Big boobs are back in fashion. But only one type of them.

When I was growing up, I felt every inch of my body on show. 

Being in a house with two older sisters and a fad diet book on every shelf, I was hyper-aware of what it meant to be a female in this world. I studied every curve on my body as my mum brought home endless gossip and health magazines joyously splashed with the latest celebrity discussing their weight. 

Early on in my journey through puberty, I sprouted little boobs that quickly became big boobs. As I saw famous pop stars celebrated for their tiny frames and big breasts, I became acutely aware that I did not look like them in all my awkwardness. And thus began my journey picking apart my body because it didn't fit the so-called 'norm'. 

I felt the world's eyes on me as I navigated coming to terms with my curves and freckles and big boobs. The voices in my head and around me were loud: "Your body doesn't look perfect. You're not perfect."

Watch: how to do a self breast check. Post continues below.

There was shame. Self-loathing. And an all-consuming desire to look anything but the way I did. 

That was my life as I experienced my teen years and twenties. And then a switch flicked both internally and in society. The body positivity movement took off, diet culture was sworn off and we all learned how to be a little bit kinder to ourselves. 

I started to see the change happening all around me. I noticed group chats with friends moved away from negative self-talk and it finally felt like we were moving towards a space where offering commentary on people's bodies was necessary and/or constructive. 

The past few years have been a huge step forward for me personally on my body image journey. I can't imagine I'll ever be truly 'fixed' from all my demons but it feels like I finally found my footing in accepting who I am and feeling accepted by society. 

But lately, I've felt a seismic shift in public conversations. 

There's been a hark back to the early 2000s when it seemed like every online conversation centred around how we look. In the zeitgeist of the TikTok movement there's been a slow and considered return to commentary on bodies. And the voices are loud.

We're now being told that big boobs are 'back' in fashion. Hooray, I guess?

Well, not exactly hooray for me because it's only one type of big boob on the spectrum of mammaries, it would appear. TikTok and other social commentators are making it very clear that this new trend of chestiness comes with restrictions. As big-breasted icons like Sydney Sweeney come to the fore, it's clear that the trend has caveats: a small waist, perky boobs and a Houdini-like ability to go sans-bra. 

For me one boob is a little bit bigger than the other, I need heavy artillery to keep them sitting up where I'd like them to be and my nipples have seen better days after breastfeeding my first child for 17 months. I don't know if they are necessarily what the pundits are applauding when they're referencing the growing trend of big boobs.

In this week's episode of Mamamia Out Loud, Holly Wainwright read from an article that declared: "Breasts are having a renaissance." 

Oh good, lucky I held onto mine, then.

Listen to this topic be discussed on Mamamia Out Loud. Post continues after audio.

This kind of conjecture starts to weave a fairly insidious through-line: each body part is picked up and glorified as trending fashion cycles ebb and flow. 20 years ago it was being flat-chested and five years ago we were all encouraged to have huge bottoms. Our bodies are being treated like a commodity and conforming seems like the only social currency we have.

During the Keeping Up With The Kardashians era, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reported a 90 per cent increase in Brazilian Butt Lift surgeries between the years of 2015 to 2019. In fact, so voracious was the public's desire to keep up with the Kardashians' large derriere trend, people were dying. In 2019 one British woman travelled to Turkey to receive BBL surgery and sadly died after practitioners botched the highly risky operation.

Now, over the past year it has been reported that Kim and Khloe Kardashian have had their BBL procedures 'reversed' in favour of a more slim and athletic figure. 

The issue with these body trends is that celebrities like the Kardashians have an untapped resource and access to the best doctors in the world. As the trends grow, members of the public will try and achieve these body types by any means possible even if it comes at a huge cost to their health or even life.

I want to make it clear that I am by no means anti-surgery or anti-procedure. I believe that developments in these areas of cosmetic surgery can be incredibly affirming for those wanting to make changes to their face and body. 

But - and I understand this is a complex issue to tackle - making an informed choice with a trusted provider to make an amendment to your body feels miles away from the fast-paced trends that are growing in popularity across TikTok. One day big boobs and small waists are in and literally the next day having a flat chest and a big bottom is trending. And yes even leg-lengthening surgery is on the rise. It's bloody exhausting (and not to mention financially untenable) trying to keep up.

So what do we take away from the latest big boob trend? 

I wish I had a neat bow to wrap up my thoughts because it is just so layered. On one hand, I want to whole-heartedly celebrate all different kinds of bodies and I believe that social media apps like TikTok have helped to create inclusive conversations to help people feel seen. 

Then on the other hand I feel really sad we have moved back into a place where our bodies are back under the microscope.

I wish for a world where body types weren't 'trending'. 

I wish for a world where all bodies were celebrated and we just left it at that without picking apart every curve and edge. 

I don't know if this world will exist any time soon but we all have a part to play in public conversation. I'm going to continue to strive towards loving the body I'm in and blocking out the noise. My body might not be trending and it may never be trending, but it keeps me alive and kicking each day and that feels like the only 'trend' I'd like to live by.

Feature Image: Supplied.

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