Body confidence.

It’s a phrase that is bandied around all the time at the moment – a ‘buzz word”. But how many of us ACTUALLY have it?

I talk ALL the time about women learning to love their bodies – and I guess, for me, there is one REALLY important word in there – LEARN.

Body confidence is not always something you just wake up with one day. And it definitely changes with different life events.

I had a baby not even 4 months ago and WHOA! What a rollercoaster ride my body has been through. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m amazed, impressed and completely in awe of what my body has done over the last 12 months. It grew a human FFS! BUT it certainly has changed, and it’s taking me a little while to get used to those changes.

photo by Sweet Events Photography

That is not to say that I hate my body, far from it! I’m just getting used to what it does now. It creates food for my child (and with that, gravity has really and truly kicked in, am I right ladies??), there are a few wee stretch marks, nothing too bad, and I’m a little softer around the edges.

But I totally get it’s a learning curve to get used to these changes. So I guess what I’m saying is ladies, it’s ok not to LOVE your body everyday, but I think, for your sanity and quality of life, you need to work on getting there.

One of the ways I think that we can all learn to love and accept our bodies is to realise that ALL bodies are normal. And at the same time, there is no such thing as “the perfect body”.

For so many years, media has told us that beauty looks a certain way, and that clothes will look better on you if you are a certain size and shape.

BUT there are a few players that are bucking that trend and trying to create a new normal.

One of my favourite online stores, Birdsnest, is leading the charge. They are now showcasing their garments on THREE DIFFERENT SIZE models – yup! THREE – a standard model size (8-10) a lovely 12-14 and a gorgeous 16+.

So now, you can view the clothes you want to buy on the model that you feel best represents your size! I LOVE this so much!

Just some of the latest Birdsnest garments shot on 3 different sized ladies

You can also shop by “body shape”, well, more like “body part”. If there is a certain body part you either want to hide, or highlight, you can search that way too…

This idea is along the lines of what I do with my personal styling clients – we look a how to enhance your best bits (whilst at the same time, skimming over the bits you’re maybe not such a fan of)

Dressing well is ALL about feeling good in what you wear, and if something fits you well, you’re going to feel a million bucks in it! (and as a side-effect, you’re going to look frickin’ gorgeous too!)

Now, if you need a little extra help putting an outfit together, then they clever team at Birdsnest have that covered too!

They have a whole section dedicated to outfits already styled to perfection – The Outfits Section.

The team a Birdsnest were kind enough to send me an outfit to play with, so here it is on the website (you can shop the look HERE)

and here it is on me……

There are SO many cool outfit combinations on this site, so go put the kettle on and prepare to venture down the rabbit hole haha!

I just LOVE it when brands take the initiative and make positive changes in this industry. The guys at Birdsnest are singing my song and I’m so glad to be able to bring their message and ethos to you!

I’ve tried to give you the same kind of thing in my own online store – we shot the latest range on me and two other amazing local bloggers, each of us difference shapes and sizes, to give YOU, my amazing readers, someone to relate to when it comes to buying clothes.

My two gorgeous bloggy friends and I in the latest Chasing Cait Shop shoot

Have you shopped at Birdsnest before? Or do you know other brands that are embracing the body diversity that we see in everyday life? Tell me about them! I’d love to know!

In Style & Love Always