As we all know by now, Emma Chamberlain is undeniably an “it girl” of our generation. From her 2017 Youtube debut which skyrocketed her to fame, the influencer and fashion trendsetter is on her way to becoming the most successful twenty-one-year-old society has ever seen. Her fame has been built purely on her one-of-a-kind persona that boils down to her unique style, content, and personality. She’s had a tremendous impact on the way our society composes and portrays itself on social media. Girls these days are more likely to follow social media influencers based on how they relate to the individuals themselves, which explains why Emma’s rise to fame was likely inevitable. The fashion guru invented the way people talk, more specifically, the way they communicate authenticity. From giving us tidbits of her daily life all the way to being transparent about her mental health. Emma has a particular talent for showcasing her everyday life casually, all the way down to her mental and physical struggles she experiences . Her experiences, especially those surrounding mental health, speak volumes to our generation  by making them seen and heard, as well as normalizing them.

It could very well be due to Miss Emma that the recent trend of photo dumps has taken over the internet, or well more specifically, Instagram. A photo dump consists of a random collection of ten pictures, taken with low effort, that conveys a certain story or mood. In a way, the pandemic has changed our outlook, especially with social media. Today we tend to crave something real, something tangible, and something achievable. Photo dumps are a way to reach your audience through authentic imagery in comparison with  previous trends of excessively edited content and photo filters. 

Of course with fame comes hate. Emma Chamberlain is no stranger to cyberbullying and has spoken up multiple times about the importance of mental health. Utilizing her online presence, she’s talked about how she suffers from anxiety and depression since coming into the spotlight. That being said, this hate tends to stem from the fact that her persona represents the complete opposite of everything social media stands for: authenticity, rawness, and vulnerability.

The Emma Chamberlain effect has taken a different perspective on painting social media in a more positive light. The idea of posing and trying to get the “picture perfect” angle may very well be making its way out of today's society. Instead, authenticity and being real is the trend taking over the world right now. People are leaving out the photoshop and filters and are now craving something simple– something real. It’s interesting  how popularity works; some grow into stardom because there’s something distinctive about them.. But when it comes to Emma, it’s simply because she’s ordinary. Isn’t that funny? 

Written by Kadence Cheang, Photography: Linh Tran, Graphic Design: Kayley Vu, Social Media: Liane Nguyen