s during the heyday of blogging on Tumblr, it coincided with the idealization of very thin, heroin chic body types in mainstream media and fashion,” she says. “Impressionable young people remain vulnerable to internalizing toxic messaging around appearance and worth. Having witnessed firsthand the mental health toll of such sociocultural pressures during the original trend, these fears warrant addressing sensitively.”

Still, Law argues that participating in the aesthetic is an understandable choice of self-expression. Self-expression, she explains, is integral to a young person’s exploration of their identity.

“At the same time, we must acknowledge styles and subcultural affiliations often bring joy and self-expression to youth exploring identity. An outright condemnation of the indie sleaze aesthetic risks pathologizing normal adolescent behavior and censoring creativity. A balanced perspective is needed,” she added.

‘Ultra-thin bodies were already the standard’

Isabel Slone, a cultural critic and journalist in Toronto, Canada, who penned a story for Harper’s Bazaar about the trend’s return, believes that there is no such thing as “the ideal” indie sleaze body.

“I think it’s a misnomer to suggest that indie sleaze promotes toxic diet culture when it was simply an aesthetic that appeared during a time when ultra-thin bodies were already the standard,” she told Yahoo News.

The impossible beauty standard of “hyper-thin women,” Slone says, was set long before indie sleaze was even a thing. Indie sleaze as an aesthetic, she believes, also lacks mass appeal. Given how niche it is, the alternative style is unlikely to influence most people.

“Although the media has made great strides in representing a wider variety of bodies over the past decade, I don’t think we can say those beauty standards ever really went away either; they just became less popular for companies to promote or for people to admit that it’s something they aspire to. Indie sleaze is already a super-niche micro trend that is unlikely to have a huge effect on the way the majority of people dress. Therefore, I think it’s highly unlikely that a revival of this aesthetic is going to change the way people already feel about their bodies,” she adds. “Anyone who wants to start wearing low-rise leopard print skinny jeans or American Apparel hoodies should absolutely do so regardless of what they look like — just like everyone did back in 2012.”

Curating your content

So how does one go about trying out this aesthetic in a healthy way? Law recommends thoughtful curation of “content and commentary.”

“Focus on diversity of bodies showcased, promotion of intrinsic worth beyond appearance, and reclamation of subcultural styles on one's own empowered terms rather than adherence to any single dictated ideal,” Law urges. “Mental health professionals can support by emphasizing these balanced, inclusive perspectives to help mitigate potential harms, while still allowing room for youth self-expression. Open dialogue on these issues between generations is key.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with an eating disorder or disordered eating habits, contact The National Alliance for Eating Disorders at 866-662-1235. You can also connect with a Crisis Text Line counselor at no charge by texting the word “HOME” to 741741. Visit the Alliance’s website to learn more about the possible warning signs of eating disorders and disordered eating.