- The “Instagram vs. reality” trend started as a way for people to remind their followers not to believe everything they see on social media.
- For every perfectly-angled, edited, glamorous shot, there are at least a dozen less flattering versions.
- Certain influencers are particularly good at breaking up the perfection on your Instagram feed.
- Here are 8 whose side-by-side photos prove Instagram isn’t real life.
- Visit Insider’s homepage for more stories.
It’s no secret that Instagram is the highlight reel of life, but it doesn’t hurt to be reminded from time to time.
Enter, the “Instagram vs. reality” trend.
The idea is that, by showing the outtakes as well as the winning shots, influencers can remind their followers that no one looks perfect all the time, and for every glamorous shot there are 20 that get discarded because the angle was unflattering, the wind blew your skirt up, or a dog pooped in the background.
While some influencers and celebrities appear to have forgotten what the original point of these posts was meant to be, there are plenty of others who regularly share genuinely brilliant “Instagram vs. reality” snaps.
Scroll down to see 8 of the best influencers showing the reality behind Instagram.
Chessie King
http://instagr.am/p/BxITSGHFD7Q
London-based King, 25, is never afraid to show her followers that, as glamorous as you can look and as fabulous as life can seem, it's certainly not that way all the time.
Her Instagram account is devoted to "breaking up your perfect feed," and she does this by proudly posting photos of herself from angles that many people wouldn't dream of making public: think bum dimples, sweaty faces, and *gasp!* even stomach rolls.
King regularly uses the hashtag #DearBodyThankYou to encourage her followers to appreciate their bodies for everything they do, rather than how they look.
Karina Irby
http://instagr.am/p/Bv34a4ogedy
Irby has her main Instagram account @karinairby, and then her raw one "for a little less seriousness in your Instagram."
On her raw account, the Australian influencer and bikini designer posts outtakes and less flattering angles from behind the scenes of the more polished shots which make her main account, serving up a perfect reminder that for every glossy, glamorous shot, there's one with three chins.
She also talks about relatable issues that many people don't touch on Instagram - case in point, a recent picture of Irby cradling her bloated stomach with the caption: "Me waiting for my period to arrive like..."
Rianne Meijer
http://instagr.am/p/B0ITHRBI1zu
"I want to show that photos people see on Instagram, especially from influencers, aren't ever really real," Amsterdam-based Meijer told Insider's Darcy Schild.
The 26-year-old influencer posts outtakes and bloopers alongside "perfect" images, and says that even though she was originally nervous about doing so and being considered a fraud, she found people actually loved it.
"I feel like I've found my voice through this project, and I want to keep building a community around this that builds on the positive message," Schild said.
Sara Puhto
http://instagr.am/p/BuBpkH6A4CD
Puhto, 23, regularly reminds her followers how much a change of pose can alter how you look.
The Finnish influencer posts side-by-side images taken seconds apart, but where one is posed and the other isn't.
Sometimes, however, Puhto just posts a "reality" photo, without the "Instagram" version next to it. She said in a recent post: "I'm used to posting Instagram vs reality posts and not just the reality. It gave me a sense of security to have the 'Instagram' version of me next to the reality one. So today I'm just posting the reality."
Victoria Spence
http://instagr.am/p/B1y1ReUgnFV
"I just want every woman to feel good about themselves," says Spence, who's based in Manchester, UK, in her Instagram bio.
"While it's amazing to post your best self, if you're truly online to help people, it's important to get real," Spence, 24, told Insider.
"When a follower can turn on Instagram to see you chatting away about how you get a camel toe in your gym leggings but you own it anyway, or how you have just tried on a pair of mom jeans from last year which now fit as a rather tight skinny jean, but weight gain happens, it helps people feel better about themselves, knowing nobody is perfect and they're not alone."
Vanja Wikström
http://instagr.am/p/B0wLCDqIlWs
Swedish influencer Wikström uses the hashtag #letskeepitreal to encourage her followers to show their reality, as well as their Instagrammed side.
She posts photos of herself, her family, food, and her home, like many influencers, but is sure to throw in a dose of unfiltered outtakes from time to time.
Malin Björk
http://instagr.am/p/BvhGqIKhS4X
Swedish personal trainer Björk regularly posts side-by-side pictures showing how a change of lighting or angle can completely alter a person's appearance.
Whilst a lot of fitness influencers feel they can only post photos that fit in with an outdated idea of how healthy should look, Björk's photos remind people that you can have cellulite, stretch marks, and bum dimples and still be fit and strong.
Kim Britt
http://instagr.am/p/B1ebuRjI1L8
Britt mocks Instagrammers for their often ridiculous photo set-ups, and adds what the real-life equivalent would actually entail.
The Swiss influencer's account is called "The Truth is Not Pretty," where she shows that, for example, puppies are cute but you still have to clean up their poop, scarves can look great in the wind but sometimes they blow in your face, and more often than not, baths aren't glamorous and it's actually just awkward trying to shave the backs of your legs.
Read more:
33 Instagram accounts to follow in 2019 that will actually make you feel good about your body
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