Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Living as The Average Sized Female

I'm scrolling through endless articles, photos and the "new professional" attire fashion tips as I prepare for my interview in D.C. on Friday, thinking there is NO WAY I would look good in that.
It makes me wonder why everything I've seen lately is still targeted for the Size 2 female. Which I have to admit is an improvement from the Size 0 it used to be. But I have no idea what this outfit would look like on me. How will it fit on a woman with boobs, with curves, with actual thighs instead of chicken legs?
Isn't there a campaign to promote healthy bodies and healthy body image? How are we as females supposed to do that when all we see around us are advertisements that promote Size 2 and under, tall and incredibly skinny women.

This is not me:

Nor is this: 

But this is the average girl:



And it's not because we're not healthy. It's not because we don't exercise. It's not because we overeat. Mostly it's because of our genes, because we don't want to feel starved, or because we enjoy some of the joys of life that include delicious (and starchy) food and beer. Well, at least I do. And as I'm trying to find the perfect interview outfit that looks professional without making me feel like a whale (and no, I'm not fat, I'm just your average sized woman), I find these photos of great fashion styles, but I have no idea what it would look like on ME.
My idea of body image is morphed because of what I've been conditioned to believe is beautiful and I don't know how to break that cycle. As long as I'm active, eat well, feel good about myself and exercise regularly to keep my mind and body healthy, that's really all that should matter, right?