Love your Body this Valentine's Day

The most important long-term relationship you'll ever have is with your own body. 

You're probably aware that it's Valentine's Day, but did you know this week has also featured 'Working Naked Day'? These are both great opportunities to stand back and give some thought to our relationship with our bodies, and to build some corporeal love. 

Recent studies have shown that 89% of women have opted out of social interactions or physical activities due to a lack of body confidence. And it’s not just a problem for women; male body-image dissatisfaction has tripled in the last 25 years, from 15% to 45% of the population. It’s been found that eating disorders, extreme diets and exercise regimes are as much a problem for British school boys as for girls*. 

At Y.O.U we strongly believe that marketing should also have an ethical dimension. We don't feel it's right to promote ethical and sustainable business practices whilst encouraging unnatural portrayals of bodies that just make us all feel worse about ourselves. We believe it's unethical to encourage people to compare themselves with unattainable standards.

We firmly believe in body positivity, and we think that brand imagery has a lot to answer for. We use our friends and family as models – which they find a mix of terrifying and empowering – and never airbrush our images. 

We’ve also hidden encouraging message *inside* our undies, designed just for the wearer, which we believe makes them truly positive pants! We want our customers to embrace their bodies in all their perfect imperfections! 

We think body positivity is about more than just how you dress (or don’t!). It’s about the courage that it takes to do something different, to try new things and to take risks. If you’re feeling especially brave, why not send us a picture of you in your Y.O.U pants? 

However you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day, remember the choices and progress you’ve made to get you where you are!

(And no matter what you’re doing, a pair of comfy undies is a great way to start the day - whether you're wearing clothes on top or not!). 

* BBC article about male body image.