The Chick Lit genre has grown in popularity over the past decade. From Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones Diary to the Sex and the City collection of essays by Candace Bushnell, Chick Lit has become a staple in many women’s book lists. With empowered female protagonists choosing between being financially independent, shopping and love (generally in that order), we are often led to believe that these qualities are part of an everyday women’s life. As a genre, the Chick Lit that we’ve become accustomed to is supposed to be representative of a woman’s hopes, fears, dreams and values, but is this an accurate description of the “real” woman? I think not, and neither do an array of authors and publishers who are urging to include a sense of realism into the genre.

As such, there has been a completely new genre of Chick Lit –   a breath of fresh air if you may. “These books are spearheading the revolution towards a more realistic perception of real women in easy-reading literature” says Mink Elliot, author of The Pi**ed Off Parents Club. This new genre is attempting to move in a new direction, away from the focus of women antagonizing over weight and appearance while juggling several love interests and an addiction to shopping.

“Chick Lit is finally holding a real mirror up to its readers, and they can’t get enough of it”, says Elliott. This new sense of ‘body confidence’ is the same concept that is being promoted by leading plus-size retailers like AdditionElle, Penningtons and MXM. By celebrating ‘real women’, these brands are at the forefront of the new wave of body image that is erasing stereotypes everywhere.

Trish Wylie, author of His LA Cinderella – a ‘bigger Chick Lit’ book – offers this interesting tidbit, “All women have body-image issues, no matter how slim they are. The ultimate fantasy for most women is simply accepting themselves, whatever their body weight. That’s what we, as authors, are responding to.”

Power to people like “Ugly Betty” creator Silvio Horta. It’s almost 2010, and it’s about time that the natural beauties of the world started getting together and exuding confidence for who they are. Together, authors like Wylie and retailers like Addition Elle, Penningtons and MXM are leading the way for women who simply want something they can relate to; the truth.

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