Billie Eilish And Her Unique Style Choices
Billie Eilish jumped onto the scene in 2016, after releasing her first single ‘Ocean Eyes’. At only 14, she rapidly grew a fanbase leading to popularity all around the world. She has gone on to release two record breaking albums and performed in front of thousands of people. Her different music genre and clothing style caught the attention of people everywhere. It was something we hadnt seen from a female celebrity before. But it wasn't always perceived in a positive light…
Since the beginning, Billie has always had a very unique clothing style, often wearing ‘baggy clothes’ and had more of a ‘tomboy aesthetic’. Her reasoning for this was to prevent people from sexualising and shaming her body, since she was still a child. In an interview with Vogue Australia, she opened up saying “It kind of gives nobody the opportunity to judge what your body looks like”. Billie was also quoted saying “I want layers and layers and layers and I want to be mysterious. You don’t know what’s underneath and you don’t know what’s on top.” Even though her reasonings for these choices were valid, it didn't stop the media and people online from spreading hate around her outfit choices. People said things like “Billie Eilish would be so much hotter if she dressed normal” and “she looks like she has got her clothes out of a lost and found bin”. But it didnt stop there. The hate she received continued to multiply rapidly, getting more and more intense. We have to remember Billie was still a teenager at this point in her career. These comments to a child, whose life has already changed overnight, must have been very difficult to deal with.
Billie never let these mean tweets and media outlets stop her from dressing how she pleased. She continued with her unique style for many years, helping children and teenagers all around the world, to feel more confident and comfortable in dressing how they wanted to. Billie is clearly not afraid to be herself and this is clear from the way she dresses. I think this is very admirable and helpful to girls everywhere. She quickly became a style icon to many, after her rise to fame, leading to become one of the most popular halloween costumes in 2019.
However, when Billie turned 17, she decided to drop her ‘baggy’ style for one day and it wasn't long until the disturbing comments came rolling in. A photo was posted of her in a tank top and people decided to leave uncomfortable and hateful comments on her body, something she never wanted to happen. These pictures were posted everywhere and her boobs became the number one trending search on Twitter. Billie responded to these photos saying “Every outlet wrote about my boobs, I was born with effing boobs bro. I was born with DNA that was gonna give me big ass boobs” She said “Someone with smaller boobs could wear a tank top and i could put on the exact same tank top and get shamed because my boobs are big. That is stupid, its the same shirt”. Its a shame that we live in a world where people get critisised no matter what they wear or do. Billie Eilish was getting hate for wearing baggy clothes and when she proceeds to wear something a bit more revealing, she gets even more hate. Its almost like she cant win. In an interview Billie Eilish said that when she turns eighteen she's going to ‘be a women and show my body. What if i want to make a video where i look desirable, but i know it would be a huge thing, i know people will say I've lost all respect for her”.
And thats exactly what Billie did. In the 2021 issue of Vogue, Billie appears on the cover wearing a revealing outfit and people, once again, went wild. The media and public were accusing her of changing and attempting to make more money. Billie responded to this saying “It was supposed to be a specific aesthetic for a photo shoot, and then it was like, ‘Billie Eilish’s new style’ and people kept being like, ‘Wow, her new style, it’s so much better than the old style.’ Or like, ‘Wow, I wish that we could have her old style back, I’m so sad that she’s just changed into this”. Billie later reflected on these comments saying “It was so weird because I was like, It’s not a new style, it’s one thing I wore and then I’m gonna wear this another day and then I’m gonna do this, literally the thing that I’ve been preaching about since I first started is to wear what you want”. Billie later posted photos of her wearing another corset and a laced bra to her instagram. She has said that due to this she lost 100,000 followers.
It’s not surprising that her style has changed a lot since her career first started. She isn't the fourteen year old girl we were first introduced to anymore. She has grown up alot since then. In 2021, Billie appeared at the Met Gala wearing a Marilyn Monroe inspired look. The look was unlike anything she’d ever worn at events before. She said “It just was time. It was time for this, and I feel like I’ve grown so much in the last few years”. She is clearly having fun with experimenting different styles, something everyone should do.
Overall, i think we have seen a massive growth in Billie Eilish over the years. Not only with her style, but her attitude and personality is something to look up to. She teaches us not to care about what anybody thinks, and as long as you’re happy it doesn't matter…