Billie Eilish opens up about the root of her body image issues and how she overcame them

“I got boobs at like 9 and was developing really early. I wasn’t slim. Plus, I was in ballet, which is a whole world of body issues in itself”  

The 22-year-old, who released her album Hit Me Hard and Soft earlier this year, reflected on how her perception of her body - and the way she dresses - has shifted from childhood to stardom.  

In an interview with Complex, Eilish shared that her body image issues began at a young age. 

“When I was a little girl, I loved big dresses,” she said. “All I wore was fairy dresses and skirts. I never wore pants or shorts.”  

However, that changed around age 11 when she became enamoured with the brand Brandy Melville, which is known for its one-size-fits-all approach. 

“I was chubbier, and I was obsessed with these clothes, but I’d buy a shirt, and it wouldn’t fit me. That’s when my body problems started,” she revealed.  

Eilish also pointed to her early physical development as a source of discomfort. 

“I got boobs at like 9 and was developing really early. I wasn’t slim. Plus, I was in ballet, which is a whole world of body issues in itself.”  

When her career began to skyrocket, Eilish adopted her now-famous style of baggy clothes as a way to shield herself from scrutiny. 

“I was wearing all these baggy clothes, and it was my style, but it was also how I could feel comfortable in my body and not feel tied to how it looks,” she explained.  

“I didn’t want my body to be part of my outfit. I wanted my outfit to be my outfit, and my body just happened to be inside it.”  

As her fame grew, this choice became a defining feature of her persona.

“By the time I was 16, I was put in this box: ‘Billie Eilish only wears baggy clothes. She’s not a woman, she’s not desirable.’ People decided I was this one thing. And while I am that thing, I’m also so many other things.”  

Eilish eventually decided to push back against the assumptions about her style. 

During the Happier Than Ever era, she embraced a completely different aesthetic, trading oversized silhouettes for form-fitting outfits, blonde hair, and glamorous looks.  

“I had to go to the extreme,” she said. “I couldn’t just wear a skirt once. I had to completely reverse everything—pink nails, blonde hair, skirts, dresses, bras, and lingerie. I wanted to prove a point: I can do whatever I want, and then I can go back to what I was doing before, and you can deal with it.”  

Though the transition was dramatic, Eilish sees it as a necessary step in reclaiming her identity. “Even though it was a little extreme, I feel really grateful for it.”  

“I’m so many things at once,” she said, “and I want the freedom to explore all of them, on my own terms.”

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