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    1. Health and Fitness

    5 Fabulous Women That Embraced Their Curves

    There ain't nothing sexier than a woman who is confident in her own skin. And there ain't nothing more empowering than women who spread the message that we don’t all have to be thin in order to lead happy, successful lives.

    By Marie Claire
    Published 15 November 2013 In Features

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    (Image credit: Rex Features)
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    There ain't nothing sexier than a woman who is confident in her own skin. And there ain't nothing more empowering than women who spread the message that we don’t all have to be thin in order to lead happy, successful lives.

    The below fabulous women embrace their curves and have inspired us to do the same.

    1. Adele Adele stepped onto the scene making no apologies for who she is, both inside and out. Her undeniable beauty is hard to ignore, but her confidence is what makes her even more attractive. On the topic of her weight, she says, 'I've never wanted to look like models on the cover of magazines. I represent the majority of women and I'm very proud of that.'

    2. Marilyn Monroe When you think of curves, does anyone else come to mind before Marilyn? This timeless beauty proudly flaunted her voluptuous body and has been quoted as saying, 'the body is meant to be seen, not all covered up.' It is reported that Marilyn wore a size 12-14 dress size, and her weight fluctuated greatly throughout her career. No matter what size she was, one thing was for sure: she owned it.

    Curvy women

    Curvy women
    (Image credit: Rex Features)

    3. Oprah Winfrey Throughout Oprah’s career, she has suffered a very public battle with her weight. She’s tried various diets, losing and gaining weight frequently, all in front of the camera. Despite this, Oprah Winfrey has remained one of the most influential women in the world, and her genuine spirit and rich wisdom (literally) outweighs her size. On the topic of body image, Miss O says, 'I finally realised that being grateful to my body was key to giving more love to myself.'

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    4. Mae West Mae West is famously quoted as saying, 'Cultivate your curves - they may be dangerous but they won't be avoided.' How’s that for an empowering affirmation? This sultry screen siren oozed confidence and sex appeal, and we truly adore her. And on the topic of dieting? West says, 'I never worry about diets. The only carrots that interest me are the number you get in a diamond.' Not a bad attitude!

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    5. Jennifer Lawrence Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence has been extremely vocal in Hollywood, speaking up about the lack of strong role models for young women and the pressure to be painfully thin. In a recent interview when asked about these unrealistic expectations, Lawrence said, 'It's something that everybody experiences. I experienced it in school. The world has a certain idea - we see this airbrushed perfect model image. You just have to look past it. You look how you look. And be comfortable. Like, what are you gonna do, be hungry every single day to make other people happy? That's just dumb.'

    Marie Claire Newsletter

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    Curvy women

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    30 more inspirational body confidence quotes that will make you feel better...

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