Every Body is a Summer Body: A Guide to Confidence and Self-Love

Summer time is fully underway this month and, while the British weather might not always be co-operating, we’re now enjoying drinks outside, the smell of barbecues lingers in the air, and our summer wardrobe is being pulled out of the back of the closet. 

While we rush to embrace the sunshine, many of us can feel daunted by the shift to lighter, shorter clothing and a pressure to be looking “beach body ready”. We might have moved away from the obsessive diet culture of the 2000s and intense tabloid criticism of women’s bodies, but the anxieties still remain. Even though the body positivity movement has seen some great progress in recent years, we’ve also seen the rise of exacting fitness lifestyles and “clean girl” aesthetics which continue to spotlight certain body types.

A Summer of Joy

But at Y.O.U Underwear we know that your worth is so much more than what you weigh and we’re here to help you embrace that this summer! 

For us, summer is all about focusing on what brings us joy and how we can connect with our community. We want to help everyone feel happy and confident in their own body and build self worth based on all the varied interests, stories, and perspectives that make us unique. 

The Impact of Social Media

Some of the factors which can have a huge influence over how confident we feel in our bodies are advertising and social media. The images we are constantly fed often show people of a very particular age range, body type, ability, and ethnicity. It’s important to remember that this is just one small portion of the hugely varied mix of people who make up our world. On top of this, the fashion industry still uses widespread image retouching, and social media filters have become more difficult to detect.  

Although it can be very difficult to avoid images which pressure us into negative self worth, there are things we can do to control some of what we see. If you follow accounts on social media which you know can spark insecurities then try unfollowing them and turning towards content creators who promote body positivity and spread joyful messages rather than diet tips or impossibly curated lifestyle images. 

It can be easy to get wound up with picking at things we don’t like about our bodies and focusing on what we’d like to change. But remember that summer is also a time for relaxing, having adventures, and making plans with family and friends. Rather than worrying about your weight, try to shift your thoughts to celebrating what is bringing you joy and the things you are able to do, whether that’s swimming in warm waters, playing games on the beach, or simply feeling the sunshine on your skin.

Wearing comfortable clothing is super important at this time and opting for outfits that make you feel your best will help you make the most out of your summer plans. There’s no point following summer fashion trends if you spend the whole time wishing you were wearing your trusty favourites. Body confidence can fluctuate from day to day so if you want to show off your sequin hotpants one day and pull on baggy trackies the next then that’s okay too!

Underwear for EVERY Body

At Y.O.U Underwear we want to make sure that everyone in our community can feel confident and comfortable in their undies. Our sizes range from a UK 6 to 22 in knickers and currently up to XL (F/FF cup) in bras with a range of cup sizes. Make sure to get in touch if you're unsure about your sizing and we will always be quick to help you out. We know that some body types might still struggle with our sizes so let us know if you have any suggestions for more inclusive styles you'd like to see in the future, we might even ask you to test run products for feedback...

So this summer, remember that you're here to enjoy it and take time to do the things you love. While the journey to body confidence can be a tricky one, there are plenty of other people encountering the same progress and struggles and your community is here to support you! Joy, rather than a rigid idea of perfection, is what we're chasing over the next few months and we hope you'll join us!

If all of this sounds brilliant and you'd like some guidance on where to start, or you're on your own journey and want to share it with others, then make sure to snap up tickets to Lou's Self Love Revolution camp this summer.

The queen herself will be hosting a fantastic event full of talks, workshops, activities, and parties with shared meals included as well as a few cocktails. We'll be there too, alongside photographer Sassy to put together empowering photoshoots designed to help you find the sparkly, confident YOU! 

Look out for more information about Lu's Camp over the coming weeks, and in the meantime, see the information over on her website to find out more:

Lu's Self Love Revolution Camp

So whether you're heading off to the beach for a summer of sunshine, adventuring in the great outdoors, or simply relaxing in the garden, find joy in the little things and try not to put too much pressure on yourself! Your Y.O.U undies will always be there for you 😎

Find more inspiration from our previous blogs:

Check out our Five Top Places to Visit in Oxford this Summer

Get the Low Down on our International Women's Day event with Lu back in March

And Read our 6 Tips for Wild Swimming this Summer

Images courtesy of Y.O.U Underwear and Canva.