When you look at Rihanna what do you think of? A strong, fierce, independent woman who takes no trash from anybody. So when this week the news brought to light a photograph of her with her bodyguard, the internet blew up over one narrow-minded pig’s jibes and fat shaming of the global superstar.
Condemning the star, stating she was about to create ‘a world of ladies shaped like the Hindenburg’. He also suggested that she may have been “enjoying that good room service for a bit too long”, and that this could be a problem for the men in the world: “It’s time to worry if you’re not a guy who fancies himself a chubby chaser”.
The article was slammed and then revoked after a viral attack toward the writer of the MEN’S SPORTS publication. Crazy right? Why is a male sportswriter body shaming a glamorous female?
9 Simple Hacks We Can Learn From Rihanna About Body Confidence
Body Confidence and Bad Gal Riri
Rihanna responded in the way that only Rihanna does. In the most epic way on Instagram with a Gucci-Mane Meme.
It really got me thinking the affect body-shaming celebrities has on us, regular everyday people. My attention then flipped to instead of thinking about body shaming, we should all celebrate body confidence regardless of size or shape. Every woman is beautiful outside as long as they’re beautiful on the inside too.
So here we go, we’re going to throw shade to those awful trolls by celebrating all you sassy ladies who are super confident regardless of their shape.
SimplyBe-autiful
You may remember I headed to Ibiza at the end of April for a hen party and SimplyBe kindly sent all 15 of the hen’s swimwear and coverups from their brand new range. Which is absolutely dreamy may I add, I’m in love with virtually the whole collection.
SimplyBe cater from sizes 12-32 and with the average UK female size in 2017 being a dress size 16, 36DD bra size with a 34” waist I think that it’s time to start embracing what your Momma gave you!
Ocean Beach, the home of beautiful people was one of the destinations we headed to in Ibiza. With big bouncy blow-dries, false lashes and more fake tan than you could imagine the 15 of us looking super glam headed for the famous Beach Club. Strutting our stuff with sizes ranging from 8-26 we celebrated how fabulous each of the girls looked.
Firstly let’s just discuss though why we should all be body confident. Let’s get to the root of it. I will hold my hands up and say I am single handily the worst for not being body confident. Growing up I was a fat kid, I’m not going to lie. Then during my second year of University, something happened. I woke up one day and decided that I was going to be healthy, not skinny.
Healthy, not skinny remember. So I embarked on a journey and a new lifestyle choice whereby I stopped drinking on student night outs, I opted for water. My diet changed from a carb-heavy diet to a low-carb diet and wonderful things happened. I lost weight, great. Instantly I felt happier, wonderful. The most important of all though I was confident. Confident to wear what I wanted, confident in myself.
Body confidence
Let’s just fast forward five years I’m going to lightly skim over this or we’ll be here all day. I got complacent, lazy and into a few rubbish relationships. Of course, I made excuses and swapped my healthy lifestyle for one of alcohol and carbs again.
Unfortunately, I stopped caring about myself and guess what happened? I put on weight, that’s wasn’t the issue. The issue was my confidence disappeared.
So what changed? My mind. How I view things and like Bad Gal Riri says it – if you can’t handle me at my Gucci-Mane 2007 you don’t deserve me at 2017. I’ve got myself an expensive gym membership to force me to go daily and drink out of fruit infused water bottles.
I religiously monitor how many steps I do a day and I’ve said goodbye and so long to carbs. Regardless of what the scales say, I’m feeling the most confident I have in such a long time. It’s not about being skinny, it’s about being a strong, independent, confident woman.
Be bold, be confident, be you
When I was standing between two size 8s in Ibiza, getting myself ready did I feel uncomfortable? No. Did I feel confident? You bet I did. Obviously, I felt great but it was also down to what I was wearing.
It’s massively important to me that what I wear should always make me feel comfortable, especially on holiday. If I’m not comfortable my body confidence goes and I start picking myself apart.
Fortunately, I’m surrounded by inspirational people and people who can give me tips on dressing for my shape. Which is important as at the minute it is ever-changing.
Back to Ocean Beach though and with the chiccas at the bar making sure they, in true Geordie style turned up for an afternoon of partying like we’re known for I couldn’t help noticing just how amazing, beautiful and confident all of the ladies looked.
Of course, I was feeling super sassy as I had tried on my outfit for the day multiple times. I talked about it previously when I returned from Ibiza but of course, I’m going to talk it through again.
Dress to impress
Criss-cross Swimsuit. Having a black soul, I like my clothes to match. I mean I am kidding, although I do love black as it hides a multitude of sins so when I tried on this criss-cross swimsuit. A little hesitant, the deep plunge isn’t something that I’d usually go for with having let’s just say and ample chest.
The way the swimwear has been designed though gives the perfect amount of support to hold your chest in place and the criss-cross well let’s just say it does a better job than expected of showcasing off your assets.
A chunky necklace is an essential and a great tip from Wardrobe Provocateur Nicola English, a fashion consultant who talks about lifting the attention from the chest area with a large chunky necklace.
Wedges to create the illusion of a longer leg. These ones I wore to Ocean Beach were a taupe Carvella number from a couple of Summers back but I’ve found a few very similar, click on them to shop.
Finally, my kimono was from TU at Sainsbury’s – it’s one of my places for bits and pieces, I once bought a Tweed Blazer a few years back and everybody thought it was Vivienne Westwood. This luxe kimono in black of course had beaded tassels and a soft velvet damask pattern.
Body Sculpting
Creating an outfit that made me feel super confident especially as I was conscious about getting my thighs out was essential. The sculpting technology of the swimsuit was amazing and certainly gave me the most body confidence I’ve had in such a long while.
The sunshine was beating down last weekend too which meant only one thing, the swimsuit came out for in the garden, teaming it with the black kimono and a pair of harem black pants it was the ultimate Summer BBQ choice, all that was missing was a hot tub!
A couple of the other ladies donned their new swimwear too with Leesha looking absolutely amazing in her MAGISCULPT Leopard print number which totally suited her wild personality.
The swimwear in a brilliant orange complimented the orange branding of the Beach Club and as she headed into the central pool with an obligatory champagne flute in hand she looked totally amazing and oozed body confidence in herself as she danced away.
Orange is the new black
Orange was certainly the new black and the colour of choice for one of the other bridesmaids – our Ab, with a River Island floral one piece she posed for an obligatory new profile picture.
In keeping with the black and orange theme, another hero outfit was beautiful Ali, in her multiway MAGISCULPT suit which, if you’re looking for a luxury one piece to make you feel a million dollars without the hefty celebrity price tag then this is it.
With amazing support, the swimsuit gives you added confidence for those bits that you should love even though you sometimes don’t want to! Remember you’re beautiful. The swimsuit also can be tied 8 different ways which does mean….8 different looks! Throw on a black kaftan for that sophisticated look and strike a pose.
Sometimes going on holiday can be daunting especially choosing outfits and even when you get on holiday, sometimes the heat. Your mood. Even aeroplane bloat (I suffer this so badly) gets you down. You might not feel like the Queen that you are in the outfits you had planned which you know, can knock your body confidence so it’s always essential to pack an ‘in case of emergency’ outfit or two.
Outfit planning for hen dos
Planning a wedding can be stressful, and whilst the bride didn’t plan a single thing of her hen do – I mean she wasn’t allowed, I wasn’t letting her she still felt the stress of getting ready to go out when she had 13 people constantly asking her questions whilst she had a little bit of a Bridezilla tantrum and those immortal words ‘I HAVE NOTHING TO WEAR’ were bellowed.
Pulling out of the case this black floral appliqué short playsuit was a body confidence lifesaver. The cinched in waist and the green hem added a soft feminine look to her outfit which helped boost her confidence. A perfect choice for heading on a private boat charter to watch the Ibiza sunset.
It’s always nice to be nice and there’s nothing more special than seeing people complimenting people. That’s one of the things that makes people feel body confident.
The little things.
How hard can it be to say ‘you look lovely’ or ‘that colour really suits you’ – you know it may make somebody’s day!
LOVE YOURSELF. Wear whatever makes you feel comfortable and remember you are beautiful!
