Judi Prue says she has always been a ‘plus-size girl’ and that all body shapes should be celebrated
At 58, Judi Prue has no interest in shrinking herself – in any sense. “I’ve always been a plus-size girl,” says Judi from Hertfordshire. “I’m never going to be a size six – and we shouldn’t be defined by numbers on a scale.”
It is a striking message at a time when women’s bodies are once again being treated as projects to be fixed. A quick scroll through social media shows a proliferation of images of punishing thinness, injectable faces and the idea that self improvement must be found via weight loss, filler or Botox.
It makes Judi, a personal stylist and colour analyst from House of Colour, rage that women’s bodies are constantly expected to be altered or upgraded. “I spent a lot of time not feeling great about who I was,” she says. Before retraining as a stylist 13 years ago, Judi worked in PR for the Metropolitan Police and later the National Crime Squad.
Back then, her wardrobe was built around disappearing. “Black leggings, black tops – anything big and black,” she says. “I thought by hiding my lumps and bumps that others wouldn’t see them.” Instead, she now believes those oversized clothes made her look bigger, older and less like herself.
When she left work to raise her two children, she lived in a uniform of gymwear and comfy trainers, hair slicked back in a ponytail and little thought given to her appearance. “I didn’t recognise myself. I became a sloth.”
Everything changed when she had a colour analysis over a decade ago, as she realised she wanted to do more to express herself through her clothing. “I used to be a very, very shy individual. I would be that person that slid into the room in black and slid back out again.”
Now, she says, strangers stop her to comment on her clothes – and she loves the attention. “Most days at the supermarket, somebody will stop me and say, ‘I’ve got to love that colour on you – you look really good’.” The compliments foster good mood and confidence, she says. “Good feedback affects you. It makes you smile and change your mindset.”
Judi fluctuates between a size 16 and 20 and lives with lymphoedema, a condition that causes swelling in her feet and legs. But as she learned more about proportion, colour and shape, she learned how to celebrate her figure rather than swamp it. “I’ve got quite a curvy body, so if I accentuate the waist, then that’s what people focus on,” she says. “If I cover that up and bulk it out, it just looks like I’m bigger.”
Judi talks about “body architecture”, by which she means the practical realities of a person’s shape – whether they have a long torso, shorter legs, a fuller bust or a defined waist. The goal is not to hide the body, but to dress it in a way that feels balanced.
“My body hasn’t changed since I started dressing more authentically, but my confidence has,” she explains. “I still have the same lumps and bumps, but I dress them differently.”
That confidence matters all the more because of the messages women are absorbing elsewhere. Judi is deeply concerned by the beauty ideals confronting younger women, including her 19-year-old daughter Sienna, who has contemplated having unnecessary lip filler.
Judi finds that pressure alarming, particularly because she believes there is a healthier, cheaper and kinder alternative. “Instead, you can put a nice dress on, accessorise it well, in a colour that really works with your undertones, that will cost a fraction of any of these procedures women are sold – filler, GLP1s, Botox and so on.”
She’s frustrated by the way weight loss is still celebrated without question by a culture that applauds the body above the person. Looking at red carpet coverage and celebrity magazines, she sees endless judgment of women’s size, age and skin over their style, presence or achievements
“We’re applauding the body. We’re not necessarily applauding how a person dresses, how they turn up, or who they are,” she says.
That attitude, she believes, damages women of every generation. Today, Judi says she isn’t chasing youth or perfection – rather self expression. She likes glamour, jewellery, softness and what she calls her “romantic” side. Her mother, now 86, still tells her she’s too old for long hair. Judi’s response is brisk and absolute: “I ain’t cutting this hair.”
“We’re all different shapes and sizes,” Judi says. “There’s not one size fits all. The body doesn’t exist, does it? We should be embracing everybody for who they are.
“When I look back to who I used to be before I learned about colour and style, it makes for an interesting contrast. I was younger, thinner, had more disposable income and more time – but I wasn’t happier.
“I am much more comfortable with who I am now, celebrating my natural curves, walking tall and carrying myself with extra confidence.” Judi’s style tips: – There is no “perfect” body – only bodies in different seasons of life. – Stop comparing your real self to someone else’s edited self. – Buy clothes for the body you have today. – Choose colours and shapes that make you feel powerful. – Curate your social media by unfollowing accounts that make you feel less than. – Give compliments about strength, style, and spirit. – Let go of your “goal weight wardrobe” and wear your best clothes now. – Learn how beauty ideals have shifted – it’s all fashion, not fact. – Spend your money where your body is welcomed. – Speak to yourself with the kindness you reserve for your best friend.
Source link
