Marie Claire UK Marie Claire UK
  • Fashion Fashion
      • Fashion
        • View all Fashion
        • Fashion Trends
        • Shopping
        • Watches and Jewellery
        • Fashion News
  • Beauty Beauty
      • Beauty
        • View all Beauty
        • Fragrance
        • Hair
        • Make Up
        • Skincare
        • Nails
        • Marie Claire Beauty Awards
  • Health Health
      • Health
        • View all Health
        • Fitness
        • Nutrition
        • Female Health
        • Wellbeing
  • Life Life
      • Life
        • View all Life
        • Opinions
        • Travel
        • Sustainability
        • Weddings
        • Money & Work
        • Competitions
  • Culture Culture
      • Culture
        • View all Culture
        • TV and Film
        • Celebrity News
        • Books
        • Royal News
  • Vouchers Vouchers
      • Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Mint Velvet
        • Karen Millen
        • H&M
        • nobody's child
        • ASOS
        • ARKET
        • MANGO
      • Designer Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Reiss
        • THE OUTNET
        • SSENSE
        • Mytheresa
        • Liberty London
        • Selfridges
        • Farfetch
      • Accessories
        • View all Vouchers
        • AllSaints
        • Aspinal of London
        • Charles & Keith
        • River Island
        • FitFlop
        • Kate Spade
        • Vagabond
      • Jewellery
        • View all Vouchers
        • Pandora
        • Abbott Lyon
        • Goldsmiths
        • Beaverbrooks
        • Astrid & Miyu
        • Swarovski
        • Angara Jewellery
      • Beauty
        • View all Vouchers
        • Sephora
        • Cult Beauty
        • Space NK
        • Dyson
        • Clarins
        • Look Fantastic
        • Clinique
      • Activewear
        • View all Vouchers
        • Lululemon
        • Gymshark
        • Sweaty Betty
        • Nike
        • adidas
        • New Balance
        • Helly Hansen
  • NEWSLETTER Signup to our newsletter
  • logoCreated with Sketch.
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Women in Sport 2026
    • Marie Claire Masters
    • Spring Summer 2026
    • Nail Trends 2026
    • Best Investment Bags
    • Best Perfumes
    • Digital Issues
    • Women Who Win
    1. Celebrity News

    Blake Lively has her say on post-baby body ideals

    ‘You don’t have to have be Victoria’s Secret-ready right away.'

    By Caroline Leaper
    Published 9 August 2016 In News

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    Blake Lively Pregnancy Style
    Blake Lively Pregnancy Style
    (Image credit: Startraks Photo/REX/Shutterstock)
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    ‘You don’t have to have be Victoria’s Secret-ready right away.'

    Blake Lively has spoken out against post-pregnancy body ideals, suggesting that there is too much pressure on women to lose weight quickly after giving birth.

    Commenting that the media’s scrutiny of women’s bodies and the abstract ‘celebration’ that makes the headlines when a woman’s body has bounced back after pregnancy, Blake described the pressure as ‘unfair.’

    ‘You don’t have to have be Victoria’s Secret-ready right away,’ she said. ‘You gave birth to a human being!’

    Blake made her comments during a slightly awkward video interview with Sunrise in Australia, where the presenter began by introducing her as someone who is ‘so well-known for being Mrs. Ryan Reynolds’ and commenting that he’d never seen someone ‘so exquisitely dressed at an interview.’ The actress, who is currently pregnant with her second child, could only laugh as she was wearing a denim jacket. *Puts head in hands*

    You may like
    • Bryony Deery I'm Building One of the World's Biggest Pilates Apps and Just Had My First Child—Here's How to Feel Your Strongest Pre- and Postpartum
    • Anne Hathaway has just announced her third pregnancy at 43 Anne Hathaway's Pregnancy Hides a Much Bigger Truth About Having Babies in Your 40s
    • Andy Burnham and Marie-France van Heel entering 10 Downing Street “Are We Just Jealous?” Victoria Moss Unpacks the Sexist, Ageist Commentary Around Marie-France van Heel’s Victoria Beckham Dress

    (Image credit: Buzz Foto/REX/Shutterstock)

    After asking a few questions about Blake’s latest film, The Shallows (which was just released in Australia) the interviewer then began to ask how she got into shape for the role, suggesting that it’s great for an actress to take on an action-packed role after their pregnancy, as the tabloids will typically ask about she achieved her post-baby body.

    And that’s when Blake responded. ‘It’s so unfair, it’s so celebrated,’ she said. ‘I think a woman’s body after having a baby is pretty amazing. You don’t have to have be Victoria’s Secret-ready right away. You’ve just done this incredible miracle that life has to offer. I would really like to see that celebrated.’

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    We couldn’t agree more.

    Caroline Leaper
    Social Links Navigation
    Read more
    Bryony Deery
    Female health I'm Building One of the World's Biggest Pilates Apps and Just Had My First Child—Here's How to Feel Your Strongest Pre- and Postpartum
    Anne Hathaway has just announced her third pregnancy at 43
    Life Anne Hathaway's Pregnancy Hides a Much Bigger Truth About Having Babies in Your 40s
     
     
    Andy Burnham and Marie-France van Heel entering 10 Downing Street
    Fashion “Are We Just Jealous?” Victoria Moss Unpacks the Sexist, Ageist Commentary Around Marie-France van Heel’s Victoria Beckham Dress
    Ella Bright Off Campus
    Fashion How Ella Bright’s Character in Off Campus Proves Boobs Don’t Have to Be the Main Focus—For Once
     
     
    Latest in Celebrity News
    Olivia Rodrigo performing on stage in a babydoll dress that sparked online debate, later prompting the singer to speak out about the sexualisation of girlhood and double standards facing young women.
    Celebrity News “We Really Normalise Pedophilia in Our Culture”: What Olivia Rodrigo's Babydoll Dress Backlash Reveals About Girlhood
    Meghan Markle in 'With Love, Meghan'
    Celebrity News Meghan Markle’s Sweet Glimpse Into Sussex Family Life Is Going Viral
     
     
    Anne Hathaway attends the premiere of The Devil Wears Prada 2
    Celebrity News Anne Hathaway Has Spoken Out About Her 10-Year Health Battle
    The Prince and Princess of Wales visit the Isles of Mull and Iona
    Royal News Royal Experts Predict a Major Milestone From Princess Kate This Autumn
     
     
    Latest in News
    The Beauty Digest: New Products to Know
    Beauty The Beauty Digest: A Foundation With Infinite Shades, Diptyque Does Bodycare, and the Exhibition Every Beauty Lover Should See
    Eva Omaghomi
    Fashion After 17 years in the Royal Household, Eva Omaghomi Talks Bringing African Design Talent to Harrods
     
     
    New Beauty Products: The Beauty Digest
    Beauty The Beauty Digest: Dyson Does Teeth, Fenty Rips Up the Rulebook (Again) and a Surprisingly Fragrant Week for Dogs
    Jodie Comer
    Shopping Jodie Comer Just Announced the Start of Knee-High Boots Season
     
     
    logoCreated with Sketch.
    • Site Archive
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Terms and conditions
    • Advertise with us
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • About us
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire UK is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.