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You are here: Home / STYLE / 7 Body positive brands to buy from in 2019

7 Body positive brands to buy from in 2019

January 17, 2019 by Molly Leave a Comment

Body positive brands

OK, so I know the latter part of January is probably the worst time to do a blog post about shopping. We’re all skint after Christmas and the sales, payday still feels like a very long way away and, somehow, we’re still stuck in the never-ending darkness of January.

But wait! This month can’t last forever! And, at some point this year, we will be in a position to buy some new stuff. So bookmark this post for when that time comes.

Growing up as a teen in the 90s and early noughties it felt like I was always confronted by one image of beauty. The trend back then was the heroine chic look, Kate Moss style bodies with thigh gaps and collarbones showing. It was the Nicole Richies and Paris Hiltons who held the market, and even in my beloved copies of J-17 magazine, the models all kind of looked the same.

That’s not to say those types of bodies are wrong – if they’re your natural shape. Far from it. But wouldn’t it be great to see a more diverse range of shapes, colours and textures in the pages of our favourite magazines and on the billboards showcasing our favourite brands?

It feels like 2019 might be the year this finally becomes a reality. More and more brands are realising the benefits of using a wide range of people in their advertising. They’re understanding that we can’t all relate to a woman under the age of 25 and a size 6, for example. Sure, there’ll be many who do look like those girls, but showing their products on a wider range of models (and not just models either – “regular” people too) can only mean reaching a bigger audience. Which is a good thing.

When it comes to body image, I don’t think it’s as simple a case of just blaming the brands or the media for only showing us one kind of body. I’ve seen arguments about getting to the “root cause” of the problem, but the truth is the “root cause” is complex.

It’s society as a whole, the ingrained nature of diet culture and fatphobia, along with the lack of diversity in magazines on TV and in big brand campaigns. It’s history, economics and culture all rolled into one.

Mix that with the constantly changing landscape of social media and the roll of influencers and celebrity and it quickly becomes a tangled web of toxic messages and confusion. But the blame for these toxic messages, and the responsibility for fixing them can’t just lie with one person or area or brand. We all have a role to play if anything is to change.

Which is why I wanted to applaud some of the heroes in the field and share some of the brands doing their bit to offer something a bit different.

1. Molke

Describing itself as, “Ethical, body positive and fun” Molke is a brand I can completely get behind. Their designs are bright and great for people wanting to inject a bit of colour and a smile into their pants drawer. They do bras, pants and pin badges, refreshingly showcasing their wares on a whole range of models.

2. Bloomin’ Sexy

This brand is the headline sponsor for the event I’m co-hosting in London next month, The Confidence Lab, and one I’m proud to shout about. If you’re looking for an alternative to cycling shorts under skirts in the summer then look no further. Bloomin’ Sexy offers beautiful anti-chafe underwear made from soft satin, tulle and lace. I’ve got a pair in my knicker drawer and can confirm they are also sooooo comfy.

3. Lonely Lingerie

Continuing on the pants theme, Lonely Label do lingerie, swimwear and clothing. The designs are stylish, colourful and delicately pretty and, importantly, they have a diverse range of women modelling them. I love that they use an older woman in their campaigns too, a nod to the fact it’s not just women under the age of 25 who want to wear nice pants.

4. Stay Wild Swim

Stay Wild Swim make swimwear crafted from ocean plastic, which explains the pricey cost. But not only is their swimwear super ethical, they show it off in a beautifully positive way. I love that they don’t edit out the stretchmarks or cellulite on their models and that they use a variety of different shaped models.

4. Savage X Fenty

Designed by Rihanna, the popstar describes the Savage X line as, “About respect. Do what you do. Be unapologetically you. Embrace individuality.” Which is exactly the ethos she championed in her runway show at New York Fashion Week last September. The show was hailed as an “Incredibly stunning inclusive celebration of womanhood” by Harper’s Bazaar. So, basically the exact opposite of the Victoria’s Secret show.

6. Lucky Sew and Sew

Described as, “Hand crafted lingerie and apparel for badass babes”, Lucky Sew and Sew can be found on Etsy selling beautifully unique designs at affordable prices. It’s a far cry from the standard size 6, age 23 model wearing the designs, too. Which is a thing of beauty.

7. Mannerswear London

Bright, unique, figure-hugging. Mannerswear London designs are about celebrating the female shape in all it’s glory. Forget what you’ve been told about hiding your shape under baggy folds of clothing, this brand shows that you can wear a bodycon style whatever your body looks like.

Have you discovered any new brands doing great things in the body image area recently? Tell me about them here!

Filed Under: Fashion, STYLE Tagged With: body image, body positive brands, fashion, swimwear

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Hello and welcome! I'm Molly Forbes - podcaster, presenter and blogger with a passion for positivity, confidence and body image chat. Regularly writing and vlogging about empowering female issues from a motherhood angle, I also cover lifestyle and fashion topics for like-minded mums who want to rediscover themselves after having children. Thanks for stopping by! Read More…

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I am not “bossing” it. Or “slaying”. Or “hustling”. Or “smashing” it. I’m not even juggling or spinning plates or doing any of the other words we use as a glossy, marketable, Instagram friendly way to package up burnout culture, under the guise of “empowering” women (💪🤢). 
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What I have been doing, though, is working too hard. Call a spade a spade. I’ve been working too hard, neglecting my health, my relationships, my life away from my laptop. I cannot be everything to everyone AND work at the level I’ve been working at BECAUSE I AM A HUMAN BEING. And you are too. We are not robots.
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I care deeply about all my work, and things aren’t always this intense, but I wanted to sprinkle some reality into the Gram because I am so over this lie that *any* type of success or achievement doesn’t come at a cost, or involve many failures in the background, or require many other people to help make things happen. 
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I guess what I’m saying is, let’s be real about all that, as well as showing the achievements. I’m bloody proud of my book. And I’m so excited to launch the social enterprise @bodyhappyorg properly next month. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy, and that there isn’t a price. 
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And with that, I’m taking the weekend off. See you on the other side 🥰🥰🥰
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[Image description: Molly sits in her office with her hands covering her mouth. On the back of one hand is written “Not bossing it”. She is wearing a pink boiler suit with a black and white top underneath. She has pink leopard print earrings on and her hair is tied back.]
This was taken at the start of half term, when the This was taken at the start of half term, when the kids were still enthusiastic about going for a walk. 1,705 walks around the same bit of countryside later... not so much 😬 
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If you’re struggling to get your kids motivated to move their body at the moment, go gentle. You’re not alone. Bad weather coupled with boredom coupled with the lure of screens is a heady recipe for lethargy - and that’s just me! 
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Seriously though, remember: all movement is valid. Even if it’s just a ten minute @cosmickids sesh or a little kitchen disco, it all counts. And if it comes from a place of enjoyment and fun, kids (and adults!) are going to be far more likely to want to get involved.
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What joyful movement activities are your kids enjoying right now (if any?!)?
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[Image description: Molly and her two daughters are standing in a field. They’re wearing colourful wellies, holding hands and smiling.]
I founded a social enterprise 😵 . Introducing: I founded a social enterprise 😵
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Introducing: @bodyhappyorg 🎉
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We are a Community Interest Company dedicated to promoting positive body image in children. We help adults help the kids in their care be friends with their bodies 🥰. 
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Through workshops and classes, digital and physical resources (both free and paid) we help parents, carers, teachers, youth leaders - and any adults who are ever around children - create body happy settings for kids to thrive in. 
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We launch officially next month with a beautiful new website and lots of resources which we’ll continually be adding to. In the meantime give us a follow at @bodyhappyorg - we start posting from today and our page has been designed as a free resource on its own! 
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I’m privileged to work alongside an incredible team of people on this. Shout-out to the original dream team @chelseacoxstrategist @amysnellingpt @effinitupfaye @lottie_storey @bodyconfidencecards_db @rachel_hobnobs & @aceandping 💕 LOVE YOU ALL! 💕
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[Image description: A blue square with yellow and white text which reads “the body happy org”. This is the logo for The Body Happy Organisation CIC]
Proof that I did wear clothes other than a tea-sta Proof that I did wear clothes other than a tea-stained hoodie and tracksuit bottoms at least once in the past month 😐
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[Image description: Molly is wearing pink dungarees with yellow buttons over a black rollneck long-sleeved top. She has a monochrome striped hairband on and her hair is pink. She is also wearing earrings with boobs on them. She looks very pleased, both with her earrings, the pink hair and the fact she’s not wearing sleepwear, for a change.]
A new report from the Education Policy Institute h A new report from the Education Policy Institute has concluded an obvious gender divide in the well-being of young adults. If you’d like to read more check out this article by Eleanor Peake in @newstatesman (I’ve linked to it in my Stories).
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Every week I get messages from parents and teachers concerned about the impact of social media on their kids’ body image. And of course, I couldn’t write a book about body image in kids and teens without covering social media - there’s a whole chapter in Body Happy Kids dedicated to the subject. 
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The thing is, social media isn’t going anywhere. And just like it can be a force for anxiety, shame and general angst it can be a force for good too. The trick is in knowing how to use it positively (and in holding the platforms to account for not moderating the spread of harmful viral trends and online abuse, and creating algorithms that deliberately create division and harm mental health... but that’s a story for another day). 
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But how can we expect our kids to have a handle on it when we, as adults, don’t ourselves? 
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I don’t believe the answer is to ban social media, but I don’t think kids should be given unfettered access to it either. 
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They need help navigating this stuff, learning about boundaries, developing media literacy skills so they can think critically about the content they’re consuming (just like many adults).
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And we also need to explore how we might be inadvertently contributing to the problem, perpetuating appearance ideals and creating a culture where kids learn it’s ok to body shame under the guise of health and to value each other based on the way they look.
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As ever, it’s complicated. I’d love to know what you think? What are some of the boundaries you have around social media in your house - both for yourself and your kids?
#BodyHappyKids 
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When I was pregnant with Effie I went to a pregnan When I was pregnant with Effie I went to a pregnancy yoga class every week. It was the highlight of my week. I left each session feeling like I was floating on a cloud, and I used the poses and breath work to guide me through labour too. But then I had my baby and found that, as a knackered new mum of two, I couldn’t find the time for yoga. I no longer had the excuse of doing it “for the bump” or “to prepare for labour”, so what was the point?
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It wasn’t until I started reinvesting in myself and unravelling the diet culture perspective on exercise that I found it again, along with running, which turned to hiking, and swimming. 
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It wasn’t about preparing my body for someone or something else. It was about the process itself, the time to unwind my mind and move my body for joy, just for me. I’ve lost a bit of that this past year with lockdowns, and I feel it.
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I recently signed up to @theunderbellyyoga with @mynameisjessamyn and feel like I’m finding it again. I love that my kids can see me taking time for myself, and enjoying movement, and that they sometimes want to join in too. Even if it is a bit annoying sometimes (swipe 👀). 
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#BodyHappyMum 
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[Image description: Molly and her 6 year old daughter Effie sit on yoga and gymnastics mats with their legs crossed and arms in the air. They have their backs to the camera. In the second image they are sitting crossed legged while twisting round to the side, and in the third image Molly is lying on the mat with her eyes closed while Effie leans over her, being a bit annoying.]
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