beauty

The photos that are making Jessica Simpson "proud".

Here’s a woman who’s weathered her fair share of body critics, and she always coming out swinging.

It’s been rather quiet on the Jessica Simpson front lately, but the former pop star is back in the headlines thanks to her latest Instagram posts.

But this is Jessica Simpson we're talking about; a woman whose fluctuating weight over the years has attracted extensive, invasive, unfair and often incredibly cruel media coverage, which peaked when she was pregnant with her 2-year-old daughter Maxwell (above).

In these new photos the 33-year-old, who also has a 10-month-old son named Ace, looks noticeably slimmer. "If I'm in a swimsuit I should pose proudly," one of her captions states.

Last week, Jessica - who will marry her long-time partner Eric Johnson later this year - shared a snap during a gym workout, writing, "These are my legs during a workout today! I'm proud of myself."

During a recent appearance on the Today show in the US, Jessica explained how her changing body has contributed to the success of her fashion empire.

"I think that I can relate to every woman out there. I have been every size there is, so I know how to dress every body type," she said.