I am Proud of My Size Link Up #4

My mission:

All sizes are beautiful! Don't be ashamed of your number or keep it from living your life and doing what you love. There is no perfect or wrong size. It doesn't determine our worth and nobody has the right to judge someone's health by their size. So let's show the world that every size can be happy and that we are not ashamed!

How to participate:

I would love to see all different sizes represented in this link up. Whether you are a 0 or 32, participate! This is a weekly feature so each link up will be open for one week. You can add your link anytime during the week. All genders, sexes and non-genders are welcome to join in. Use whatever sizing you are most familiar with. You can link up with me every week with a new post or join in every once in a while! The rules are simple. Post a photo of yourself on your blog, being stylish that week. Post a full body shot, so head to toe! State your size in your blog post or with a graphic on your photo. No diet talk or negativity allowed! This is about being happy with your size and shape, not because it is socially acceptable or better than others. Then come back here and add your link using the link tool at the end of this post.

Please note: The following was originally shared on Vanagon Champion, but I wanted to include it on my own blog too!

Imagine a scene. Four charming and intelligent women gathering around a fashion magazine. They are flipping through the glossy pages and joking about forcing the models to eat. One of the women says all they can think about is how much they hate their thighs, another complains about her chin and one points to her nose. They all look at the fourth woman waiting for to offer up her self-degrading comment. But instead she says, “I happen to love the way I look.” Even 14 years after this “Sex and the City” episode aired, Samantha’s statement is still revolutionary! It is against popular society to love yourself and accept your body or size. So much of our culture is centered around being unhappy with the way you look. From the office lunchroom to what’s on TV, people are pointing out every flaw and selling you the solution. But why can’t we all be Samanthas? Maybe her adventurous sex life isn’t for you, but the next time you are in a room full of women complaining about their looks, don’t participate! When everybody is dreading summer and wearing a bathing suit, snatch up the opportunity to have fun, show off your style and hold back all of those complaints.

I’m Rachele, and a Samantha. I am happy being me with my dimpled thighs, round belly, and double-chin. I am fat. To some, the word fat is negative but I think of it only as a 3-letter word that describes me and not my fate or worth. Sure, I have my moments but I have come a long way. I used to feel hurt by every comment and worried about every glance. I started reading fat acceptance blogs and began to see people in a different light, like Beth Ditto and Torrid models. Soon after, I started seeing myself in a different light too. Those bumps and curves I used to worry about so much were now just a part of me and no big deal! My shape was uniquely mine but yet similar to all these confident and beautiful women. One day, the negative thoughts stopped and I started living my life. I stopped crash dieting and crying at bathing suit season.

It's amazing what a huge difference was made when I starting loving myself and accepting my body and shape. Maybe it is what the difference of being 29 instead of 19 but I get to be me now. All 300 pounds of Rachele that wears skinny jeans, horizontal stripes and short hair. Food is not a problem or issue, it is fuel to take this body where it needs to go. This body that goes to work every day, blogs, creates, thrifts and adventures.

Let’s spread the revolution this summer! I started a weekly link up on my blog, encouraging everybody to post a photo of themselves and proclaim their size. My goal is to see all sizes and shapes be represented as confident and proud. It is not limited to the models we see in glossy magazines, you can feel confident this summer too. Whether you are 400 pounds or 110 pounds! There is no wrong size or body. Start living in the body you have now. Don’t hold back on the fun! I splurged on a cute floral and frilly swimsuit and can’t wait to take it to the beach! I challenge you to think differently about your own body image and encourage others to do the same this summer. Let’s all be Samanthas.

top : thrifted

cardigan : thrifted

jeggings : thrifted

jellies : fred meyer

apple brooch : thrifted

headscarf : thrifted

glasses : coastal

Being silly!

Being really silly!

Let's share those links!

grab the button

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- Rachele