Embracing Body Positivity Through Fashion

A 2020 study by the National Eating Disorders Association found a positive relationship between a healthy body image and increased self-esteem. It substantiates the role of body positivity in lowering the signs of depression, and establishes the importance of having a good body image and embracing our bodies just as they are.

Fashion is a significant mode of self-expression, and it’s important that our fashion choices come from a place of love and admiration for our bodies.

In this piece, let’s look at fashion choices we can make to embrace the flawed flawlessness that our bodies represent. These outfit recommendations and tips will accentuate your best features while bringing in a chic and confident look. Reinvent fashion norms with styles that work for your body type, one outfit at a time!

Understanding Body Positivity

The Body positivity movement began in the 1960s, and has continued to gain momentum. Today, there’s an active dialogue about loving our bodies just as they are. Body positivity is appreciating and loving your body despite your perceived ‘flaws’.

Body positivity is the graceful acceptance of one’s body in all its glory. You might think or be told you’re too skinny or too bulky, but all that noise shouldn’t affect you when you are confident in your skin and are happy with your body image.

Body positivity has become a much-needed trend, but it’s so much more than just a trend. It’s about rejecting all the unrealistic beauty standards society imposes on us based on the color of our skin or our weight and body shape. Understanding that every size, skin tone, and shape is beautiful is at the heart of body positivity.

If you’re looking for affirmation externally, know that the most secure form of body validation comes from within. Eating disorders, depression, and anxiety related to body image have the potential to fade out once you’ve learned the art of loving yourself.

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Choosing Fashion That Celebrates Your Body

Fashion is a powerful tool of self-expression that helps you shine and slay any event. Dress to highlight your favorite features, and choose your clothes wisely by identifying your body shape. Whether yours is a pear, hourglass, apple, rectangle, or inverted triangle-shaped body, there are many outfit ideas to choose from.

Here’s a quick guide on choosing clothing that celebrates you.

Flaunt your Features: The best fashion advice we can offer you is to flaunt the features you love. Like those legs? Flaunt them with a short dress or mini skirt. Love your arms? Rock a sleeveless look! After all, all good fashion comes down to being comfortable, confident, and happy in your skin!

Figure Out Your Body Shape: Understanding your body shape allows you to pick outfits that highlight your best bits.

• Pear-Shaped: Aim for a balanced look, with a flowy top in a bold shade, dark skinny jeans, and a statement necklace that draws attention to the upper body.

• Apple-Shaped: Anything from a belted dress to high-waisted pants with a tucked top looks great.
• Hourglass Shaped: Emphasize those curves with fitted bottoms – pencil skirts or tailored pants, well-fitted tops, or bodycon dresses.

• Inverted Triangle-Shaped: Try a maxi skirt or flared pants, to help emphasize your lower body.

Find the Right Fit: A well-fitting outfit boosts one’s confidence and makes you feel comfortable. The fabric, design, and fit of an outfit must be carefully considered. Invest some time in finding brands that fit you well, or considering tailoring for a perfect fit!

Build a Versatile Wardrobe: Invest in building a versatile wardrobe, which includes a few basics that can become the foundation for many outfits. A little black dress is a wardrobe staple which can be dressed up or down based on the event. A well-fitted blazer, comfy jeans, and a formal skirt for the office look is necessary to mix and match. Include a white and a black button-down from a brand you trust. These wardrobe essentials make layering easy and keep the classy streak alive!

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Brands Leading Trends in Body-Positive Fashion

We have moved away from an era of restrictive sizing and unrealistic beauty standards. Body positivity is not just a widely discussed topic today, it is also widely practiced. There are brands that offer inclusive sizing and adaptive clothing for different needs and practice sustainable means of production.

Here are some of our favorite body-positive brands:

• Inclusive sizing: Squeezing yourself into clothes two sizes too small is no longer cool. Brands like Universal Standard, ASOS, Loud Bodies are revolutionizing fashion with inclusive sizing. These brands offer a wide range of sizes suitable for all body types and sizes – XXXS to XXXL.

❖Girlfriend Collective: Has a wide collection of gymwear offering inclusive sizing. Whether you’re looking for workout bras or yoga shorts, Girlfriend Collective is all about making comfortable clothing accessible to all.

❖ Madewell: A great brand that runs larger and offers a range of summer-friendly options. Their cotton tees are our favorite and wide-leg pants are a great mood setter too!

❖Eytino: This brand has been winning hearts online for making inclusive sizing so accessible to shoppers. Check out their chic range of tops, tunics and shirts and pick your favorite. This crewneck lace blouse shirt is our personal favorite to slay in summer.

❖ Tankaneo: A reliable clothing and accessory brand, Tankaneo offers a range of cool and comfy blouses, tops, and tunics. Its breathable fabric makes the tops ideal for summer, especially for those casual outings. Don’t expect something fancy, but if it’s comfortable everyday wear you seek, this brand is for you. Their size chart ranges from 0L to 4L, and is ideal for plus sizes.

• Adaptive fashion: Another aspect of including body positive clothes to your wardrobe is going for adaptive clothing. This means that the clothes are comfortable and meet the specific comfort needs of any individual. Here are a few brands that promote adaptive fashion:

❖ Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive: Tommy Hilfiger offers a line of adaptive clothing with one-handed zippers, magnetic closures, and adjustable features. Check out this widely loved adaptive sweatshirt that comes with a magnetic zipper closure.

❖ Silverts Adaptive: Check out the cool range of adaptive clothes and footwear at Silverts which are known for their comfort, especially for the elderly. These adaptive slip-on shoes come with a mesh interior, rubber sole, removable insoles and spacers – ideal to offer additional support and grip.

• Sustainable and ethical fashion: The body-positive movement includes supporting eco-friendly and sustainable practices. As consumers, we should choose brands that prioritize environmental care. Consider these options:

❖ Pact: Known for its commitment to sustainability, Pact offers organic cotton products like tank tops, bottoms, sportswear, and lingerie. Their yoga pants exemplify their eco-friendly approach.

❖ Levis: Levi’s combines inclusive sizing with sustainable production. Their 100% cotton Hooded Field Jacket is a great choice for eco-conscious consumers and works well for seasonal transitions. We also love this denim jacket which comes in inclusive sizing.

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Tips for Building a Body-Positive Wardrobe

Thinking of redesigning your wardrobe to have more body-positive and feel-good clothes? Consider following these tips to create that perfect collection:

• Declutter and Donate: First, make space for all the new clothes you’re about to mindfully select and buy. Declutte your wardrobe by discarding everything that doesn’t fit. Keep only those outfits that make you feel pretty and comfortable. You could either donate or sell these and make way for the clothes you actually enjoy wearing. Our fashion preferences are bound to change over time and when that happens, we must keep an open mind and refrain from hoarding. Everything that has served its purpose is good enough to be given away.
• Shopping Smart: The next step to creating a body-positive wardrobe is awareness led smart shopping. Do some research and follow the right influencers online who guide you to sustainable brands and body positive fashion ideas. Look up inclusive and sustainable brands online which are doing a good job in making fashion accessible for all body types. You could even do an analysis of websites and brands whose models depict diversity! Even a simple keyword search for “inclusive sizing,” “body positive fashion,” or “sustainable fashion” is sure to solve a lot of dilemmas.
• Tailoring and Customization: While tailoring may be a hassle, one cannot deny the potential of alterations in transforming an average outfit to a great fit! Tailoring enhances an outfit to accentuate your body’s natural shape, and creates a flattering silhouette. Shortening the hem or adjusting the waistline are minor alterations that can significantly improve a garment’s fit. You could also go creative and experiment with embroidery and patchwork to add a unique touch of self-expression to your outfits!

Conclusion

The first step to embarking on a journey of body positivity is respecting and embracing your body just as it is. Body positivity also manifests in clothing and fashion and there are many ways to revamp your wardrobe to include more comfortable clothes that make you feel and look good.

We’ve presented several brand recommendations that offer inclusive sizing and adaptive fashion. Ultimately, it comes down to listening to one’s body and wearing clothes that give you the confidence to walk through any room with a smile!

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