Make Peace With Your Body This Christmas

My Christmas wish is that women all over the world could look in the mirror and feel 100% happy with their bodies.

I've never met a woman who felt that way. Even close friends and family who to my eye, have beautiful bodies; bodies that are our culture's very definition of beauty, want to change something: bigger boobs, thinner thighs, less visible veins, fewer pimples, longer hair. 

This Christmas, let's remember Naomi Wolf's words: "A woman wins who calls herself beautiful and challenges the world to truly see her." 

Instead of complaining that your thighs "jiggle", honour them for carrying you for your entire life. Instead of wishing for your visible veins to disappear, honour them for carrying blood to your heart! Don't stress about your cellulite; it is a perfectly natural (and genetic) thing for 80-90% of women to have and is, in fact, your body's response to your female hormones (that's right - the same hormones that give you breasts, also give you cellulite). So why don't we see it with the same adoring eye that we look upon our breasts with? It is a female marker, after all! Just a thought.

I have to face the truth that I will NEVER have the body of Keira Knightly (even if I was to lose weight and have surgery).

And that's okay!

One of the best Christmas gifts you can give yourself is to look in the mirror and be okay with what you see.

The Perfect Summer Dress

I bought this dress secondhand about a year ago. The label says "Pinup Couture" and it's a 2X. I paired it with a belt (thrifted) and wore my ASOS shoes with it. 

I just LOVE this dress. It's comfortable and cool to wear, and the colour is so vibrant and fun. It's the perfect summer dress!

I turned 28 this week, so I'm officially in my late twenties! It's strange to think I'll be 30 in a few years. I'm trying to embrace the idea of aging, rather than being scared of it. After all, we're all in the same boat. I'm noticing little differences in my body here and there - saggier eyelids which make liquid eyeliner more challenging. More visible veins...but I've sorted out my thought process on that one - they DO carry blood to my heart, after all! It's all a matter of perspective. Here's a photo of me as a bebeh. Looks like I've always had a double chin! Ha!

Cherry Red

Shortly after City Chic released their first skater dresses, Best And Less released some of their own for only $30. Now, I'm not going to claim that these dresses are just as good, because the fabric and cut weren't quite as wonderful as the City Chic versions, but they were just as flattering and more modest around the neckline, making them perfect for work. I bought one in black and one in red. 

Today I wore the red one to work. I went for a 50s pin-up look, pairing it with a City Chic cardigan and belt, Etsy headscarf, cherry necklace and converse chucks.

After work I had to run an errand, so I stripped off the accessories and added my favourite flanny shirt from Big W for a more casual look.

Sometimes department stores have some good finds for really reasonable prices; it's just a matter of checking in now and again and being a little creative.

A Dress From Sportsgirl

I've always loved Sportsgirl for the accessories, but last year I found a size 16 dress that has served me well, so I thought I'd write a little blog about it. It's a beige colour with black polka dots.

Dress: Sportsgirl

Shoes: Whitner

Feather Headband: Myer

Cardigan: thrifted

I think part of the reason this dress was so significant for me was that it was shorter than I'd usually wear, and TRANSPARENT from the waist up. As a plus size girl, it was a fashion risk for me, and I always felt a little nervous wearing it.

This is me at Parklife, wearing a feather headband with it. 

I always find Festivals a bit scary in regards to putting together an outfit and feeling confident. I know that I'm going to be surrounded by girls in short denim shorts and cute little tops. But you know what? Plus size girls can look just as good, if not better! I got so many compliments on my headband from random strangers, and I felt comfortable, cool and confident.