It’s only been five years since the birth of Instagram, and already we’d be lost without it. I mean, how else would you have perfected your selfie game without the ‘gram’s array of flattering filters? How would you let your crush know you fancy them without liking their pic first? And how else would you be able to snoop on previously unobtainable celebrities and folks you (kinda) know?! In 2015, seemingly a life without likes is no life at all. We look back on the faces, places and hashtags that have helped cement Instagram as everyone’s favourite social media platform.
Fashion Week
In the year 30 BI (before Instagram, duh!) Fashion week was a mysterious place. Who went, what happened and what was shown, nobody knew…. Fast-forward to today and the darkness has faded, and in its place there is light. Thanks to the accessibility and instant nature of Instagram, us mere mortals can feel as though we’re transported to the runways of Milan and Paris amongst the elite fashion industry goers. From blurry first look photos to whole collection clips, pics of the FROW celebrities or zoomed in images of the fashion close up; with Instagram’s inception, the once exclusive fashion week is now inclusive and we are all invited. Why steal someone’s ticket when, with simply a scroll, you can watch from the comfort of your own phone instead?
#FreeTheNipple
Women of the world and Instagram remain at war when it comes to free nipples. While Instagram will indeed deactivate any nipple-baring post, (except, that is, for male nipples, men with stuck on images of female nipples, women with stuck on images of male nipples… you get the picture!) Instagram has also provided the necessary platform upon which to have discussions about female censorship. In fact there are over 2,000,000 posts relating to the #FreeTheNipple movement. Hopefully Instagram will soon turnover this archaic rule but in the meantime, rejoice that girls are using Instagram to find solace and understanding in females all over the world who feels as passionate as they do!
Casting
Gone are the days when catwalks and campaigns were dominated by impossibly beautiful, scarily thin, exclusively white, abled models. We live in an age where beauty is being constantly redefined, through the prism of race, body shape, disability, gender, and sexuality. And Instagram is one of the mediums that this is making this possible. Indeed, thanks to the far-reaching net of Instagram, designers such as DKNY, Diesel and Marc Jacobs can scour the earth to look for unusual models of every shape, size, and colour. It’s opened up the elusively closed world of fashion up to the public, and with it, has seen new types of models take centre stage.
The Kardashian/Jenners
Love them or loath them, with a combined following of 197.5 MILLION, Kylie, Kendall, Kim, Kris, Kourtney, Khloe and Caitlin’s influence is irrefutable and they rule over the Kingdom that is Instagram. Collectively, they use Instagram for everything from business endeavours to personal admissions. From Kim endorsing products, Kylie creating conversation with her #IAmMoreThan initiative, Kendall giving you a bird’s eye view of her modelling antics from New York to London and Caitlyn’s iconic Vanity Fair cover reveal, if you want to keep up with the Kardashians, Instagram is where it’s at.
Social Cause Hashtags
But of course, Instagram isn’t all about trolling and lolling, it also acts as a tool for empowerment and goodwill. From the Ice Bucket Challenge, which was to raise awareness for the charity ALS, to #JeSuisCharlie, a sign of solidarity for all those that died during the attacks at Charlie Hebdo earlier this year, the power of Instagram to help a message spread throughout the entire world, rallying support for good causes, is one of the greatest things the social media app has given us. Not to be denounced as the politics of a lazy, apathetic youth, clicktavism is what unites the world against hatred, illness, and discrimination. What could be better than that?
