I'm going to be completely honest with you -- no matter how confident or comfortable I have learned to be with my body, I STILL cringe at the mere thought of bathing suit season every. Single. Year. The idea of stepping into what can only be described as the world's most unflattering light (seriously, WHY do stores do that?) shimmy-ing my body into the clingy, unflattering material and breaking a sweat trying to adjust the straps so my back fat doesn't spill out over the sides is nothing short of a nightmare. After 25 summers on earth, however, I finally have more of a (love) handle on what my body personally feels best in (high-waisted bottoms and underwired tops, in case you were wondering.)
So, naturally, like many other women, I was... surprised that Lucky Magazine had named a skimpy triangle bikini with absolutely zero support the suit that "works for almost every body type." And admittedly, at first glance of some other media outlet's coverage of the story, I too, was angry. I mean, who is this magazine to tell me that a piece of scrap material will work just as well for my curvy body as it does on the thin models advertising them?
Upon some further investigation, however, I feel (and bear with me here,) that the writers, while justified in their frustration, are overreacting a bit, and could even be part of the problem. You see, in the printed version of the article, Lucky's executive fashion director Alexis Bryan Morgan makes the claim that "the fact that you can adjust the string ties precisely how you want them means it works on most shapes," which, at its core, is true. Ties allow the wearer to adjust the suit in such a way that fits their specific body, regardless of its "type."
Furthermore, who are WE (or Lucky, or anyone) to decide whether or not a bathing suit "fits" or "looks good" on any woman, if their prerogative is to wear said suit? Yes, the models are thin. Yes, there are more "flattering" options for curvier shapes. But if someone is comfortable enough with their body to wear this two-piece, regardless of what their body looks like, shouldn't we be applauding and supporting that choice?
Look, I'm not saying this article is perfect. Like everything else in this world, including bodies, it is flawed. (See what I did there?) Adjustable straps do not mean one-size-fits-all, and the post is hardly in line with Lucky's "real girl" aesthetic. I'm also not saying you'll catch me frolicking around this summer in one of these. BUT, if I did, it wouldn't be up to Lucky, Buzzfeed, Jezebel or anyone else to say that I can or cannot.
Of course, if you're still angry over this piece, just remember the beautiful, curvaceous SwimsuitsForAll calendar that came out last week. And that summer is too short to waste time worrying about bathing suits.
Related
Before You Go
