AD – This post contains images with gifted content within
Since I was young all I have heard in the months prior to Summer is ‘Ooo I need to get bikini ready’, ‘I Need to get back on track with my diet ready for summer’, ‘I need to get rid of the bingo wings’ etc. It is so damaging to allow our young children to be over exposed to our own negativity and body shaming. Yes we are often crippled by societies idea and conception of ‘the perfect body’ but we are in a time where we need to make it clear that WE ARE ALL BIKINI READY!
Eating Disorder, Body image disorder etc.
Nowadays eating disorders and body image disorders are becoming more and more common. Although we are moving forward as a society in body acceptance, we are still seeing the immense pressure put on both young and older people to conform to a standard that is damaging to the persons mental and physical health.
If someone is naturally thin they are penalised and told to ‘get some meat’ on them, that they are ‘too skinny’ and that ‘there’s nothing to them’. If someone is overweight they are constantly treated like every single illness they have is caused by their weight. We are somehow taught that ‘fat’ is ‘ugly’ and that being too thin or fat isn’t good enough or accepted.
I personally fell prey to body image disorder and eating disorders when I was around 16/17 and it lasted for over four years where I would dip in and out of extremely unhealthy weight and diet, weighing less than 6 stone. I was borderline, if not anorexic and I enjoyed being that thin. It was a very dangerous mindset and one that I still struggle with to this day even though I weigh the most I ever have.
I chose recovery and damn it’s a son of a bitch! It is NOT easy and has been a huge battle constantly. I believe you never truly fully recover from Eating disorders as they scar you both mentally and sometimes physically and your relationship with food and exercise is always a little on edge as your body and mind have quite literally been through trauma. Seeing the fashion industry go on about the ‘perfect body image’ still really negatively impacts so many today but we really are moving forward!
Body positivity
Although we have a lot more work to do with the beauty, food and fashion industry I do think we have come far and should be so proud of those involved in making society a better place for people to feel accepted for who they are and what they look like.
More clothes shops are listening and are increasing sizes and not just segregating people because they are either on the smaller side or larger side. By doing this we are helping everyone of every body type and size feel worthy of shopping in clothes shops and it leaves less room for shame and body hate. I am fully aware that a lot of brands need to improve massively and until that is the case I choose not to shop with them as much until they start to realise that all sizes should be available.
I found that promoting and practising self love and body confidence really helped with my recovery journey and still does to this day. There are so many influencers who are openly speaking out about it and it is soooo refreshing to hear their words of wisdom and see their gorgeous bodies all over the Internet creating a sea of badass, sexy and empowered people.
With more and more public figures and influencers showing reality behind the screen and embracing so called ‘flaws’, we are helping those who are feeling vulnerable realise there is a place in this world, online and in general for them regardless of their appearance and it is really paying off more and more.
It’s exactly what we need to make sure our next generations grow up with self love, compassion for others and acceptance within themselves without focusing solely on their own appearance. We must teach them that every body is beautiful. Appreciate every roll on your body, jiggle that weight, feel the cellulite, embrace the curves or no curves, love your boobs and bum no matter how big or small. Love yourself because you deserve it!
The more we fight back and show we can love ourselves and rock any item of clothing no matter our size, the sooner we will help more and more people and show the world that all bodies are beautiful and we can all be bikini ready!
Above is myself and the lovely Mollie Quirk from The Perks of Mollie Quirk – A wonderful blog you should certainly visit! We are both body positivity models in our spare time and love embracing self love and body confidence. I am size 12/14 on top and 14/16 bottom. Mollie is size 16 and daaamn she looks good! She is rocking the gifted figleaves bikini. I am rocking a peacocks bikini from many moons ago! Although we are hours apart in distance, here we come together to create something meaningful and beautiful.
Here’s where you can find Mollie:
We are ALL bikini ready!
Anyone who says otherwise can take their negativity and stick it where the sun don’t shine! You don’t need that negativity in your life. Embrace your body for all it is and rock that bikini in pride. If people stare, let them stare.
I hope you love yourself a little more each day! You deserve it.
Let me know your thoughts on being bikini ready.
Stay wonderful!
Chloe x
•4 years ago
You are both so beautiful and reading this post, it’s really inspiring and informative to read. I’ve been self conscious about my body for as long as I can remember. I can’t remember a time where I’ve ever been happy with how I look. Over time, I’ve become more accepting of certain aspects of myself like my hair colour and height but I still am very insecure about my body. It’s a work in progress at the moment.
The idea of wearing a bikini terrifies me and having the confidence to show my body and show that I like myself as I am seems very far away. I am hoping that one day I’ll be happy with who I am and what I look like but until then, I’ll be hiding behind my jeans and t-shirts.
Both of you are beautiful, confident ladies and I hope that I can one day be like the both of you. As you say, we deserve to love ourselves a little more each day and be happy with who we are. We shouldn’t let society force us to conform and want to be like those we see in this magazine or that cat walk. It’s not healthy and we all deserve to be happy x