At least weekly at the moment someone comments on one of my images {on Pinterest mostly} reinforcing old rules about style, dressing and telling me what to do with MY body and outfit choices. Sometimes if they’re just pointless, I delete them. Or mean, like what the hell were you THINKING!? I don’t like drama on my pages and the last thing I want {or need} is someone seeing that and feeling badly about their choices. Especially if the comments are on another woman’s photo that I’ve pinned.

Fair enough, I put myself out there. I take a million and one photos of myself for the sole purpose of passing myself off as some sort of expert online. I expect a certain level of conversation about my clothing choices. I expect people to find parts they like and don’t like as related to their own personal style. And I am not one of those people who needs everyone to agree with me. HOWEVER, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t bug me.

Because IT DOES.

I get annoyed about these comments because it reinforces that you should be ashamed of your body if you aren’t perfect. Who is perfect? Show me them and I’ll show you imperfection being perfect. We are all imperfectly perfect. Please don’t tell me to flatter my body, avoid stripes or a certain length top. It’s none of your business. Time after time I say that the old rules don’t apply. It’s up to you and your personal style to decide what you want to wear and how tight you want to wear it.

For a lot of us, we have no idea what our body really looks like without the blinkers of self-criticism. Don’t we all have photos of that time in our life when we were so unhappy with our body but now look back and think ‘gosh, I wish I looked like that NOW!’ or ‘I wish I knew then how good I had it’? I know I do. You’ve got it good now. You’re here. Your body works and there’s only one thing getting in the way of you and being at home, in love and proud of your body and that’s you.

Recently my photos were used as examples of outfits not to wear pointing out their opinion on my body’s flaws and faults. My face was blurred and my website not credited. After a comment and a couple of emails back and forth the post was removed after I requested the images be replaced with the original photo {with my face} and for links to my website. I am not ashamed of my body, the way I dress or that someone doesn’t like my choices because they are mine. Don’t blur my face and hide me.

The funny side is people only find these photos because they are so darn popular online with women looking for outfits and ideas. They are some of my most popular outfits ever. HA. Is that irony? I don’t know. Alanis confused me for life on that one.

So, ladies, I have just a few more things to say… Don’t I always!?

It’s time to get real about the body you have. Sure you can flatter and play to the strengths but always dress in a way that makes YOU feel confident and happy. My flat butt is still my flat butt in horizontal stripes, bodycon dresses, short tops, long tops and in jeans. It certainly isn’t better, worse, wider, bigger or less suitable for public consumption because of the way I chose to dress.

Your body still looks the way it looks no matter what. And here’s the hot tip, your bum is as wide as it is, you’re not fooling anyone. Your belly is what it is, and people will either notice it or not {most, not}. Same goes for your hips, your boobs, your arms, thighs and knees. For demonstration purposes, I made a diagram. Here’s a number of examples of my body continuing to be my body no matter what…

The still my ass Collage

No, horizontal stripes won’t make you look fat. Only being fat makes you look fat.

And you know what, that’s okay.

The end.

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