PHOTO: GEORGE ROCKETT
EDIT & WORDS: ZOE LONDON
…IS ONE OF THE WORST PHRASES IN FASHION – THAT I JUST CAN’T STAND
“How to get bikini ready.” “Get into shape for Summer!” “Read: best ways to prep your body for the beach.” No no no no million times no. Sorry for tricking you with the title there, but this post isn’t your average regurgitated false spew about dieting to get a bikini body. Not in the slightest.
So you’ve booked your holiday, you’ve packed your bags, braved the flight and landed at your destination ready for a few days of bliss in the sun. Then you have that moment of dread, the swimwear reveal. It feels like the world is watching you, right? Oh gosh, I really dread it and have done for years. It’s practically naked!? Panic. It’s such a hard thing to overcome when in this country it’s very rare we have to strip down to just a bikini on a daily basis, and even though you’re miles away from home, you still feel nervous about taking off your dress to reveal your bikini underneath.
Well if any of this rings true to you you’re not alone – because that’s just how I feel, too. For the last couple of years i’ve worn a bikini on holiday but where possible I usually favour a swimsuit. I’ve not been very body confident growing up in my twenties and well, simply put – because my body isn’t the ‘ideal’ body the media paints for us. I might have skinny legs and arms, and my tum isn’t dreadful considering the amount of chocolate fingers I eat, but I have no breasts at all, no curves, but a weird pear shaped bum and hips. For a long time I really battled with hating what I saw when I looked back at myself, so getting into a bikini just wasn’t an option, and the only holidays I took I wore a swimsuit. Still now I am mostly covered up in my day to day life, opting for oversized t shirt dresses and long shorts, but i’m getting a lot better as time goes on.
Being around George has made me so comfortable to finally feel more carefree in my bikini, leading to this instagram picture here which spurred me on to elaborate in a post and just write a few more words because well, we’re all in this together.
First up I think one of the things that was a pretty bad catalyst for me was reading magazines that didn’t promote real, natural girls. Also gossipy ones that were always talking about celebrities and their weight on holiday in their bikinis. I cut reading those out, and switched my entire magazine intake to just art based/fashion ones like Dazed, i-D and Wonderland that focus on the clothes and not the person – and the only magazine I really read religiously at the minute is Company, because every girl in there is a real person. I think it’s so good to have a mag like Company these days for young teens who will look up to bloggers, youtubers, creatives, artists and authors and all round powerful, strong women that don’t conform to a certain size – and have real sized bodies. Cutting out my photoshopped media intake as much as possible genuinely made such a difference to feeling more confident in myself, because it’s an awful unrealistic representation of women to airbrush out her curves and wobbly bits. It really winds me up that it got to me and made me feel ugly and insignificant, but at the end of the day it’s the way they want you to feel, right? Well, don’t let them win. I’m so much happier since I gave up reading it all.
I also tried out a new thing, where I stood a lot more infront of the mirror naked after a bath or a shower, actually looking at myself, and trying to find nice positives in what I saw rather than covering it up all the time. For example, I might have tiny boobs that disappear in most clothing and make me look like a small boy, but they allow me to wear different styles of clothing. Ditto to big breasted girls, who have the positives of beautiful, feminine curves, but have to wear other certain styles of clothing. We all have pros and cons, but fundamentally we’re all actually perfectly normal. That’s the key here.
If you see anything in your mag that says ‘get beach ready’ by encouraging you to lose weight, gain weight, change yourself – rip it out and throw it in the bin. The only beach ready you need in your life is in your head, with the confidence to strut around that pool like you’re Beyonce. That and realising that my body – as well as yours – is totally normal, is what has taken me years to realise. I’m embarrassed I hated my bikini body for so long, but i’m now actually a lot less self conscious and worried to be on the beach. I only had a flicker of self doubt on the first day on my most recent holiday, before turning around all panicky realising that *no one* else was looking at me in horror.
Heck, even posting that photo above has taken me days to pluck up courage to do, but if this blog is anything, it’s my own natural, honest thoughts. And there they are. Get a bikini body? Pah, be happy, eat what you want, look after yourself and remember you’re normal. Just like me.
Thank you for writing this.
I don't think I could ever wear a bikini. I agree with everything you've said above, yet still a couple of scraps of fabric defeat me. I *need* to accept myself, I just don't know how.
Great post. Thanks for sharing!
It was a long time ago I wore a bikini, as a larger lady I wear swim suits, it sucks.
sophielfarrell.blogspot.co.uk
x
I love this post soooo much! So much nicer then reading articles about how to lose weight and tone up to achieve the 'perfect' bikini body!
The Velvet Black // UK Style, Beauty & Lifestyle Blog
i absolutely love this. Preach it girl!! we need more posts like this
Yes. There should be more posts like this rather than how to achieve the perfect 'bikini body' x
When I read the title of this blogpost I thought it was a rather interesting one for your blog, considering the fact that you normally don't write posts like these but when I clicked on it it all made sense – it's perfect and you're right. Many more people should be like this instead of promoting a photoshop designed body nobody can get. x
http://www.lemontierres.com
Right on Zoe! I couldn't have said it better myself!
Thank you for this post. I also dread the whole bikini reveal on holiday and the patronising way magazines try and sell you an ideal that is just unrealistic for the majority of the people out there x
http://www.merrymusing.co.uk
brilliant post! thank you.
Brilliant post Zoe, I love your honesty you inspire me so much. Even though we are at two different ends of the spectrum body wise this has made me feel a lot more positive.
xxxx
EmmiHearts
I loved reading this! Brilliant post! I just couldn't agree more! It's not always easy but we should all remember we're just normal people and love ourselves that way! Thanks for posting this! xxx
Jess In Retrospect
it's refreshing to hear your take on this whole 'beach body' situation, and also eye opening to know that you've been body conscious yourself when i know i and no doubt a lot of other people will agree that you look fantastic, both in and out of a bikini! it's really made me think about how people perceive themselves and how, mostly, they're likely to think the worst of their own bodies when they look perfectly fine. like you said, it's all in the mind and down to being confident in yourself, so kudos to you for spurring women on to be more body positive. have i ever told you you're fantastic?!
robyn x
This was so refreshing to read, I loved it! I think we all feel this way at the beach. While I understand some people feel more confident slimming down (healthily) for the beach – which is ultimately ok if it makes you feel comfortable – I absolutely hate how the media and society yells that you MUST do it.
Emily | emiloue
That was a slap in the face (a good one though!) You're right, I always compare myself to other people – not models. And I just get really down for having large assets but like you said, it's normal! I'm saving this post for reference – thank you! And may i suggest LOVE Magazine? It's a wonderful publication of contempory fashion and photography! 🙂
Brilliant post, really well said! Good health and happiness with oneself are what really matter x
Ciara | Ciara Pocket
This is such a lovely posy zoe. I hate my legs alot and always tpo scared to get them out, on holiday I'm known to wear tights and jeans in 30c! This post has helped though <3
Awesome post and trick 😉 Though I recently embraced Islam and now I only uncover for my man which feels very fantastic..it also made it easier to take care of my body because it too away all the pressure! I grew up in Italy, where most men makes you feel beautiful even with a "not ideal" body and I am a confident person so I've never had image issues but now I feel a lot better with myself ..and haven't spent a money in bikinis for two years lol
"How to get a bikini body… put your body in a bikini!"
Great post Zoe, so important to acknowledge, plus you look AMAZING! x
Loved this post, it made me feel so much better about my upcoming holiday.
Thank you 🙂
This post is so inspiring! Magazines should definitely be promoting confidence like you instead of promoting weight loss x
Gegsy Blog
Fantastic post Zoe. We all ave bodies – therefore we all have bikini bodies. I fret every year but as soon as I get on my holiday and do the big reveal I forget my nerves and enjoy my holiday. It's so silly the pressure we all put on ourselves when as long as were healthy and happy – who cares what we look like!
Cat from OutsideBeautyInsideHealth
loved reading this post, it's awesome to hear it like this rather than having 'ideal' bikini bodies shoved down our throats non stop! xx
Sarah
simplysarahlou.blogspot.com
Love this!
Becky x
http://www.thetelephonebox.blogspot.co.uk
You fooled me with the title! I was thinking wow that's not something you would post. I have to applaud you for this, I get sick of seeing all these articles in magazines, especially the ones where they show the 'worst' bikini bodies. I'm not surprised we have confidence issues and people become ill and obsessed. Great post as always.
The fact you've wrote about this makes me respect you even more then I already did. I've had severe problems with my weight in the past and reading this has made me put things into perspective. Thank you 🙂 x
http://k-males.blogspot.co.uk/
Great post
L x
http://workingmumy.blogspot.com
Loveee this. You look incredibly gorgeous in every photo. I long for a world where the media doesn't constantly shame women over their bodies; though it sells gym memberships, 'low fat' foods, cosmetics, etc. Hoping with bloggers like you, as well as Youtubers and other lovely ladies who promote body confidence that the new generation of young girls won't feel so desperately awful about the way they look for no good reason.
Yesterday I was feeling okay about the body I often don't feel 100% confident about, and when trying on a skintight bodysuit I hadn't seen in ages, I decided to take a sneaky photo and share it on my Instagram, chubby belly, awkwardly big boobs and thighs and all. I was amazed at some of the positive things people messaged me about, and that looking at it again throughout the day that I really didn't look half as bad as my mind usually tells me I look.
We are our own biggest enemies when it comes to body confidence – I have been wearing short shorts and crop tops much more often lately, and you're hardly going to deeply offend anyone just by wearing shorter, comfortable clothing. Unless you have an extra head growing out of your legs or whatever, people are way more likely to be envious and think "I wish I had her confidence" or "she has killer legs", and not "oh my god her legs are grotesque" and gouge their eyeballs out..
Longest comment ever, but I'm so very sick of these dumb magazines and products that make women hate the gorgeous bodies they were born with!
http://beckyalyssasbeautybox.wordpress.com
You definitely tricked me with the title there.. but then thought it seemed like an unusual thing for you to post! This was extremely well written and I 100% agree with you. We should be way too busy enjoying our holidays to worry about bikini bodies!
http://akamidge.blogspot.co.uk/
This is beautiful, thought provoking post. It rings so true for me at least and I'm so grateful you wrote it.
Georgina at foxonthehunt.com
Fantastic!! Love your body whatever it looks like. The trick is to search for the beauty in everything, and quit looking at your body through your own eyes, but see it as if it belonged to your best friend. You'd want her to show it off and be proud.
thelittleliongirl
Adore this post Zoe. It's not all about being "skinny" it's about being confident in your own body, and calling someone skinny is just as bad as calling someone fat.
You look lovely in your instagram picture! Wish I had more confidence in a bikini!
Laura http://www.blondevelvetlover.blogspot.co.uk
xxx
HELL YEAH
Such a positive post! I wish girls could embrace their bodies and all the flaws instead of striving for perfection. I wish I could just sprinkle confidence dust over everyone! haha xx
Hayley-Eszti | http://www.hayleyeszti.blogspot.com
Thank you so much for this post! xxx
No lie, i was ready to skip this post because I really didn't want to hear more things on how my body doesn't look right, thanks so much for writing this post, i think that we should focus more on reads like this rather than those gossipy magazines
FANTASTIC POST this is exactly what needs to be said in the industry – we should all find our bodies natural and beautiful, no two people are the same so we should be happy in our skin
Lauren x
Britton Loves | Fashion Lifestyle + Photography – http://www.brittonloves.blogspot.co.uk
Thank you for doing this post!! I lack body confidence so this was nice to read and has made me feel a lot happier! 🙂 xx
http://k-males.blogspot.co.uk/
This post is just amazing! Thanks a lot for writing it!!
I have no boobs as well and sometimes I'm afraid that when I'm wearing a bikini everyone will try to check out my breast and laugh about it. I know that's ridiculous, but that's how I feel. I just try to pretend like I don't care, but the truth is that I do care more than I'd like to admit…
But at the end of the day, I know I have to accept and love my body, cause it's just mine and nobody elses.
INDIELLIE | life style & photography blog
Bloglovin
This is so inspiring. Thank you for writing these words!
I couldn't agree more. I've just done a blog post on body confidence. Would be great for everyone to check it out! 😀
http://www.threadsanddaisies.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/having-body-confidence.html#more
Becca x
http://www.threadsanddaisies.blogspot.com
Giving up magazines like the ones you mentioned was one of the best things I've ever done for my self-esteem!
http://www.moadore.co.uk
Mega love for finding your own happy place on this issue, because it's such a nightmare for so many women. I think I'd also add- whatever you're doing, wearing or feeling about your body on the beach or by the pool, it's important to you of course, and it shouldn't make you miserable but the chances are, you're the only on paying attention. The only thing I really notice about other people around the pool on my holiday- are they reading something I might like, do I need to find somewhere else because their small children are not my bag, or how did they get their umbrella to stand up straight? We all have to find our own way to like or certainly not to hate what we see or how we feel in swimwear or any other 'wear' and that's the important thing, but if some other woman is looking over at you she's probably envious that your bikini has an awesome print and when she tried it on, it looked like a postage stamp (yes, this happened to me, such a thing as too much tits and behind).
Really awesome post, Zoe! More bloggers need to be honest and write about this topic. Really commend you for being so truthful and sharing your pics. You go girl!
Kat x
http://www.katthewanderer.com
Just brilliant!! Xx