Monday, June 30, 2008
I was once again inspired by an article I read on blogher.com. The 2008 Swimsuit Brigade for Honest Photos is a call for photos of bloggers in swimsuits, no touch ups, no photoshop, no excuses. This, my friends, is as Naked as I've been for Naked Mondays and as Naked as I'll get. Other than cropping the photos (taken by a friend) and lightening the second one, there are no touch ups. It's all me. I usually go out of my way when clothing myself to avoid showing my cellulite and the stretch marks across my hips that I've had since a particularly quick growth spurt when I was 13. But, this swimsuit was only $10 at H&M and bought for the purpose of tanning in my friend's back yard pool. I show it to you today to illustrate a point.
I spent a large part of my teen years and 20's sure that every one was staring at me, comparing me to girls in fashion magazines, disgusted by my stretch marks and my round butt that never has been nor ever will be supermodel small. And, then, one day, I just stopped caring. Yeah, I have cellulite, yeah, I have stretch marks, and, yeah, I even have a butt. Some days, sure, I look in the mirror and am not exactly happy with what I see, but for the most part, I'm happy with my body and my skills with clothes camoflauge the parts that may need it. Here I am. In all my swimsuit....glory? ;)
I'm not fishing for compliments, here. I don't need you to say that you can't see the cellulite (it's there, you can tell in this one). I don't need you to tell me that I look nice in a swimsuit. If you leave a comment on this one, I'd prefer that you say that you'll go support the other women that take on this challenge. If you compliment me at all, say that you think it's brave that I did this and you admire my ability to expose myself in this way without throwing up. ;) I am comfortable enough with myself to know that the imperfections don't really matter. (Fake it 'til you make it.) The imperfections don't matter because I don't let them, I refuse to let others and what I THINK they see determine my self image. This is me. Naked. Sort of. ;)
7 Comments:
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Actually, come to think of it, in 9 months of blogging, I've posted 3 pictures of me, period. Even my "About Me" page, has a picture of Wizard Mickey Mouse instead of me.
OK, also, I don't think I've even used the word "naked" on my website, so you are WAY ahead.
Thanks so much for posting your picture & joining the brigade! We WILL make a difference!
Pretty funny how you said that you weren't fishing for compliments, but you want us to support the idea. That is exactly what I was thinking when I write mine - which better be soon before I chicken out! But...you look damn good in a bikini, girl. Just sayin'.
My rolls have rolls so there is no way in hell I would do what you did.. Well maybe if there was lots of money involved...
You look great, and you ARE brave for posting that. Although if I looked like that, I would probably show up in my bikini everywhere. The grocery store, parent-teacher conferences, walking the dog...