Does My Butt Look Big in This? A Rant
Does my butt look big in this? Why do I even ask? I'm sure I'm not alone in this. But what we should be asking is, do I feel good in this! Why do I care what other people think about what I'm wearing if I feel good in it?! I know you've all been there. And if you haven't... what's your secret? :) I have these voices in my head when I get dressed each day, and they're saying;
"You should dress your age"
"You should dress for your body shape"
"That really isn't your colour"
"Aren't you a little short for that"
"What brand is that?"
"Oh, I can see dimples on your butt, maybe try long pants"
"Isn't that a little too casual?"
But if I feel really really good in something, should it matter if it's not "age-appropriate", or "made for my body shape". I'm sick of not wearing the outfits that I really want to wear and feel good in, because of some perceived perception that someone will judge me because of what I am wearing. And at the end of the day, why do I even care!! I just want to wear what I feel good in.
There's a bathing suit that I really, really loved this summer, and I felt good in it until those pesky thoughts came into my head. Does my butt look big in this? Will I offend someone with all the butt and cellulite that's showing? So I didn't buy it, and I've had remorse ever since. I know, it's trivial and it's only a bathing suit. But why should I miss out on something I love because I'm worried about what other people think.I'm proud of what my body can do. It's strong, I enjoy working out and it allows me to move about freely. I eat a balanced diet to keep me healthy but at the same time, I enjoy food. Like, really, really enjoy food. I love going out to new places and trying new things. Life is all about balance. So why should I deprive myself of the things that I love just to fit in with some mould that society says I should fit into. Or those skinny jeans! Life is too short to be so worried about looking a certain way that you miss out on living. Our bodies are all so different, we should be celebrating how perfect we all are. Who decided that tall is better than short anyway?
So where are these voices coming from? I was with friends the other day talking about this and one of my male friends made a good point. He said he believes women dress for women. Most men don't really care what you're wearing. (I know, that's quite a generalisation, sorry guys!) And thinking about this, it's so true! So if women are dressing for women... why aren't we being more supportive of each other. When I think about this I've only ever had negative comments about what I'm wearing from other women. Never from men.
Wearing sneakers instead of heels? Men say, "cool kicks, women say.. oh aren't you cute coming out in your sneakers."
Comfortable (and what I think is a really cute) backpack. "look at you with your little backpack."
Finally getting my dream pair of super comfortable and cute girlfriend ripped jeans, that I've been wanting for a million years. "Isn't it time you started dressing your age?"
What impact does what I'm wearing have on other people, and why do I care so much?! Of course, living in a city and spending a lot of time on social media doesn't help. But really, we should all just stop judging each other and start supporting more.So you know what, from now on if you don't like what I'm wearing, I don't care. Cause I'm dressing for me from now one :)
Ok, rant over... I'd love to hear your opinions on this subject. Do you have similar thoughts when dressing or shopping?
Cheers, Jess xx