Chrissy Teigen has defended her friend Kim Kardashian after backlash erupted over the latter’s SKIMS maternity collection. SKIMS, Kim’s shapewear line, unveiled the new maternity line to criticism on various online platforms.
Most people criticizing the shapewear argued that Kim was trying to slim down pregnant women’s bodies. They believed that the brand targets self-conscious women and propagates an environment of self-loathing. They thought that the shapewear was meant to make pregnant women, who gain lots of weight during pregnancy, slimmer. Users felt they didn’t see the point of trying to slim their body using shapewear when pregnancy is an experience meant to be enjoyed, irrespective of bodily changes. This opinion was echoed by actress Jameela Jamil, who wrote that pregnant people should be allowed to get bigger in pregnancy without being made self-conscious of their changing bodies.
Taking to her Instagram, Jameela posted: “I wish we could just normalize just focusing on the inside of a pregnant body, not the outside. You don’t need your shape corrected or hidden. You just need to try and ride with this miracle and do your best to be as happy/comfortable as is possible within your circumstances. Pregnancy is hard enough, with enough worries already.” She later clarified that she was not attacking Kim; she was just adding her voice to the discourse created by the controversial SKIMS.
This is annoying. I didn’t go after her/the product as I’d read her explanation before saying anything. They weren’t responding to me… I was only commenting on the discourse started by the controversy, people body shaming their pregnant bodies. Which made me sad. pic.twitter.com/sSsXeLHbhm
— Jameela Jamil ? (@jameelajamil) September 14, 2020
Chrissy Teigen jumped to her friend’s defense by posting videos on her Instagram Story talking about the shapewear. The model and television personality, who is expecting her third child, stood in her bathroom in a full set of SKIMS pregnancy shapewear and talked about the shapewear and the effect it has on pregnant women’s bodies. She said that she loves maternity shapewear because it stops her body and stomach from eating up any other type of underwear. She said that pregnant women wearing shapewear were not trying to trick anyone; they just want to feel good about themselves in a time that can be mentally challenging. Chrissy addressed the critics of maternity shapewear, saying that she knows that the message is that pregnant women should not have to feel like they should make themselves smaller. They, however, wear the shapewear to feel tight and comfortable and have an easier time getting up and moving around.
Kim took to her twitter to explain the purpose of the SKIMS maternity wear, saying that it was made for support, not slimming. “The belly part doesn’t slim your belly, it’s actually sheer and a thinner layered material compared to the rest of the garment. It provides support to help with the uncomfortable weight being carried in your stomach which affects your lower back,” she said. According to the reality star, the compression on the leggings provides pain relief from swelling. While opinion on the SKIMS is divided among fans and critics of the shapewear, pregnant women are free to choose for themselves depending on their personal preferences.
To anyone who has an issue with maternity solutionwear, and if you haven’t been pregnant before you may not know the struggle of what it’s like carrying all of this weight the way I did along with millions of strong women, @skims maternity line is not to slim but to support.
— Kim Kardashian West (@KimKardashian) September 13, 2020
While opinion on the SKIMS is divided among fans and critics of the shapewear, pregnant women are free to choose for themselves depending on their personal preferences.