New trend: 'Barbie Feet' Is Sweeping Instagram

Barbie feet is the latest body trend sweeping Instagram.

Many social media influencers and celebrities position their feet in the same way in photos: they point them out and down like Barbie’s permanently-molded high-heel feet. The trend can be seen in a growing number of Instagram photos that include the hashtag “barbiefeet.”

Who What Wear UK says the pose makes your legs look longer and slimmer. The stance is done by “wearing an invisible pair of high heels” or standing on the balls of your feet when barefoot.

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The trend can even be done while lying down, as seen here by model Olivia Culpo.

Experts are concerned about the impact of these trends on mental health, particularly on young women’s body image.

“Social media crazes like the Toblerone Tunnel tend to go viral pretty quickly and can have a damaging effect on young women’s body image and self-esteem,” the head of the Be Real Campaign for body confidence, Liam Preston said, “We’ve seen it before with the thigh gap trend, which saw many young girls try to conform to a beauty standard that’s not only unobtainable for the majority of them, but also can encourage them to use unhealthy methods to achieve it.”

He added, “It’s important that we celebrate different bodies and shapes and not thrive to look the same by following the latest social media craze.”