Lesson one: Love Thyself

If only people could see the beauty chocolate and I have created, that we have crafted over the years, they would compare me to ladies who grace the oil paintings of the renaissance and hold me up upon their walls as if I were a goddess of women, beauty and creativity. If only people could see the world through the beauty of Michelangelo’s vision they would find the delights of my rolling, warm flesh and compare me to a divine being and shout in celebration that the fuller figured woman ‘holds the wisdom of the entire world in her belly’ – in her big round belly!!! :D

So these times are gone by but there is good news: Plus size models are on the up and for the first time in years the choice of bigger, beautiful ranges are available on the high street. Not only that but super cool tracks like Mika’s Big Girl (You Are Beautiful) Sir mix a lot-baby got back and fergie’s My humps are helping to encourage anyone one with a bit of wobble to embrace those curves! Just check out Beth Ditto on the cover of Love magazine, ok it's not Vogue but there is a change…although there is a long way to go before women truly start to feel empowered….and we have a lot to contend with…

We are in a harsh media world where art and beauty have mostly been replaced by the obsession of youth, the preservation of youth and the bodies of youth (or rather more bluntly female figures that somewhat resemble the frames of adolescent young boys!). The media culture we live in today along with a fiercely judgmental society and increasingly analytical press all add to the pressure women feel for the quest and attainment of the perfect size 0.

Like it or not we live in a culture which encourage critical scrutiny of the appearance of any women in the spotlight whilst glorifies the super waif models of the runways which sets fear into the hearts and minds of women around the world. A media culture so powerful at influencing the majority of women, from the mainstream to high society, to feel inadequate and some how unacceptable if she does not conform to the ‘clowned’ ideals of modern beauty and success.

So how dose a woman cope with this kind of pressure. First of all I would encourage you to look for the middle ground, make health your aim, put down the gossip mags and in the wise words of venerable Gok Wan “start loving the skin your in”