Body Image – Page 24

Beauty-full Tuesday: Yours, Mine, Ours

If you don’t read this beauty-full post from Meredith of Yours, Mine, Ours, you’re going to regret it. 

 A lot of people say they have no regrets. 

I say baloney. 

 I regret the times my sarcastic big mouth hurt someone’s feelings,
all those teen-aged fights with my mom over stupid things,
& all those days I skipped flossing (just had a root canal. not my fave.).
…
 I also regret all the moments I wasted dissing my pre-baby body.

What the heck was I complaining about?? 

After 9 months of pregnancy, 25 hours of labor, & 13 months of round the clock nursing,
I finally realized how good I had it before.
 I had my son almost 2 years ago & I still think of my outer beauty in three segments: 

Before Baby (I miss you!!), Preggo (don’t remind me!!), & After Baby (deflated-ville!!).

For the last 23 months I’ve been in a state of denial: 

It has to go back!
The stretchmarks everywhere, saggy tummy skin, and sad sad chest area have
got to be some sort of trial period cosmic joke. 

…

Well, a few months ago I had another flash of realization:

If I didn’t start enjoying what I had now, I was just gonna look back and regret this time too. 

So I’m working on it. And it’s going OK so far.
Some days are better than others, but for the most part, I’m feeling good.

Almost like my old self even.

When my son/any future kids I have grow up, I want them to know I never regretted having them. 

That yes, their arrivals changed me. But that overall, I was changed for the better.
If I can teach them that, I’ll definitely never regret it.

Feed me fashionably fresh

Beauty-full Tuesday: communikate by telegraham

She lives in Portland and owns the most amazing vintage dress collection this side of the 1950s. Whenever I’m tempted to be jealous of someone, I have to make them my friend. Introducing Kate of communikate by telegraham.

My first insecurities and body issues were born in a thirteen year old body. I had reluctantly signed up for a beauty pageant, and was struggling to fit the perfect dress to my imperfect figure. Every dress I tried drooped on top and clung on the bottom. My dressing room tantrum triggered the appearance of the sales lady to assist my poor mother.  She appraised my figure and kindly informed me that I had a little “extra love” in the rump area. I was mortified. I didn’t want “extra love” in the rump area. I wanted a dress to fit!  

As I’ve matured, my body proportions have been steady: my tush and legs will always be bigger than my bust and torso. The gene pool has given me my “pear shape figure” and there’s not much I can do to change it. 

Thankfully, modern beauties like J-LO and Beyonce have hypothetically embraced their booties and expanded and redefined the beauty ratios. It turns out “extra love” can be a good thing if used correctly.

I’ve learned to turn what I thought were my flaws into strengths. I love wearing retro dresses that show off my curves, and always feel sexy with a little red lipstick and heels.
Ultimately, the greatest trick for me is a smile. In the words of Audrey Hepburn, “Happy girls are always the prettiest girls,” and I fully agree. 

Feed me fashionably fresh