UK-based plus-sized fashion retailer Yours Clothing, which sells affordable and fashionable clothing from a size UK 14-40, has launched their new ‘Each Body Ready’ campaign, advocating that all you need to be beach body ready this year is a bikini.
The launch recreates the infamous Protein World campaign which made headlines for perpetuating harmful body image and shaming in advertising by instead highlighting key statistics to display what women go through all year round, especially before Summer.
Body shaming is still rife in 2021 with an article by the Enquirer naming the ‘best and worst beach bodies’ making national papers just last week.
More people speak about body positivity and empowerment in 2021, however, 62% of women believe the pressure to look good is now unbearable. In response, the campaign aims to empower a positive change in the current divide in the number of plus-size models featuring in mainstream fashion adverts.
Starring a diverse range of women who are proud to be themselves, the adverts show off their bodies, beautiful and untouched including natural scars, stretch marks and cellulite to champion that each body should feel comfortable in swimwear no matter what.
Confidence is on the up: Searches for ‘curves’ has increased by 49.46% in 2021
Despite the constant pressure on us to look different, eat different and dress different, body positivity has never been more powerful.
Between February and May 2021, searches for curves increased by 49.46%, showing that more women are looking for fashion that fits how they are, not how brands expect them to be.
Women are more confident in 2021. On Instagram #loveyourbody has been hashtagged 5.7 MILLION times, while on TikTok videos on #bodypositivity have been viewed an incredible 13.1 BILLION times as we take steps in the right direction towards body confidence.
Over the last month, Google searches for ‘body confidence’ have also increased by a shocking 9300% as women look to feel empowered and confident in their bodies. On Instagram, the search for ‘body positivity‘ over ‘summer diet’ is higher by 196% in May 2021.
The need for change: 57% of UK adults have never seen themselves in the media
Even though people can celebrate how far they’ve come in terms of embracing their bodies, we’re still not there. Sadly, over half of UK adults reported ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ seeing themselves in images in the media or advertising.
45% of women in the UK are size 16+, this is only 2.2% of women in advertisements
In the UK alone, 45% of women wear a dress size of 16 or more, yet only 2.2% of women in advertising are this size.
The campaign shows every body is beautiful. Your curves, your shape and your size deserve to be celebrated and it deserves to be seen. That’s why Yours Clothing are championing that Each Body IS Ready, the fight to get figures of all shapes and sizes out in the world looking scorching this summer.
Speaking on the campaign, a spokesperson from Yours Clothing said,“Inclusivity is so important in this industry and as a plus-size retailer, we want to lead the importance of this change. Our campaign found that 57% of adults have never seen themselves represented in the media. This is why we’re committed to representing all body types, so the everyday consumer can feel empowered. It’s important to shed light on the fact that every body is beautiful and that no one needs to conform to ‘typical’ beauty standards.
The more ‘real’ images being posted are in hopes for people to feel more included paving the way for the women now and for the younger generations to come. Too many campaigns give unrealistic body expectations and don’t represent the different sizes and shapes of women around the world. This campaign has been designed to highlight why the change is needed and why 2021 is the start of that change.”
The Each Body Ready campaign features 3 stunning influencers from around the UK: Danielle Gardiner from Essex, Celine Agyemang from London, and Nadine Shirley from London.
You can find out more about the campaign here.
Take a look at the data sources below to learn more about the importance of body positivity campaigns:
62% of women believe the pressure to look good is now unbearable
87% of women compare their bodies to images in the media
89% of adults feel a social pressure to look a certain way
79% of women ranked personality more important than looks
40% of teenagers said images on social media caused them to worry about their body image
45% of British women are dress size 16 or more, The actual average dress size in the UK is now 16
47 of 2099 women in total (in editorials as well as in ads) were plus size women, a mere 2.2 percent
