Thanks to the ever increasing popularity of social media, the pressure to live in a seemingly perfect world has grown with it. Thanks to campaigns like Mothercare’s Body Proud Mums, images of real, unedited and unfiltered women are becoming increasingly popular.
Kesia Archer received plenty of messages from other mums thanking her for proudly showing her real post-pregnancy body, with people saying the photos had helped them embrace their new bodies and improved their self confidence.
“With this campaign, everything is real”
Nothing is edited out which allows women to really see themselves in their images and be more accepting of their bodies.
Debbie Le, a fashion blogger and mum, said that Instagram had helped her re-find her identity after having a baby; “I was Debbie again, not just mum”. It also helped her to grow her self confidence and eliminated the feeling of loneliness that she was experiencing.
After deciding from the get go that she wanted to be authentic online, Le’s Instagram is full of stories showing the real life of mums - mess, exhaustion and sleepless nights. Other parents reached out to her saying they could relate, thanking her for showing a less than perfect world with young children. She wants everyone to know; “You shouldn’t be scared of showing what you have, whether you’ve had a baby or not”.
Both panelists were in agreement that it’s a positive move for real women to be used in campaigns and as models. As a young mum (she’s 21) Archer thinks it’s so important to have realistic role models that help guide her and give her confidence, whilst Le points out that as she was growing up she only had celebrities and supermodels as unrealistic role models.
Seeing every-day women on Instagram and in campaigns, shows real clothes on real women, allowing people to see how something will really look. Being real was the most important message to take away and they encourage everyone to embrace their authentic selves.
Written by Faith Richardson
Photography by Deborah Iona