There’s lots of talk going around the blogosphere right now about weight, body image, and body acceptance. I don’t agree with the idea of a social or cultural bodily ideal, because it puts too much pressure on its citizens to maintain it– often times to the detriment of their health.
Via We Heart It: not a mindset I promote here on dramatis personae!
When I asked my lovely ladies on Twitter what their ideal body was, I had a great range of answers:
JBonesteel: Just as I am. :)
Grrleigh: about 5″ taller and 75 lbs lighter than it is actually physically possible for me. i blame runway models. for everything.
Freyanator: When I think of my ideal body, I think of my shape (large hips, small waist, big boobs) but just, more fit than I am now. Although, don’t get me wrong I totally want to be a tall skinny androgynous girl for like a week, then I’d want to be me again.
DenimDebutante: Honestly? About ten pounds thinner and a chest about half the size of mine now.
My Darling Lisa: Re: your body question– I honestly think I wouldn’t change a thing IF ONLY it were easier to find nice clothes that actually fit. But that’s nearly impossible, and I’m considered average (size 14). This just sucks. For me to fit into the stuff I really like I’d have to lose about 25-30 lbs, which I’m not willing to do. That’s just not where my body wants to be. But that said I would love to get rid of my flabby bingo arms. I’m just too lazy.
Mmmeg: I’m with @freyanator: hourglass but more fit than I am currently. But that’s just my ideal for ME. There’s no one ideal.
While I disagree with a cultural ideal, I don’t disagree with having a personal ideal body–based on your body shape and size, what looks and FEELS best for you (and I love to see I’m not alone!). This Ashe is never going to be shaped like Gwenyth Paltrow– but that doesn’t mean I can’t find other gorgeous women to look up to, who have equally gorgeous bodies that are inspirational to me. We all need people to look up to, who motivate us, and call us to action.
When coming up with my list, I wanted to focus on women who had curvaceous and fuller figures–but still looked healthy, fit, and undeniably sexy. My ideal body is similar to what I was pre-Bloomington… healthy, energetic, curvy, confident, and comfortable in my own skin.
There are some women with smaller bodies– and I think that’s okay. I may never be as slim as Salma Hayek or Shakira, but that doesn’t mean I can’t admire the other beautiful aspects their bodies have–fitness, muscle tone, flexibility. They all embody the same confidence and class in how they carry themselves…
Let’s not make fun of my bad cut skillz, kthx?
Kate Winslet ♥ Christina Hendricks ♥ Crystal Renn ♥ Salma Hayek
Sara Rue (pre-weight loss) ♥ Scarlett Johansson ♥ Shakira
All women with banging bodies, healthy habits, and swoon-worthy curves whose bodies inspire me to work for my own ideal, healthy body.
How about you– who do you look up to? What women in power make you feel like your body is great, or give you aspirations for healthiness, confidence, and sexiness?
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
My ideal body is my own body, a few years ago when I walked everywhere and was really fit. I was a size 12/14, m/l pants, s/m shirts, still considered plus size, but I felt happy, healthy and gorgeous all the time.
As far as celebrities go, I think the most beautiful ladies in the world are Monica Bellucci and Salma Hayek. I loved when Liv Tyler and Milla Jovovich were pregnant and adorable chubby; both ladies are always lovely, but I think they looked especially great when their faces were a bit a fuller.
Christina, your ideal is very similar to my own (which I talk less about in this post, and more about in this one: http://www.mischiefmydear.com/dramatispersonae/2009/06/23/operation-collarbone-plots-thoughts-on-weight-loss/)– while I look up to these woman for inspiration, my ideal *right now* is to get back to my weight of about 150-160, when I felt healthy, sexy, curvy, and gorgeous.
Great post Ashe. I must have missed your Twitter question!
This is something I’ve been wondering about posting about for a while now as I’ve lost about 3 stone over the last couple of years. When I was bigger people told me they couldn’t tell, but I was miserable. I’m still technically hanging around the top end of my weigh bracket according to BMI, but I’m much happier.
I think there is a lot of pressure to conform to an ideal. Especially when you are younger, but as you get older I think the pressure to conform to an ideal of “youth” as well as size is just as bad.
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.-= Retro Chick´s last blog ..Make Do and Mend…. =-.
You know, I’ve reached a pretty happy spot body wise. I wish my tummy was a bit flatter & my thighs a bit smaller, but neither of those are huge issues for me. My ideal body right now is more about flexibility – I want to have more stamina (be able to ride my bike around without getting out of breath after a few blocks) and want to be more flexible. My goal is to be able to do Downward Facing Dog and have my feet flat on the ground by the end of the year. Right now I have to be up on tippy toes!
.-= Michelle´s last blog ..Fluff Bags & Accessories =-.
I’ve finally reached a point in my life where I like the general shap of my body. I used to think my hips were too wide, my torso not long enough, my boobs too small, and my shoulders too wide. Now, the only thing I’m irritated about is that I get all bloaty before girl-time and that I have lopsided lovehandles (one is bigger than the other). If I could get those things even, one size or the other, I’d be in bliss.
I used to think I needed to be a skinnyminny (and I’ll admit to having thoughts along those lines some days; who doesn’t?). But now I feel like there’s clothes and fashion out there to make a great package look even better – something I thought was out of reach before.
Thanks for the post, Ashe! <3
.-= Jaka Merriman´s last blog ..Know What’s Amazing? DISNEYWORLD =-.
You know, although I’m not her biggest fan musically, I do admire Beyonce’s body shape/curves. I also admire Kate Winslet and Shakira as well. Any lady that embraces their full curves in such a crazy industry is cool with me. For myself, I felt most comfortable and ideal with I was about 150 pounds and still a size 10/12, but comfortable and healthy. I know that I don’t feel too confident in the skin I’m in right now at all, and that’s how I know it’s a problem. But I’m working on getting it back to wear I was.
Ideally, I’d be 15lbs or so lighter, but I find it really hard to lose weight. I’ve struggled with eating in the past (I don’t want to say a disorder, I don’t think it was that serious) but even after months of 800 calories a day, I never seem to lose that much weight. I am averagely about 156lbs, but it fluctuates and I’ve never gotten smaller than about 148 at my adult height. Like almost everyone, some days I feel terrible and some days I feel ok. Looking at some recent photos of me is making me consider a new diet though. :( I am 39-30-36 and I like the shape of me – I just wish there was less of me.
I wouldn’t mind swapping everything with Christina Hendricks, though!
.-= Amy´s last blog ..AMAZING… =-.
It is considered stuck up for women to say “I love my body. I think it’s perfect.” But, you know what? I love my body! I think it’s perfect! I love my size. I love my shape. I love my scars from all my surgeries. I’d rather focus my energy toward achieving my career and life goals. I only wish it didn’t take me so long to come to learn all this!
.-= Queen Bee´s last blog ..Ravishing in Red =-.