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What happens to a woman’s wardrobe when they start losing weight? Do they go back to wearing clothes that are bigger than them to hide their excess fat or do they embrace their new bodies with the latest fashion trends?
I ask myself this, because recently I saw a very empowering video of a Ashley Graham’s runway show for New York Fashion Week, which used models of all different shapes and sizes. For those who are unfamiliar with Ashley Graham, she is a lingerie model who got her start with Lane Bryant. Ashley Graham’s “I Am Size Sexy” campaign is aiming to do away with referring to bigger models as “plus-size” and instead use the term curvy; going one step further with her collection of lingerie for the everyday woman.
“There are so many adjectives that you could [use to] describe my body, but the one I love is curvy,” -Ashley Graham.
Lingerie is a very risqué item for any woman struggling through weight loss to wear, because it exposes the most intimate and vulnerable part of them. A lot of women consider it a victory to be able to wear a two piece bikini in public, much less lingerie in private. Even though nobody else (with the exception of your partner) is seeing it, you are seeing it and sometimes you are your biggest judge.
As a woman who lost some weight recently herself, I realize that choosing new clothes for myself is a challenge, because I STILL have my curves and my biggest asset is my chest. Whatever I choose needs to be fitted to the top and the bottom, which is nauseating, because every big retail store I go to like Forever 21 or H & M has all these items made in China. Whenever I see a tag that says size 12, I want to laugh, because I can barely get the pant leg over my thigh.
So much so that a movie like the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants really resonates, because we have all gone through the exhilaration of finding something that fits us and suddenly wearing it everywhere.
In my case, whenever I find anything that fits me well, I become loyal to that brand, since that brand understands my body type.
But why don’t more brands understand the average woman’s body type?
Why is the fashion industry missing out on their greatest market; the curvy gals. With the average clothing size in the U.S. being between 12-16, more clothing brands would be making a fortune including bigger sizes and cuts that don’t cut off a girl’s circulation at the hips.
Ashley Graham’s collection reminds me that my body deserves to feel sexy. The more we become comfortable in our own skin, the more we can start reaching our weight loss goals. Body positivity is a huge factor in weight loss, because it is our insecurities that impact our eating habits to begin with. Learning to love your body starts with looking in the mirror, so might as well find something sexy to put on.
Check out some more pictures from NYFW I Am Sexy show below.
