By: StyleCaster
We all know that fashion can be a lot of things: exciting, transformative, communicative, and most importantly: fun. That said, there are some facets of fashion that-over time-could be damaging our bodies and our overall well-being (yeah, we know: not so fun). We’re talking about the actual things that we put on our bodies, as well as mind-sets we adopt for the sake of “looking the part,” which often means you’re not actually channeling legitimate style so much as you’re regurgitating what’s “now” as dictated by hoards of other people.
1. Teetering On High Heels
Probably one of the worst things you can do for your body alignment is wear high heels. According to Torres, walking on the ball of your feet forces your torso to lean forward, simultaneously forcing women to straighten out by leaning back. This puts an incredible amount of stress on the spine and compresses its discs over time. It’s really important to remember that injury is cumulative: It generally doesn’t happen overnight. It can take weeks, months, or years of altered movement to show up as discomfort which often presents itself as cramping in the toes and calves, and pain in the back and hips.
2. Lugging Around That “It” Bag
The bigger the bag, the more things we find to fill the bag. Torres points out that women typically carry purses on one side, either on the shoulder or perched on their lower arm/crook of their elbow. This uneven weight distribution prompts the body to shift causing muscle imbalances and a slew of alignment issues, such as one shoulder being more developed and sitting higher than other (not a good look). It can also create pain in the spine because the torso shifts to counterbalance the uneven weight. In addition, heavy bags can lead to neck discomfort and shoulder pain. A solution: Give your body a break and carry a small light bag a few days a week that’s free of extraneous objects: We’re partial to canvas totes, leather pouches or a paper-thin backpack so long as they’re generally un-stuffed.
3. Sucking It In
Whether you’re trying to look taller or thinner for a photo opp (ahem, street style) or squeezing into a pair of skinny jeans or shapewear, sucking in your stomach robs your body of precious oxygen, which slows your metabolism, affects your focus and performance and deprives your cells of life. According to Torres, the best way to breath is by taking diaphragmatic breaths also known as “belly breathing” (the diaphragm is a muscle that sits between the chest cavity and the stomach cavity). When it’s able to contract properly, the lungs fill with oxygen and the belly expands. However, if you’re holding your stomach in or keeping it tense all day to keep your jeans from popping, the diaphragm isn’t able to drop and allow room for the lungs to fill with air, causing most people to become “chest breathers.” This, according to Torres, causes tension in the body and it’s one of the reasons people experience so much shoulder and neck tension-plus it can lead to headaches, stomach discomfort, depression, anxiety and other issues.
