Social media influencers drinking matcha at the Alo Yoga event in Beirut. (Credit: @rheamahfouz/@thehallanitwins/@guide.lb/Instagram)
Every other Thursday, Nima invites a viral social media trend back to her place, and dissects it under a Middle Eastern ring light.
If you also have the “Alo Pilates Matcha” video stuck in your head, let's talk about it.
Alo, an international activewear brand founded in 2007 in California, recently opened a store in Beirut souks. The brand is not considered luxury per se, but is set at a high price point, mainly to attract wealthy influencers. Alo claims to promote mindfulness, wellness and all the things you can’t really have in a "post-war" country.
Quickly after the opening event, there was an overlap on social media platforms between the pilates crowd, the matcha girls and Alo fans. As usual, once people saw a group of women doing something they enjoy, everyone decided to make fun of it.
While self-love is a historic concept (the first known use of self-care dates back to 1841), it has more recently taken up space on social media platforms — partly by rich influencers who want you to splurge on the new Miu Miu bag (another trend this season), and partly by life coaches, internet therapists and a handful of genuinely nice people.
I do think self-love and self-care in a sexist, capitalist world is revolutionary — maybe not in the same way resistance is, but still in its own way. The amount of effort, time and money put into marketing products designed to make women hate something very specific and very normal about themselves is quite impressive, and turning against it can be its own revolt.
Think of cellulite treatments, surgeries to remove ribs to get a smaller waist, a spray that will show you all the baby hair on your face so you can remove what was once invisible… Who knew the patriarchy was so powerful?
In a world that creates opportunities for you to hate how you look and suppress how you feel and ignore your health in favor of your job, the bravest thing you can do is dedicate time to do things that are good for you.
Matcha is good for you, although it's not necessarily ethically sourced. Pilates makes for a good workout, although the classes are more on the expensive side.
The smart thing Alo did is not only sell a product, but an image. A soft flex that you’re doing well and can afford expensive things, even if it's a form of escapism from the never-ending turmoil that is Lebanon.
If you buy this powder-pink workout set, you will look so good in your workout class as it complements your green matcha perfectly. You will see yourself as active, healthy and rich, and you will be proud of yourself for making the choice to take care of yourself.
That is one great experience, and high expectations to enforce on what is essentially green tea. However, this feeling is not exclusively tied to this trend, nor is it exceptionally hard to find.
Our “post-war” bodies have objectively been through a lot. In the search for finding routines and creating habits that honor them, you might sometimes order a matcha instead of a second cup of coffee. You could book a pilates class as a reminder of what your body can do, or buy a workout set that fits instead of trying to fit into an old one.
Alternatively, I could go home for dinner one day and have a meal my mom cooked for me. I could take the elevator at the office if my body feels tired, or ask for a break and hug when I need one.
These examples are inherently inconsistent and not nearly as luxurious. In reality, having a job, a social life, family, friends, goals, etc, makes the chances presented to you to show yourself some grace scarce and unpredictable. This is the difference between your real, tangible life and the fabricated one of a wellness influencer on social media: she will never show you how her life gets in the way of her workouts.