Edel Coffey: How much happier might we be, if being ourselves was good enough?

"I grew up in a very body-positive environment. The attitude was, you are what you are, so make the most of what you’ve got"

Edel Coffey: "I wondered what a really forward-thinking and modern attitude towards our bodies might be. How about just wanting to look like ourselves" Photo: Ray Ryan

Last week, Victoria Beckham launched VB Body, a new line of bodycon dresses designed to look good on ‘curvy’ bodies. The comment that made global headlines, however, was Beckham saying that wanting to be really thin was an ‘old-fashioned attitude.’ ‘Women today want to look healthy and curvy,’ she added. Sure, I thought, but isn’t that just another version of prescribing what women should look like? This week’s prescription is – curvy and healthy.

I wondered what a really forward-thinking and modern attitude towards our bodies might be. How about just wanting to look like ourselves?