This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Rowan chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.
Last fall, the Victoria’s Secret Fashion show made its long-awaited comeback on Oct. 15th. Many viewers (myself included) were disappointed with the lack of signature blowouts, angel wings, and excessive amount glitter that once defined the show. When it was announced on July 29 that the infamous show would be happening again this fall, many continued to question whether it could ever recapture its old charm. However, what stood out even more than the complaints about the missing glamour was the way people online turned the conversation into yet another round of body shaming, proving that despite all the talk about inclusivity, we still have a long way to go.
Instead of celebrating the show’s return or praising its supposed “inclusive rebrand”, people started tearing into model’s bodies from last year. Comment sections on TikTok about the show are flooded with remarks saying that people would rather not see plus-size models on the runway. This conversation reveals that despite all the progress we’ve supposedly made toward body inclusivity, a lot of people still want to see the same unrealistic body standards that defined the early 2000s era of the show.
I understand wanting to relive the nostalgia of the iconic runway shows. However, resorting to body shaming is not the answer. It seems as though some have forgotten that models were dropping like flys back in the day because of rhetorics like this creating unrealistic standards. Models were under immense pressure to maintain impossible sizes, often at the expense of their own health.
I get it, people miss the nostalgia of the old Victoria’s Secret runway: the music, the sparkle, the drama. Models walked down the runway with confidence showing off not just the outfits but the energy and attitude that made the show unforgettable. It was entertainment, fashion, and performance all at once, a fantasy that doesn’t need to rely on one specific body type to feel iconic. In 2025, people of all sizes deserve to be represented, and inclusivity doesn’t take away from the nostalgia.
