The Femme Files

The Perfect Body?

Miranda Kerr, Jennifer Hawkins and even the ‘voluptuous’ Megan Gale….

All Australian fashion icons that are considered sexy and desirable by the media.

I, standing at a wholesome 163cm, do not even come close to resembling any portion of these aforementioned girls. Some might even say that I’m well below in stature and physique…and I would have to agree.

As a girl, living in Sydney I am surrounded by images of the perfect aesthetic. Everywhere I look….
billboards show us the ideal tanned, fit, perceivably ‘natural’ looking body and the actresses who have plenty of time and disposable cash to invest in such a look flaunt this physique with what appears to be a carefree and cavalier attitude. Indeed, the moment they start to show signs of ‘normality’ i.e large portions of cellulite, bikini bottoms rising over ample bums, they’re honed in on and lambasted for ‘letting it all go’.

As a result, the ‘perfect body’ just appears to be so far out of reach and beyond my means of attainability. I know I am not alone in this overwhelming feeling of inadequacy. Hands up who has gone into a change-room and looked in the mirror, gasping in horror at the size of one’s butt, thighs or stomach! Or cursed those dammed lights that shed revealing truths about the texture of one’s dimpled skin?

The question now becomes how do you combat feelings of inadequacy and get rid of ‘body dysmorphia’. This is a tough question, but it ultimately comes down to a realisation that no woman really wakes up EVERY day and says to themselves “I have the best bloody body ever with NO imperfections”. In fact, I recall recently my friend gushing into the phone after helping with a fashion charity event and stating that “All of the models have cellulite…all of them…they all got their butt sprayed with foundation to ensure there were no creases!” Working in a fashion chain store during my university years, I also know that through the three years of my placement there that I never, (not once girls!) observed a figure and skin tone that I thought was perfect! Which begs the question…what the hell is perfect if I haven’t seen it before? Clearly I have no idea….and what a relief that is.

So really, I am going to happily quit while I am behind. I am not going to aspire to have the perfect body because obviously, having never seen one in the flesh before, I just don’t know where I would start.