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Every summer, the same message resurfaces: that a body must meet a certain standard—toned, tucked, and trimmed—to deserve a place on the sand in a bikini. It’s a myth as persistent as it is harmful, and for many, it turns what should be carefree days under the sun into moments of shame, comparison, and cover-ups. But the tides are shifting, and leading the wave is a woman who’s made it her mission to call out the unrealistic expectations wrapped around summer-ready bodies and help others unlearn them, too. Curvy Girl Coco, a body positivity advocate, has a message that’s as bold as the bikinis she proudly wears: there is no such thing as a “beach body.”
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Coco Villacorte, known online as Curvy Girl Coco, is a content creator rewriting the rules of summer wear. Once burdened by the same self-doubt and insecurities she now helps others overcome, Coco openly shares her journey of learning to love the body she has, not the one she was told to chase. With candor, charm, and a community of women who see themselves in her story, she’s become a fierce advocate for showing up as you are and enjoying the beach without waiting for permission.
Asked about the turning point that led her to challenge the idea of a so-called “beach body,” Coco is quick to clarify that it didn’t start with a bold declaration. “I didn’t start my journey thinking I was going to challenge the idea of a ‘beach body,’” she explains. “I just wanted to feel free—to wear what I wanted without being weighed down by negative thoughts. At first, I faked confidence in my content. But over time, by choosing to show up anyway—even before I felt fully ready—I realized that act alone was already challenging it.”
“The real turning point came when I wore a bikini—no shorts, no cover-up—for the first time. I was so anxious at first, hyper-aware of my belly, my back rolls, my cellulite…but something surprising happened: no one cared. And even more surprising? I had fun,” she shares with MEGA. In that moment, the weight of societal expectation lifted. “I didn’t realize how heavy the pressure was until I felt what it was like without it. It was the first time I fully enjoyed the beach, not because I looked ‘perfect,’ but because I stopped waiting to feel perfect before letting myself live.”
To Coco, that freedom is the only definition that matters. “A beach body isn’t something you become. It’s the version of you that stops waiting for permission to feel free.”
From Cover-Ups to Confidence
The content creator’s relationship with her body has been shaped by years of feeling like she never quite fit—literally and emotionally. On her journey with body image, she recalls, “Growing up, I was always the tallest and biggest girl in the class. I had to shop in the adult women’s section, and I wore men’s shoes just to find something that fit. It was heartbreaking, especially because I wanted to be small and cute—because that’s what I thought femininity looked like.” But the sting of those early experiences wasn’t just in what society told her—it came from closer to home. “It hurt even more when the negative comments came from inside the house. I couldn’t even wear a dress above my knees without fearing someone would point out the back of my thick legs, my knee fat, or my varicose veins. That’s when clothes became my armor.”
When she began creating content, Coco carried that armor with her. “I angled the camera higher, edited my videos so I always looked perfect, and hid any parts of me I hadn’t accepted yet,” she admits. “I wanted to be seen, but only if I could control how.”
However, her perspective changed when she saw other creators who looked like her taking up space boldly and unapologetically. What began as quiet courage quickly turned into connection. “I started gaining traction, especially from girls asking where I got my clothes. I didn’t think much of it at first, but I kept sharing—and slowly realized how many women were just like me. Their support, their presence—gave me courage. I thought, ‘If they appreciate me and my body, maybe I can, too,'” Coco shares with MEGA.
Even now, the work is ongoing. “I still get anxious sometimes,” she admits. “I still overthink. But I’ve found support in the curvy creator space, and that changed everything.” And perhaps her most powerful realization of all? “I thought I needed confidence to be seen—but being seen helped me find my confidence.”
The Username That Became a Movement
As for how she became Curvy Girl Coco, that started with something far simpler. “Honestly? I just needed a username that people would remember,” she laughs. “‘Coco Villacorte’ was too long, so I went with something simple: she’s curvy, she’s a girl, her name is Coco.” What she didn’t anticipate was how the name would take on a life of its own. “Now I realize that name became something bigger. It represented the girl I always wanted to be—bold, stylish, and not afraid to be seen. She’s still the girl I’m learning to become.”
Initially, Coco’s content was purely practical—a way to help women find clothes that fit. “At first, I was just sharing outfits that fit my body. I wasn’t trying to make a statement, I just wanted to help other women who struggled like I did to find cute clothes and shoes in their size.” But the response revealed something more. “That’s when I realized—wait, we’re all out here second-guessing ourselves when we should be owning it?!”
For the content creator, “curvy” has always been an inclusive term. “The word has always meant embracing both midsize and plus-size fashion. It’s not one specific shape—it’s a spectrum of real bodies that deserve representation, joy, and style.” What started as a style page became a platform that encourages women to dress for themselves. “For me, fashion became the tool that helped me challenge all the rules we were taught to follow.”
In a world where beauty equals thinness, Coco finds grounding in gratitude. “This is the same body that cared for my disabled grandparents. That stood beside my grandmother through terminal cancer. That helped raise my brother.” During that season of grief, she gained weight—but chose not to punish her body for it. “I viewed my body as something that doesn’t need to be skinny, but a body that needs to be healthy. I have a responsibility to myself, my family—and that outweighs more than any fashion trend.”
Even now, she’s still unlearning, still healing. “Maybe today you’re still figuring it out. But even now, your body is doing something beautiful—it’s carrying you.”
No “Beach Body” Required: Coco’s Call to Enjoy Summer Without The Weight of Perfection
The phrase “there is no beach body” is Coco’s way of rejecting the pressure to earn your place on the sand. It’s not about dismissing beauty—it’s about refusing to shrink yourself to achieve it. For Coco, the goal isn’t reaching a certain weight or size before you start living; it’s about embracing joy now, even in the in-between. As she puts it, “You don’t need to hit your ‘goal weight’ to say yes to the beach trip, wear the swimsuit, or take the photo. Wanting to feel healthier or stronger is valid—but it shouldn’t come at the cost of missing the moments that make you feel alive.”
When it comes to summer, the pressure on women is often unspoken but deeply ingrained: “I need to slim down first.” “I need to pack a cover-up that hides my belly.” “I need shorts to wear over my swimsuit.” “I need to be ready in case someone takes a photo.” Coco knows these thoughts all too well. “It’s like we’ve all silently agreed to this rule: You can only enjoy the beach once you’ve ‘fixed’ yourself. That kind of thinking steals all the excitement…and we haven’t even left the house yet!”
For Coco, the process of unlearning began with community. “Friends who didn’t judge me, who hyped me up when I wore a bikini, and reminded me that I looked amazing just as I am.” For those without that kind of support, she emphasizes the importance of visibility. “Seeing other curvy, midsize, and plus-size creators confidently living their best lives gave me the courage to do the same. We begin unlearning by seeing more of what’s real—by showing stretch marks, bellies, hip dips, back rolls—and joy. By making space for every kind of body at the beach, on the feed, and in the conversation.”
For those still learning to feel at home in their bodies—especially in seasons that amplify insecurity, Coco offers a simple but profound reminder: “I see you. I am you. And you’re not behind for feeling this way.” Her advice is to start small. “I didn’t wear a bikini in public right away—I started at home. Confidence doesn’t always have to be loud. Sometimes it begins quietly, in your room, in front of a mirror, with no one else watching.”
Coco also encourages curating your online world, to follow people who remind you that real bodies are beautiful—and not just beautiful, but normal. Most of all, she advises to focus on yourself, reminding us that: “Sometimes we’re overthinking and no one even notices. Most people at the beach are just living their lives—some might even be feeling the same way you do. This summer, you don’t have to be ‘beach body’ ready to belong. There’s already room for you.”
Photos and Featured Image: COCO VILLACORTE (via Instagram)
