Reviewed by Y G

In Real Gorgeous, Kaz Cooke takes a look at some of the popular ideas in fashion and beauty and sorts through the myths to help women improve their self-esteem. Accompanied by humour and cartoons, Ms Cooke explores issues such as food, dieting, exercise, puberty, fashion, skin care and body image. Geared towards mainly adolescent women, Real Gorgeous includes secrets and tricks of the trade used in the body and beauty industries as well as excerpts from letters girls and young women sent in regarding how they felt about their bodies and other issues the book deals with.

When I first read this book, I practically agreed with everything I had read. This being the 2nd time I've read this book, I have a different opinion. So much of the information about body and beauty focuses on achieving the perfect body — how to achieve the ideal body; how one should not try to look like a model, that most of the pictures are unrealistic; and that a woman should accept her natural curves because of its connection to child-bearing and nurturing. But what if your body image issues aren't related to that or you are not interested in all that beauty and fashion stuff? I look at models and "real' women and envy them — not because of how they look (okay, maybe only part of the time) but because they look and feel comfortable in their own skin/body. Constantly being told to accept myself as I am only adds to my negative body image issues. I understand that genetics play a large part in body shape and size and there is not a lot a person can do about that. But what do you do if abuse also plays a factor? I realize that being thin does not guarantee happiness, but changing my body shape can allow me to create a different person to how I am now — where I'm not constantly triggered when I look in the mirror.

I also feel that my body image issues are related to my self-image. I grew up with ideas of women in traditional roles and felt this is what I had to do with my life. But I'm just not interested in all of that and after reading Real Gorgeous, it's only confirmed that the traditional life is not for me. But with so many women's books and magazines suggesting what women should look like and how women should live their lives, it's hard not to feel like an outsider if your ideals are different. But just as women's bodies come in all shapes and sizes, women's lives can be shaped from different paths, all that matters is getting out and enjoying life.