New shape of summer: How body positivity teaches us to love the skin we're in

Pushing back against the ideal-body image, a growing number of women are peeling off the layers and stepping out into the sunshine in all their curvy glory

Picture: iStock 

For the merest minute, you consider the bikini. You linger a little longer over the one-piece. But you finally settle for the oversized white t-shirt: your best armour for stepping onto the beach, hiding your tummy and cellulite.

Stripping down to one-piece or bikini is often a panic-stricken moment for women, who can feel exposed and self-conscious about their bodies. But with Spain’s equality ministry recently launching a summer campaign encouraging women of all shapes and sizes to enjoy the beach (with the catchphrase ‘summer is ours too’), it’s time to take a wider perspective.