It’s 2023, and the many facets of being a woman are still being sold to us on a sky-high pedestal. Peel back the glossy surface, and you’ll find that when it comes to our bodies, society’s attitudes are profoundly tied up in tired beauty standards that it’s time we ignored.

Enter curve model and content creator, Penny Whittingham, who is passionate about defying them. And we’re here for it. 

In 2020, Penny’s mental health deteriorated. As she sought support to feel herself again, her body changed. She went from a size 12 to an 18, and her boobs went from a D to a G cup. She soon realised she’d never felt better about herself.

She embraced the ways her body and boobs had developed and, for Penny, embracing her curves is what now brings true contentment. As her mental health improved, she ducked out of her comfort zone, signed up for modelling agencies and her career started to flourish. Here, she shares her journey to a loving relationship with her body and boobs, and explores why we need to reframe societal attitudes to ‘plus-size’, body image and mental health… 

“During the pandemic I was a size 12 and my mental health suddenly deteriorated. It got to the point where I was constantly hiding away from the world, crying on the sofa and I couldn’t bring myself to do anything any more or to function normally. It was the lowest time ever, and I sought help. 

“When working on feeling better mentally, nothing else mattered, apart from feeling myself again. During this time, I went from my default of constantly seeking validation from everyone else around me, to seeing my body as secondary to my recovery. I came out of that summer a size 18.”

“When my mental health took a hit, I realised something. My body had changed. My boobs had grown from a D to a G cup. Yet I now felt happier and more confident in my body than I ever had.

“I started to sign up to modelling agencies, which I would never have thought about doing before. My career started to take off and I realised your opinion of yourself has nothing to do with what your body looks like. Instead, it’s down to how you think about your body.

“There’s this perception in society that being ‘skinnier’ is going to make you more confident. At best, confidence can be found in being the complete opposite and, at worst, this ‘skinny first’ narrative can be hugely harmful.

“As women, we’re taught to lose weight to fit back into sizes we once were without acknowledging that it is normal and healthy for our bodies and boobs to grow with us. Realising you can just buy the size that’s comfortable is incredibly freeing.” 

“Growing up, I didn’t see many women who looked like me. I was raised to be sporty and the only woman who was like me was Kelly Holmes. Now, it’s much better, but when it comes to my career in the modelling world, I still find that lots of brands lean towards inclusivity but really want an impossibility. 

“They want a specific type of curve and ‘plus-size’. They’re embracing bums and hips, but they want a chiselled jaw line and a tiny waist at the same time. Society wants you to have a ‘palatable’ look, and disregarding this harmful messaging has taken a lot.

“When it comes to my boobs, they’re just a part of my body – but they have become hyper-sexualised. Our boobs don’t exist to please men. Unlearning what society wants from your body can be really tough, but accepting and embracing yourself – for yourself, alone – is so important.”

“Acts of self-care are really important in helping you embrace and love your body and boobs. After years of wearing the wrong bra size and just putting up with it, I recently scheduled an afternoon of me-time and had a bra fitting at M&S. Now I just want to encourage everyone to go and get measured – because getting fitted properly really does make a difference to your confidence and your relationship with your body.

“I’ve had fittings before where I felt rushed, like I’m infringing on people’s time, but with the M&S Bra Fit™ I felt like I could take as much time as I wanted to find the right bra for me.

“I’ve come to realise that being a woman doesn’t have to be uncomfortable. We don’t talk about this enough, but you don’t need to squeeze into an ill-fitting bra to feel feminine, and that’s so important.

“Now, one of my favourite things to do when I’m having a bad body image day is to put on some make-up and a fancy yet comfy bra and pants and just dance around my bedroom in front of the mirror. It’s the most liberating thing and it genuinely works.”

“I’ve realised that the only opinion on my plus-size body that matters is my own. No one else is living in your body. No one else has to nurture your body through the years you have. We all have days when we feel more negative about our appearance and recognising when those days happen is important, but we can’t let those passing thoughts influence our sense of self-worth.

“I’m now proud to say I love my boobs and that I love my body. My saggy boobs are just a part of me, and I love the way that they are.

“Ultimately, I love that my body is my vessel – I have to look after it, nurture it and live in it for the rest of my life. So I’m determined to always love my body, no matter how it looks and no matter what anyone else thinks about it.” 

It’s time we all loved our boobs – and as the undisputed boob experts in the UK, the M&S BraFit™ service is here to help.

Their best-in-class service with trained bra-fitters can help you find the right bra for you, no matter your size, shape or preference. From everyday fits to empowering lingerie, with a wide range for every life stage including sports, post-surgery and nursing bras, book your bra-fitting with M&S as your next self-care power move.