Thursday 7 November 2013

#NaBloPoMo November 8th: A Picture Says A Thousand Words...

We are nearly one whole week into the #NaBloPoMo challenge - to blog every day throughout November - and I'm already surprised at how much I've shared using some lovely prompts from BlogHer and the lovely Vonnie over at Nowt Special.

Today's prompt has been no different - to write about your picture on your 'About Me' PIcture.


This photo was taken back in August, just before I headed out for an incredibly rare night out with one of my best friends.  It was the first night out I had had alone since Daisy had been born and I was going to the cinema to see What Maisie Knew; a film I had been ridiculously excited to see for months.  I chose the photo as I think it's a pretty clear representation of me, my style and one of the rare photos I genuinely quite like!  It was a turning point for me and my blog, I had dreamt up a whole bunch of new blog projects, including the early stages of The Frugally Fabulous Year AND I was giving this lovely old Whistles blouse it's first post-pregnancy outing!

Positive Image
I love uploading the odd picture of me and Little D onto my blog and, like most mums out there, I take endless photos of each outfit she wears and each change she makes, but as my blog has developed over the last few months, I have realised the importance of showing more of 'me' than of 'us' - to reflect the 'lifestyle' nature of my blog, rather than the fact that I'm a parent.  Gorgeous as she is...of course! 

I like to think my readers can absorb themselves in my fashion and craft posts and get a glimpse of my life, my interests and my inspiration.  I guess I could be seen as confident, lots of people have said they wouldn't have the guts to 'pull off' my style.  I can't really be any other way - Mum or not, I don't care enough about what other people think and I'm not so much confident as positive; I believe in learning to see the very best in your beautiful self, without comparison.  As a Mum to a daughter too, I feel I have a moral responsibility to set an example of strength and positivity when it comes to body image.

The truth is, like pretty much everyone else who has ever given birth, I have found it hard to get used to a new body and a new way of thinking - something I've talked about in my Ditching The Jeans post and in a guest blog I did for Vintage Shopper.  My post-pregnancy body isn't quite shrinking back as quickly as I would like and my post-pregnancy 'treat outfit' (a 1960s vintage leather pencil skirt) is sat, gathering dust in my wardrobe.  
Those last few days...
I eat well, I walk pretty much everywhere with the pram and I'm desperate to get back into an exercise regime, that my lifestyle doesn't allow for right now.  So why beat myself up?  Hey, there is a big reason I stopped buying women's magazines - it's because the fairer sex are, indeed, not always fair at all.


Why Be Positive, When You Could Be Normal?
In an article in the Guardian recently, one writer discussed yet another epidemic sweeping the nation - a new obsession with the 'thigh gap' and the absurd suggestion that there should be one.  24 year old model, Robyn Lawley, graced the coveted cover of Vogue magazine, only to be condemned through various social media sites, for not having a 'thigh gap' to speak of.  So why, after years and years of mixed messages in the media and new 'imperfect' body parts to be paranoid about, from muffin tops to cankles, are we STILL turning on each other?

We know that airbrushing exists, we know that even the world's most beautiful, most esteemed females have off days and spots and yet, there still seems to be enough put-downs and imaginary beauty standards that all women MUST adhere to.  Nowa days, it's the norm to be bombarded with 'picture-perfect' photo sets and red circles of doom, adorning the hundred of magazines available to us.  It is normal to see most girls under the age of 18 try and copycat the styles of oversexed, under-stimulating pop stars and it is normal, somewhat sadly, to look for imperfection in everyday beauty.

But it shouldn't be.

Life is Peachy is my haven to showcase who I am, what I do and what I believe in.  I don't believe that women should compare themselves to plastic, processed images any more than I believe Miley Cyrus is flying the flag for modern-day feminism.  I want to reach a goal weight for ME, to wear my precious vintage skirt for ME, to dress to suit my shape and size for ME and I don't want to be forced to conform to unrealistic 'ideals'.  I choose to look, dress and feel the way that I do, because I have spent far too much time worrying about the size of my arms, my straight eyelashes and God only knows what else.  I choose to be positive about how I look, in the hope that I can inspire others to feel the same about themselves, whether carrying a little extra baby weight or not.  My body isn't the body it was, but it's the body that I'm in for now and I want to be positive about it, even if it takes a little longer to push the 'publish' button on those selfies!  




 

 

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am struggling with my weight lately too. Well actually me & my body, were always at war. Usually me being hard on myself for eating a lot. I ... I one day will reach my goal but mostly my aim is to be at peace with me. By then things like reaching goal weight will not be as painful.

Needless to say that your post makes me ponder on things.

Thank u.

Unknown said...

beautiful photos. It infuriates me too that the media dictate what shape and size is beautiful, how quickly you should lose post baby weight and the images woman and young girls should aspire too. It's a challenge to rise above it and be content in our own skin but you're right it's so important for our children's self image that we do.

Unknown said...

This is a toughy for me - 15 months on and although I'm sort of the same weight I was pre-baby I still really don't like aspects of my body (bum got saggier, saddle bags got saddle-ier, muffin tops appeared and to top it all my boobs got smaller - what a cruel world!! haha) - but I'm working on a) making time to get back into shape and b) more importantly, accepting this new shape. It's the only one I've got and I have a feeling that even if it did get smaller the general proportions would stay the same.

From the proud owner of a non-thigh gap xx

Kate @craftsonsea said...

I think you look fabulous!!! :D I'm only five weeks post baby and already beating myself up about how 'fat' I am. So important to remind ourselves that we've just made another human being so it's really not as important as it might feel x

Leanne said...

Hey, new follower and liker here :)... Being positive is the most single thing that you can control in life!... I've got 3children with my youngest being 7 months old. I put huge amounts of weight on with my 1st baby 4stone in fact! And my god did it take a lot longer to get off than it did putting it on. I've got stretch marks everywhere! But I call them my tiger stripes! I have earned every single one of them and now I embrace them and think "wow my body is quite fantastic at making babies!" :D x

Vonnie said...

You are absolutely gorgeous :)

So much of what you wrote applies to me, too. I'm 4 stone heavier now than I was when I had baby number 1, I'd like to lose it but honestly I don't have capacity in my life to make the lifestyle changes I need. I eat well, I don't exercise very much but I'd like to.

I'm not overweight, I'm just undertall.

Ellen said...

Me too. Four years on and it's clearly not still baby weight. And I think you look lovely.

Unknown said...

what a lovely post Emma & well timed for me. I've been feeling a bit crappy about myself, so it's been refreshing to read this. thank you! X

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