Swimsuit shopping should be simple and fun, but for many women, it’s anything but.
It’s just one piece of fabric or, if you’re more adventurous, maybe two little pieces. So picking out a swimsuit shouldn’t be super complicated, right? But as these ladies reveal, less fabric doesn’t mean fewer issues. Take a look:
For the ladies in the video (and most of the ladies I know), trying on swimsuits is awkward, emotional, and painfully funny.
Refinery29 asked eight women to share what goes through their minds when they’re searching for the perfect bathing suit. Even though each woman was completely different, I found myself nodding in agreement with almost every one. Here are a few of their responses:
All images via Refinery29.
“Uh it’s too small, I look stupid, and my stomach’s big and fat. And then you’re just tired and you leave with nothing and you just feel like you wasted your life.”
“Why is there nothing that fits me? Why is the lighting so bad? Oh my God, I have cellulite. I mean, I know I have cellulite, but I’m really good at forgetting I have cellulite.”
Trying on swimwear requires taking an unfiltered look at your body. And that’s not always comfortable.
While each of the ladies in this video had very different body types, one thing they all had in common was that little nagging voice that forces too many of us to pick ourselves apart.
“Some days you wake up like, ‘Oh my God, I am bangin’.’ Like, ‘Thank God!’ And then some days you wake up, and you’re like, ‘Ah well, turns out I’m a monster piece of garbage, and I didn’t realize that.’”
“Wow. It looks like you have no chest.”
But there’s a way to fight that inner negative voice. You have to be your own cheerleader.
“That’s why us plus-size bloggers we gotta be out here like, ‘Girl, love your body!’”
“Don’t be afraid to desexualize yourself if that’s how you feel.”
“I like my skin color.”
That’s right. Tell yourself how amazing you are.
Now, I’ll be the first to admit, I can be extremely hard on myself too, especially when swimsuit season rolls around. And while it wasn’t easy to hear these ladies criticize their bodies, it’s important to remember that we’re all human, which means we have good days and bad days on this journey to fully love ourselves.
In reality, we all already have a “beach body.”
No matter your shape or what you end up rocking poolside or beachside, confidence is the one accessory you can’t afford to leave home without. Oh, and sunscreen. Seriously, don’t forget sunscreen.
