Lately, I've seen a lot of girls, even my girlies, talking about getting "bikini bod ready". The diets, the fads, the shakes, the workouts, the pressure. There are so many ways that girls feel they need to change to have the "perfect body".
We’re too big, too small, too chesty and we need to cover up, we can’t fill out a swimsuit. All comments and social constructs designed to make us was to cover up and hide.
Here's my insider tip: you already have your bikini body. This isn't a post that only applies to my curvy ladies, but also my thinner ladies too. There is so much pressure from the idea of comparison.
We don't need to starve ourselves, try fad diets, or constantly talk about the weight we believe we have to lose to look a certain way. I will not stand for it any longer!
I get things take time. Until a few years ago, there weren’t brands making suits for girls the helped them express themselves and celebrate their bodies. I used to squeeze into and ooze out of swimsuits. Constantly pulling and adjusting suits that weren't made for girls like me. They were the largest size places like Victoria’s Secret offered, even though they weren't made for a majority of the population. I was miserable and embarrassed. I wasn’t embracing my body and loving it! I was putting myself down for not fitting into something that society decided was the appropriate body type for a bathing suit.
This also didn't help how I talked about my body. I was putting my emphasis on the size on a tag rather than how it made me feel. If you are desperately trying to fit into something you're not going to be happy.
Nowadays, luckily, there are so many more options for everyone. They make swimsuits larger than a size large, which was at the time still not a true large. There are online market places, brands we know and trust and companies that just sell swimsuits now! There is a place for you to find your perfect suit. Options for you to find what makes you confident and shine.
I've rounded up my favorite bathing suits that have varying sizes, fits and colors that you're bound to love. The key to a bathing suit for me personally is a high waisted bottom. That's just what I'm comfortable in and that's what makes me confident. I also gravitate towards patterns and bright colors. Having options and say in what you wear, can open many doors and create self-confidence in my opinion.
At the end of the day, no matter what anyone says, the size on the label, or the fit, as long as you are comfortable, that's what matters. Bathing suits can be a new frontier. They can make us feel exposed and vulnerable. It's completely natural, but let's change the narrative. Let's rock patterns, bright colors, and fits that make us look forward to the beach.
Let's build each other up, and remember that we're not the only one who feels self-conscious. Every girl, no matter her shape, gets self-conscious. Don't let the falsehood of the comparison game get the best of you.
