the real deal

So today’s topic is an interesting one… A few weeks ago I bought my first big-girl one piece. I knew I wanted something that would be a bit more tasteful than a bikini, but that I wanted to stay FAR away from channeling my purple and green Speedo wearing 12 year old self. I wanted something that would be more useful frolicking around the pool with Kyle’s nieces and nephews, something that was chic but practical. And let me tell you, that in itself was a journey. I’m not sure why but monokinis seem even more scandalous than bikinis. Confusing I know, because you’re actually covering up more skin, but something about them is very, very sexy!

Fast forward a couple weeks and I break out my new wrap-around one piece at my cottage. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to wear it as we were throwing a football around in the water and that water was COLD! The amount of fabric on the one piece was definitely appealing. More barriers between my skin and the lake temperature.

So I snap a few photos in my new suit and go about my day, thinking nothing of it. Well when I get home I sit down to look at the photos and start tweaking them to match the rest of the photos on this blog. And there I am, smoothing out shadows and bringing down glaring highlights. A little here, a little there. And I retouch my belly. I mean, it was nothing major, just a wrinkle of skin, but I do it. And at the time, I really didn’t think anything of it.

But Kyle walks in and asks “what are you doing? You don’t need to Photoshop yourself. I don’t like that”. And I sit back and think I give brands heat when I see blatant retouching of girls. And here I am, doing the same thing, not even giving it a second thought. It really struck a chord with me. Something I had done so passively, just a little tweak, and there I was portraying something that didn’t even exist. When girls flip through magazines they are seeing something fake – whether they realize it or not, Photoshop runs rampant in fashion. That little comment from Kyle was a reality check. I refuse to create the same unrealistic expectations for myself, and for anyone else who reads this blog. These photos are really me – I’m not going to show you something that’s not possible, making you wish for a body that doesn’t exist. Not in these photos, or any going forward. That’s the real deal.