Browsing Category

Body Confidence

Posted on July 24, 2020

Proving my femininity

Body Confidence

proving my femininity

If you’ve been following my Black Lives Matter journey on Instagram then you would know that I have made a number of contributions to the movement. Between publishing a blog about the importance of having healthy racial discourse and playing a part in the creation of the Black Irish Lives issue for The Irish Times Magazine. I have not been shy about highlighting racial issues both within the Black community and outside of it.

One of my recent contributions to the wider conversation about Black Lives Matter puts a focus on black women specifically as sometimes I get the impression that the black female voice gets silenced more than others.

In my article for Rogue, titled ‘Proving my femininity: when will black female bodies be enough?’ I shed light on how I navigate body image concerns by tackling unrealistic beauty standards for black women.

Under the male gaze and societal views, black women tend to fall under two categories: we are either fetishised, sexualised and exotified or criticised for not being feminine. While I have been subjected to both, I focus on the latter in my guest post for Rogue as I touch on perceived femininity, body types, female body hair and more.

Rogue is an all female collective which publishes content for women within a subscription model. I personally feel that the team has created a safe space for women to talk about delicate issues which is why I felt comfortable starting this conversation on their platform.

For as little as €4/month you can access all articles on Rogue and expect four new pieces to your inbox every Sunday. 

To read ‘Proving my femininity: when will black female bodies be enough?’ be sure to subscribe to Rogue 🙂

Twitter Facebook Instagram

Related Posts

  • 10000
    For those of you unfamiliar with the term, body positive is all about embracing your body as is - flaws and all. The concept sounds easy in theory, but in practice, it can prove to be a bit of a struggle since we are constantly being bombarded with images of unrealistic…
  • 10000
    It’s nearly mid-January and I’m only getting around to writing my first blog post of 2018. Shame on me is what I would normally say to that. But since this blog post is all about promoting positivity, I’m going to refrain from the usual self-bashing and instead, embrace the fact…
  • 10000
    A menstrual period can be the defining factor for womanhood in the eyes of many females even though some women absolutely despise theirs. Others, embrace their first bleed and believe it to be a central part of their identity as a woman. I always fell into the second category of…
  • 46
    They say hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I reckon foresight is even more useful - Farrah Storr, Editor-in-Chief, Cosmopolitan A little over a year ago I wrote a blog called 12 things I would tell my 20-year-old self. If you haven’t read it yet, please know that I was…
    Tags: body, bodies, black, confidence, image
Posted on June 15, 2018

How to choose the right swimwear for your body shape

Body Confidence

Finding the right swimsuit is only as difficult as you make it. As cliche as that sounds, take it from someone who probably owns as many swimsuits as she does shoes – okay, maybe that’s a slight exaggeration…but I do own many flattering swimsuits (as my Instagram would probably tell you).

I think the main ingredient to finding swimwear that makes you feel comfortable, sexy and confident is knowing your body shape. Without that knowledge you are destined to fail. Why? Simply because it’s about knowing where you’re packing and where you’re lacking and then having a goal in mind for what you want your bikini to do for you.

I’m no style expert, but it doesn’t take a genius to realise that no two people can pull off the same look – what works for one person, might not work for another. But don’t let that discourage you, there is a bikini out there for everyone, you just have to know what to look for!

So whether you’re a bit heavy on top or want to accentuate your curves, here are my top tips for choosing swimwear that will flatter your body shape and in turn increase your confidence 🙂

10 tips for choosing the right swimwear for your body shape:

1. If you’re a bit busty, always be sure to look for a bikini top with an under wire. Find one that will give you somewhat coverage with a tiny bit of a lift.

2. If you’re not so boobalicious but want to appear so, then try looking for a bikini top with ruffles on them. Ruffles on top help create an illusion of a bigger bust. A padded bikini top also does the trick!

3. If you have a bit of a pot belly and want to make it less visible, then it can always be concealed by wearing a ruched one piece suit. Ruched fabric is key for helping you disguise your stomach by giving it a slimming effect.

4. To downplay your backside, go for dark-coloured briefs or shorts, they will give you all the coverage you need!

5. Not so much junk in your trunk? (welcome to the team) this can be solved with ruffled bottoms as they will give the appearance of volume and a bum. Or putting focus on your upper may take away from people notice where you’re lacking – I’ve got all the tricks 😉

6. Boyish figure types can create the illusion of curves by using a two piece swimsuit with bold prints and feminine details. A one piece with the sides cut out also create an optical illusion of curves.

7. If you have a curvy figure and want to appear slimmer, vertical patterns will help create a thinner torso and draw attention downwards, rather than outwards.

8. To hide areas you don’t want to show in your plus size physique, look for a one piece with little details such as runching, they do wonders!

9. Petite figures can elongate their body with high-cut leg or strings at the side! Also, avoid polka dots and girlie patterns…. unless of course you want to be mistaken for a teen (it happens😑).

10. And last but not least, if you want to avoid the appearance of love handles remember to go for folded bottoms.

Hope you found these tips useful, happy bikini hunting! 🙂

Twitter   Facebook   Instagram

Related Posts

  • 10000
    For those of you unfamiliar with the term, body positive is all about embracing your body as is - flaws and all. The concept sounds easy in theory, but in practice, it can prove to be a bit of a struggle since we are constantly being bombarded with images of unrealistic…
  • 10000
    It’s nearly mid-January and I’m only getting around to writing my first blog post of 2018. Shame on me is what I would normally say to that. But since this blog post is all about promoting positivity, I’m going to refrain from the usual self-bashing and instead, embrace the fact…
  • 10000
      I’m often complimented on how toned my legs are. If it’s not ‘your legs have a lovely shape,’ it’s ‘oh my God, they’re so toned.’  Either way, they do get attention – more attention than my "booty gains" ever will! Although I’ve always had good muscle tone in my…
Back to top
%d bloggers like this: