To be honest with you, I’ve had a toxic relationship with my body for most of my life. It wasn’t until last year that I found peace and really fell in love with myself and my body; and I’m incredibly honored and excited to share today’s post with you! I was asked to be one of five women in Coco Reef’s #FlauntYourShape campaign, and below I’m talking more about my journey with falling in love with my body and why this campaign is so important for the industry right now.
Growing up I was extremely frustrated with the way I looked because I developed quicker than my friends and I didn’t understand why I didn’t look like my extremely petite older sister or my model-like mother. In middle school I struggled with a short chapter of bulimia, throughout high school and college I turned to binge eating for comfort, and I had several exes make derogatory comments about my body that completely shot my self confidence. By the end of college I gained over 30 pounds from unhealthy habits, not working out, little to no sleep and stress. I wasn’t comfortable in my skin, I didn’t feel good and I avoided swimsuits, shorts and anything form-fitting.
Once I moved to New York, things slowly started to change. I let go of unhealthy habits, I lost a little of the college weight, but most importantly, I started falling in love with my body. I realized that I can’t change the cards I was dealt, but I can change the way I speak to myself and how I treat my body. My body is strong, it is healthy and it is mine. It has been through a lot the past few years and I never thought I would be asked to participate in a national swimwear campaign!
For so many years I have used clothing as a shield and a distraction from my body. I was able to wear certain things to draw attention to or away from an area of my body, and I had control over what people saw. When Coco Reef asked me to participate in the #FlauntYourShape campaign, I could not respond ‘yes’ fast enough. I wanted to challenge myself to do something out of my comfort zone and take away shield. I wanted to finally let go of the past— so many years of anguish towards my body and celebrate my shape! There is finally a space in the industry to embrace what our bodies are, and real women—strong, beautiful and diverse.
Coco Reef Swimwear was established with the mission to enhance, support, and sculpt a woman’s figure in bra sized swimwear that flatters curves and diverse body types. From supportive bra sizing to contouring silhouettes, the swimsuits in each collection provide the reliable support of a traditional undergarment. Coco Reef Swimwear has established themselves as a fit-focused and fashionable bra sized swimwear brand, and I think that is incredibly important. Whether you’re petite, tall, curvy or somewhere in-between, I believe that every type of customer can find their perfect suit with Coco Reef.
I always shied away swimsuit shopping. The daunting task of taking armfuls of swimsuits into a poorly lit dressing room and feeling defeated at the end. No thank you! But during the photoshoot I put on my first swimsuit and instantly fell in love with the fit. Coco Reef swimwear has LYCRA® XTRA LIFE™ fiber that ensures a great fit, all season long. LYCRA® XTRA LIFE™ fiber resists fit loss and fiber breakage caused by UV, pool water, chlorine and sunscreen, giving you long-lasting shape, style and fit that resists bag and sag. I love that the Coco Reef swimwear has LYCRA® XTRA LIFE™ fiber because it means your suit will last longer than a one-time wear, and many seasons to come.
I was also really impressed with the attention to detail, fit and shape of the swimwear. Coco Reef understands that their customers are not all one size or one shape, and that it’s important to design silhouettes that compliment various sizes and to offer variation with each suit. Thank you Coco Reef for helping me flaunt my shape, fall even more in love with my body and feel confident going into swimsuit season this year.
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