(This post contains a sponsored product. The opinions are 100% my own)
I’ve talked about this before how growing up very skinny it’s taken me a while to feel comfortable in my own body. Unless you or someone close to you is also the same, it might come as a shock to you that there is body-shaming and insecurity that comes up when you’re “too skinny” (maybe a little more so being Pakistani or South Asian). Between random people coming and asking “kuch khati ho?” (do you eat anything? – crazy how common that question is) to a relative asking my sister how I could nurse my baby when I was so skinny (true story!!).. I absorbed it all.
In the way media depicted skinny as a beauty standard, I sensed it.. you needed to be the right kind of skinny with the right curves because that’s what makes you attractive and “what men are looking for” (what nonsense right?). And yes I absorbed it all.. the main message being; you aren’t okay the way that you are…
However confident I seemed on the outside I know now that I internalized it all; and it affected the way I looked at myself. This went on from my mid-late teenage years and through most of my twenties and looking back now it makes me so sad for my younger self.
What didn’t help as well was that you can’t always find your sizing in clothing (I can relate so much to people who are on the opposite end of this spectrum and how hard it must be). Especially shopping for undergarments – which was uncomfortable growing up in Pakistan for different reasons (why is there so much shame around that?), it became a new kind of weird after I moved to the US. Walking through the highly sexualized aisles of Victoria’s Secret stores, having such a hard time finding something that worked for me.. I always left leaving like I wasn’t normal..
And then somehow I found myself consciously seeking out brands and voices that were talking about a fuller picture of beauty, one that was more diverse; and I started seeing women of all shapes and sizes – bodies that looked like mine and that looked nothing like mine. It started to change the voice in my head. This is when I discovered Lulalu Intimates and it completely changed things for me (I know that sounds crazy!). I bought my first bra from them 6-7 years ago and there was no looking back (I’ve only bought from them since).
Lulalu is a brand making undergarments specifically for petite women – bras that are made to be functional, comfortable and so beautiful all at once (without overly sexualizing them which I personally really loved). The quality is wonderful and they are so comfortable offering so many options without underwires (I know a lot of friends who are specifically looking for that).
More than a place to shop for undergarments Lulalu became a brand that helped me celebrate and accept the body and skin I was in and embrace my own self.
+A FEW TIPS TO FEEL MORE CONFIDENT IN YOUR BODY+
1- Discover styles and wear clothes that are flattering on your body type and the size you are right now. This is so important and where Lulalu helped me so much.
2- Seek out messages that talk about a more diverse concept of beauty. Be inspired by beautiful women of all colors, shapes and sizes. This can be through books, magazines or brands.
3- Make your social media a positive place for you to be. Unfollow accounts that make you feel bad about the way you are or look. Instead follow voices that help you love your whole self and embrace yourself more.
4- Focus on healthy eating and overall well being NOT TO LOOK a certain way but to FEEL good.
5- Be around people who talk about more than just how people look on the outside. It’s totally okay to evaluate your friendships and relationships that make you feel bad about yourself. When possible reduce or change the way you interact with those that are a toxic presence in your life.
+a few favorites+ :
This book | these IG accounts (1)(2)(3) | these brands (1) (2) (this Pakistani brand) | these writings (1)(2)
Do you have any favorite voices, accounts, books to share? I’d love to hear your story or struggles in embracing your body and yourself. Don’t you think we should talk about this more often so the little girls around us can grow up feeling more comfortable in their own skin? I’d love to hear from you!
Love, Nataliya
This is a sponsored post and these bras were sent to me by Lulalu Intimates. It’s always exciting to partner with a brand I already used and loved. You can use the code (NATALIYA15) to get 15% off your order. It makes me so happy to know how so many of my audience on Instagram were able to purchase from them after I shared this post. | SHOP LULALU’s WEBSITE | FIND THEM ON IG |
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