Alysse Dalessandro

Photos by: Orville McEachron- Bikini by: Always for Me x Anne Cole.

I spent a lot of summers desperate to hang with my friends at the beach without feeling self -conscious about my size. My body was the problem and my solution was a one-piece swimsuit that hid my rolls, my back fat, and made my breasts look perkier than they were. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I realized my body wasn’t the problem. My body, rolls and all, is beautiful just the way it is. So is yours. Society conditions us to feel like we need to look a certain way in order to wear a plus size bikini. That limitation is an illusion. Anyone who wants to wear a bikini can!

Here are a few simple steps for wearing a bikini for the first time:

Find Your Ideal Plus Size Bikini

Just a few years back, if you tried to find a plus size bikini, you’d be rather hard-pressed to even find one. These days, plus size bikini options are much easier to find. Sift through the options. Try some on and find what feels right for you! Don’t settle just because it’s in your size. Find a bikini you really like.

 

Alysse Dalessandro

Photos by: Orville McEachron- Bikini by: Always for Me x Anne Cole.

Wear It Around The House

When you’re stuck in a cycle of body-shaming yourself, learning to look in the mirror and say nice things can be the first step towards finding freedom. Maybe you’re not ready to wear that bikini to the beach for the world to see, but you sure can start by wearing it around the house and practicing to see yourself through a different looking glass. Talk to yourself the way you’d talk to, encourage and support your best friend.

Seek Inspiration

The reason why it may be hard to picture yourself in a bikini is because there still isn’t a lot of visibility in the media for plus size women (especially over a size 16). But that’s where social media can really help. Curate your feed by following body-positive babes who look like you. You will be wearing your own #fatkini in no time! Wearing a bikini this summer may be scary but when you challenge yourself to do what you want and not what society tells you to do, the freedom you’ll feel will banish those fears away. You’re worth it!

Alysse Dalessandro

Photos by: Orville McEachron- Bikini by: Always for Me x Anne Cole.

 

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