Edel Coffey: Let’s stop this cycle of getting our bodies ‘ready’ for occasions

"It is possible to enjoy ourselves without perfect bodies, perfect dresses, and perfect Instagram pictures..."

Picture: Bríd O'Donovan

I always feel like winter has truly begun once I crack out the 40-denier tights. 

These winter wardrobe staples offer a kind of sartorial cocoon for me, a way of putting my body into a protective state, away from the cruel standards and expectations we endure in the warmer months, when arms and legs are exposed to scrutiny and judgment (usually our own).