Is Bad Posture En Vogue?

Bad posture seems to be making an appearance in fashion. Is the slump in?

I’ve battled the bad posture slump practically my entire life. Well, since puberty anyway. I grew tall fast, hitting my peak by 7th grade. I am a pretty average 5’6”ish now, but when you are 12 that can feel pretty tall. Slouching, at least subconsciously, allowed me to feel shorter.

But bad posture can become a habit. I’ve tried everything from writing a big P on the back of my hand to connecting posture correction with a common act, like taking a drink of water. My mom was endlessly backing my teenaged butt up against the wall in effort to straighten my spine.

Now I have neck and shoulder aches on a very regular basis, as do many of the women I know. Even if you made it out of your teen years with a straight spine, motherhood can wreak even the best-aligned amongst us.

I used to look at models in magazines and online with posture envy. But many of today’s models and it-girls are slouchers. You see them on Instagram, in catalogs, and many a fashion blog. Alexa Chung, Kristen Stewart, and Leandra Medine have all been spotted doing the slump. These gals definitely have mad style but could use some work in the posture department. Whether victims of the pubescent slump or intentional bad posturing, it is tough to say.

So, what do you think? Is bad posture in style? Even though I am a total natural, I really hate to see this become a trend. Not only does standing up straight make you look more confident and better in your clothes, it helps to avoid future neck and spine problems.

[Image of slumped woman via Shutterstock]