From fast fashion to excessive earrings, these trends might be harmful to your health

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Fast fashion might be cheap, but its environmental costs are dear. The detrimental ecological effects of the consumer appetite for trend-driven disposable clothing – and the consequential impact on human health – are well known. But toxic clothing is a comparatively under-reported danger of consumers’ continuing love affair with fast fashion.

Waist trainers, brought into vogue this century by Kim Kardashian, are similar to the corsets and girdles of the past. They are designed to pull the wearer’s waist in as tight as possible to achieve an eye-wateringly “snatched” waist – TikTok speak for creating the illusion of a tiny, accentuated waist. Endorsed by influential celebrities such as Nicki Minaj and Kylie Jenner, the waist trainer, if worn over a prolonged period, may help achieve a temporary hourglass figure. And like the corset, the waist trainer does seem to have some benefits – it may help improve posture, for example.....muscle atrophy – muscles in the core are used less while wearing waist trainers, so long-term use can lead to muscle wastage. Also, the pressure exerted on the waist and internal organs can cause appetite loss. Perhaps unsurprisingly, prolonged wearing of waist trainers can result in gastrointestinal issues such as acid reflux and, in more extreme cases, the pressure on the diaphragm can cause respiratory problems.

Relate also to the media and celebrity influence...

Qn: Fashion is as much a good thing as a bad thing. To what extent do you agree? (Cam. 2009)