Zayn Malik quits One Direction and now the world is over

All good things come to an end, and for many Directioners out there, this unfortunately applies to the band One Direction’s status as a five-some. Ironically enough, the group’s latest album, released in November 2014, is titled “Four“.

While the remaining members, Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, and Louis Tomlinson plan to continue touring and releasing new music, Zayn Malik posted his official resignation on the band’s Facebook page Wednesday, claiming his aspirations to finally live the life of “a normal 22 year old”. News of his departure have been trending across social media and breaking the hearts of teen fans ever since.

Zayn Malik

The group immediately became a huge fan favorite after competing in the seventh season of the UK’s The X Factor in 2010, despite landing third place in the singing competition show. Judge and producer Simon Cowell, who claims it was his idea to form the solo singers into a boy band, signed the group to his record label, Syco Records, and the rest is history. In five years, One Direction has won the hearts and affections of millions throughout the globe, sold out tours, and broke the record as Billboard’s only group to debut their first four albums at #1.

Although labeled as the band’s “bad boy” because of his tattoos, darker complexion, and cheating allegations, Zayn is also regarded as the quietest member and the one to struggle the most with fame, so it is no surprise that he is the first one to depart from the band.

The members have all stirred their fair share of controversy, something all too common with stars growing up in the spotlight. Their personal lives are constantly scrutinized, with new stories practically every day about their partying night lives, alleged cheating, and high profile relationships, most notably Harry Styles’ with Taylor Swift. Zayn is engaged to longtime girlfriend, Perrie Edwards of the British girl group The Little Mix, but has been accused of cheating many times. Although he did not address the accusations, the rumors and criticism of his personal life may have added to his stress and driven him to his resignation.

Left to right: Louis, Niall, Zayn, Liam, Harry

Since One Direction’s emergence into the musical sphere, parallels have been made between them and another iconic British boy band: The Beatles. Both exploded with fame across the pond, with hordes of screaming, lovestruck girls everywhere, have made record-breaking history, and their music have evolved as they aged. Both even have trademarked haircuts. Although the dynamics and personalities of the members of both bands differ, if Harry Styles is 1D’s Paul McCartney-esque front runner, Zayn Malik must surely be the alternative, nonconformist John Lennon. So does this automatically make Perrie Edwards the Yoko Ono?

Fans have not hesitated to hash hate towards Perrie on social media, with Yoko comparisons bountiful, blaming her for making Zayn quit the band. Although The Beatles denied Yoko breaking them up, she still holds the reputation as the straw that broke the legendary band’s back.

It seems inevitable that one member of a pop group is always going to drop out first–Ginger Spice, Kevin of the Backstreet Boys, Tom DeLonge of Blink-182. The bright side of the latter two examples is that both groups ended up reuniting and creating music again. But unfortunately, bands never seem to be the same after a hiatus or member switch up.

With Zayn’s departure still extremely recent, only time will tell if he ever does join One Direction again, and how successful the band will be without its fifth half-Pakistani member. As of right now, the remaining boys hold an open invitation for their friend to come back, and promise a fifth album within the next year. Until then, we can only wish the best for Mr. Malik and for all the Directioner’s broken hearts to heal.

Waist Training is the New Black

I distinctly remember the scene in Titanic when Rose’s mother, Ruth, tightens Rose’s corset, while she urges her to marry a man for money. “It’s so unfair,” Rose said. “Of course it’s not fair,” her mother replied. “We’re women. Our choices are never easy.” Ruth continues to tighten the corset, Rose gasping for air.

Similarly, in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, maids dress Elizabeth in a breath-restricting gown. Later in the film during a battle scene, as she knocks a villain unconscious, Elizabeth says,  “You like pain? Try wearing a corset.”

Beauty is pain, as the saying goes, especially if you’re trying to obtain the coveted hourglass figure, which women have been attempting in unhealthy, risky ways for centuries, and continue to do so today.

1886 ad for corsets. “FITS BABY TOO”

The corset, typically thought of as an archaic fashion garment, is now making a comeback with celebrities like the Kardashian sisters and Jessica Alba in the form of “waist training“- wearing a corset for hours every day to supposedly shrink your waistline permanently a few inches, especially in efforts to lose excess baby weight.

While celebrities post selfies in their girdles, many doctors are coming out and warning all the dangers waist training poses on women’s health. Doctor Oz, on his program, shows how applying a corset immediately shifts and compresses internal organs, crushes ribs, and causes acid reflux. The only way to slim your midsection, health professionals argue, is through exercise and a well-balanced diet.

Being fit and in shape is quite the trend nowadays, with artists like Demi Lovato posting pictures post-workout, studios for CrossFit and SoulCycle popping up and taking the country by storm, and “athleisure” fashion in style. Being healthy, or more importantly just looking the part, is a very important image to have in a country with obesity as an epidemic.

The stress to be curvy in the right places continues as well. Celebrities like Nicki Minaj, Kim Kardashian, Christina Hendricks, and Amber Rose are all notorious for their larger than life figures, despite how cosmetically or surgically enhanced they may be. In efforts to obtain bodies that resemble theirs, waist shaping may seem like an answer. If you want your butt to look bigger, why not make your waist smaller?

Liposuction was the most common plastic surgery procedure of 2013, increasing 371% since 1997, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. For those who don’t wish to go under the knife, slimming hosiery by the brand Spanx has amassed multi-millions in sales since its creation 15 years ago, with founder Sara Blakely credited as one of the youngest self-made billionaires.

Fashion trends change with the times, as do societal views on beauty, but the desire for an hourglass figure with a slim middle never seemed to disappear. The wish for this look has only exacerbated with the increase of surgical procedures, slimming apparatuses, and constant mediated images telling women this is what we should look like. Millions of women fall victim every year, spending thousands of dollars to look a certain way, even struggling with eating disorders and mental illness from the societal pressures of having to be perfect.

This “beauty” is not reality. Risking your health and finances to change your body’s natural shape poses many more risks than what it’s worth. Articles of women trying waist training and satirizing it have been posted online, and artists like Demi Lovato talk about their struggles with body image and urge women and girls to find self-acceptance.

Yes, feminine beauty pressures are unfair. But let’s make this choice an easy one- love your body just the way it is.