Kim Kardashian Apparently Caused "Irreparable Damage" to the Dress She Wore at the Met Gala—But That's Not a Reason to Body Shame Her

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Kim Kardashian and her famous family are well known for causing a stir, and Kim's 2022 Met Gala look was no exception. Kardashian sent the social media-sphere into a spiral after admitting she lost 16 pounds in three weeks to fit into the same iconic dress Marilyn Monroe wore to celebrate President John F. Kennedy's 45th birthday in 1962. We here at EatingWell shared our thoughts on just how unhealthy it is to lose such a drastic amount of weight in such a short period of time, not to mention the dangerous message it sent to the millions of fans who look up to her.

Related: 8 Scary Things That Could Happen to Your Body When You Skip Meals

Since her Met Gala appearance, Kardashian has come under fire, yet again, as photos  emerged showing irreparable damage to the $4.8 million dollar dress. Marilyn Monroe historian and collector Scott Fortner shared before and after photos of the dress on Instagram, pointing out missing crystals and rips in the delicate silk fabric along the zipper seam.

It's not surprising that damage occurred—who hasn't lost a button or spilled on a special outfit? Plus this garment is vintage (it's 60 years old!) and was custom created for a body type very different from Kardashian's.

While we still don't agree with Kardashian's approach to weight loss, or her reasons for doing so, we also don't condone the body shaming that's happening to her right now. Some of the comments circulating on social media are downright mean and are perpetuating the message that a person's value is tied to their size.

According to the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders, eating disorders are among the deadliest mental illnesses, second only to opioid overdoses. And a recent analysis of more than 80 hospitals revealed that since March 2020, there has been a 25% increase in the rate of hospital admissions that included an eating disorder diagnosis, particularly in patients ages 12 to 18. So there's really no worse time to be contributing to disordered eating or body shaming.

There are clearly many people who are frustrated with Kardashian and frustrated with Ripley's Believe It or Not! for agreeing to lend out the dress in the first place. But that's no reason to berate her and make negative comments about her body for the whole world to read. That's just making the situation much worse. And given Kardashian's openness about her obsession with image, we imagine this negativity about her body is taking its toll.

Rather than jump into the drama, focus on filling your feed with people who make you feel good about your body and encourage healthy eating. Some of our favorite people to follow include Lizzo, Mindy Kaling and Padma Lakshmi, for just those reasons.

If you are struggling with body image or disordered eating, you're not alone. Nor do you have to go through life dealing with those challenging feelings and behaviors. Meeting with your primary care provider, a therapist or a dietitian is a great way to get help. And in the meantime, try some of these tips for easy ways to practice body positivity and read about how this dietitian overcame her unhealthy obsession with disordered eating.