By Mari Sato
The first time I shopped at Brandy Melville, I was no older than 12 or 13. At the time, it seemed like all the coolest girls shopped there, and being in middle school, fitting in was my top priority. Going to the store back then is an identical experience to shopping there now. Clothes are folded on the ground in large piles, items are hung on the walls from floor to ceiling and the cashier will probably roll her eyes at you when you make your purchase. However, beneath the minimalist clean girl aesthetic lies a slew of ethical controversies the store actively contributes to. Many of these came to light after the recent HBO documentary Brandy Hellville aired a few months ago. Ultimately, the one-size-fits-all model promotes eating disorders, contributes to fast fashion, and is discriminatory in its marketing practices.
However, despite all these ethical issues, I admittedly still shop there from time to time. Every time I make a purchase, I experience a wave of cognitive dissonance. I know that by shopping there I’m supporting values I strongly disagree with, but I often justify it because of the unbeatable prices. The garments at Brandy Melville are primarily 100% cotton, which has become increasingly rare in the era of synthetic fibers, making the affordable price point even more irresistible. Seeing other girls at SMU wear the brand, I wondered if they experience that same feeling I do. I gathered some student opinions in an attempt to understand their perspectives on Brandy Melville’s impact on body image, inclusivity, and ethical fashion practices.
Junior Ruby Moley has been shopping at Brandy Melville since her junior year of high school.
“When it first started getting popular I experienced internal conflict because there was so much backlash in social media. Now I don’t face as much internal conflict because I realize it’s affordable for me, it’s comfortable for me, it fits me well.”
Highlighting the brand’s narrow beauty standards and influence on body image, Sophomore Taylor Good shares the following:
“I see Brandy Melville as a young version of Victoria Secret, there’s a certain mold or a certain look a woman needs to have in order to fit into those clothes.”
Good reflects on the impacts of those standards saying, “there’s some younger girls, impressionable women who feels as though they have to starve themselves or go on super strict diets in order for them to fit into those clothes so Brandy should have been a lot more diverse in terms of sizing a long time ago.”
Megan McDonald, a sophomore, shared her observations on the changing discourse of Brandy Melville.
“I don’t really see stuff about them on social media, like I never see posts or anything but ever since the documentary I think people have been talking about it more in a skeptical way.”
Ultimately, Brandy Melville is a multifaceted discussion. As consumers, our power may be limited, but we can still make conscious choices that reflect our values as consumers. Buying less is a great first step, purchasing one or two items will create far less waste than constantly updating your Brandy collection. Instead of donating or throwing away your clothes when you get bored of them, try repairing them and wearing them until they truly are worn out. If your budget allows, try supporting some of these more sustainable brands.
LA Relaxed offers organic cotton basics that are very similar to a lot of the styles Brandy Melville has. Australian brand Afends has a wide range of super cute products to fill that Brandy void. The baby tees are very similar to the graphic tees from WithJean but at a much more affordable price range. If you love Brandy for the neutral palette, check out Armed Angles. They offer high-quality basics with very similar colorways to Brandy Melville. All things considered, thinking about what we buy and the implications of that purchase is a start to changing the reality of the modern fashion landscape.
