Caroline blogs at Curvy Wordy. She knows having an extremely voluptuous figure can be a blessing and a curse. She posts her clothing and lingerie findings in the hope that they might help other women with a similar figure.
Looks-wise, what is perfection? Personally, I have no idea. Women through the ages have been surrounded by a barrage of influences promoting ‘perfection’, the image of which has changed as often as the wind, so it’s no wonder that I’m rather confused as to what is considered perfect these days.
In previous eras, women were encouraged to wear corsets, bustles and girdles – to name but a few – to enhance their figure and appear more ‘feminine’ (and ultimately more attractive to the opposite sex – the be all and end all, of course!). These days, figure-enhancing underwear and shapewear tends to be more comfortable but the pressure to wear these items to make ourselves look better remains.
But why should we? Who defines what is and isn’t attractive? What is this ‘perfection’ that so many women strive to achieve?
The media constantly tells women that they should aspire to look like whichever celebrities are of the moment but the fact of the matter is that we are all individuals and should instead be encouraged to embrace what we have been given and work with it as best we can.
I have been writing a blog since last September in order to share my findings of lingerie and clothing to suit voluptuous figures. Doing this has given me a new-found confidence and it really gives me a boost whenever anyone comments on the page or on Twitter. It warms my heart to know that there are lots of other women out there who want to make the most of their assets and not hide them away under baggy clothes. Now, don’t get me wrong, if someone wants to wear baggy clothes then that’s up to them. But it’s also okay if they want to wear something more figure-hugging, too.
A recent article in the Guardian talks about this topic and discusses the recent government ‘body confidence’ awards to promote ‘those companies, charities and individuals who do not incite self-hatred in innocent consumers’. Hurrah for these awards! Women (and men) everywhere need society and the media to stop this crazy idea that we can all turn ourselves into clones of whoever is flavour of the moment.
My main frustration with this so-called ideal is the belief that if we look ‘perfect’ then we will be happy. This is simply not the case. Day after day we hear tales of how Mr/Ms X, the beautiful celebrity in Hollywood, has been admitted to rehab due to the drug addiction/alcohol addiction/eating disorder brought on by their insecurities about their appearance. And, unfortunately, we all know that these things happen closer to home as well.
Just because someone is beautiful on the outside, it does not mean they are the same on the inside, nor is it true that exceedingly attractive people cannot also be kind, thoughtful, intelligent, whatever. Everyone, regardless of their looks, should be treated equally and with respect.
The old adage ‘beauty is only skin deep’ is nonsense in my opinion as I have countless friends who are completely gorgeous but also downright wonderful people. Perhaps a truer idiom is ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’.
Rather than compare ourselves with our peers and those in the spotlight, isn’t it about time we accepted ourselves as we are? Surely that would make for a happier world…?
photo for sale here.