& Other Stories sweater (similar)
One Teaspoon shorts
Aldo slides
Celine sunglasses
Madewell rings
Location: Holiday Inn Club Vacations at Desert Club Resort – Las Vegas, Nevada
Shorts are tough. Especially with flats. I can pretty much count the number of times I’ve appeared in shorts on my blog. It’s less than five in seven years.
When I was twelve, I became obsessed with denim shorts seemingly overnight. I have no idea what precipitated this love affair, but I suspect Teen People magazine was to blame. I needed pair. Naturally, I pleaded with my mom until she took me to Zellers to find some. I wore practically nothing but those shorts that summer. They weren’t fancy or expensive, but I loved them. Winter came and I packed them away for the following summer. But by the following summer, I was deep in puberty and suddenly, I hated everything about my body. Everything, but especially my legs. My shorts sat in a dresser drawer, mostly unworn, despite the heat.
We all have hang-ups and inhibitions. It’s normal. But I’m not thirteen anymore. It’s one thing to wish that my legs looked a little different in shorts than they actually do. (Or even to wish they looked a lot different, which, in reality, I do.) It’s quite another to spend my entire life avoiding exposing my legs because I’m labouring under the deeply misguided impression that the rest of the world sees them the way I do. The fact is, they don’t. And I know that.
So here I am, hang-ups be damned, wearing a pair of shorts that has languished in the back of my closet for far too long. We were in Vegas. The sun was shining. And to be honest, I’m relatively proud of my legs these days. Not because they are the legs of my dreams, mind you. (They simply never will be, I’m resigned to that; at thirty-two, I am unlikely to suddenly have the growth spurt that would require.) But because I have worked hard, running and climbing stairs and doing lunges upon lunges upon lunges, to make them the best version of my legs that they can be. I’ve done my best. And more and more, I am working to embrace the idea that my best, even if it isn’t perfect, is good enough.
I still definitely have a love-hate relationship with shorts. But this post constitutes real progress. I hope that, whatever your own body hang-ups are, you’re getting there, too. Happy Friday!
I’d say at least once a month I have a total crisis of confidence when with dressing or shopping because of one body hang up or another that I have. It’s become such a common occurrence that I barely even acknowledge it these days. But, now that I have Eleanor. I’m trying very, very hard to never vocalize things like that (even when she’s wee like she is now because you never know what she’s soaking up). I want her to stay as confident as possible for as long as impossible and not internalize any of my weird junk (depressingly, I know full well that it’s a foregone conclusion that she’ll eventually accumulate more than enough of her own weird junk because that’s just the joy of being a woman in our society but I’ll try to avoid it as long as I can), And, for what it’s worth, even though I’m loathe to make it sound like all that matters is what other people think, I legit do think your legs look killer in shorts.
Courtney ~ Sartorial Sidelines
I have photographed short-shorts twice for G&C and I definitely have my body hang-ups. I wish, and maybe I should, bite the bullet and get a personal trainer / get the body I want. I’d love to tone up way more and wear certain styles with zero reservation. And I must say, you look SO fantastic in shorts… you honestly have the most perfect figure!! Plus, these photos are getting me very excited for milder days, it’s currently pouring outside and yesterday it snowed. Over it!! 😉 Happy TGIF, Cee!! xo
http://www.girlandcloset.com
Firstly, I’m envious of your shorts and slides right now, because I’m freezing, and even though I know in reality, so are you, but seeing these photos makes me feel jealous none the less. I’m not sure why it’s so damn hard to love our bodies. They do a lot for us, and all we do is tear them apart, berating our thighs, our hips, our stomachs, our arms… There were a good many years when I would not wear shorts. I just felt too self conscious, and somehow embracing sundresses while my friends were in shorts made me feel better, even though it was just meant to hide my insecurity. It took a while, and it’s mostly due to blogging that I decided I could be okay with shorts, at least sometimes.
http://www.iamchiconthecheap.com
I have the SAME hang up and I have not worn shorts in the last 4 to five years not just on the blog but even in real life (except on the beach). I some how just don’t like my legs and I am not proud to say that. 🙁
❥ tanvii.com
You look great in shorts!
As for body insecurities, I did struggle with them when I was younger, but as I’ve gotten older I’ve realized life is too short for that sort of thing. I watched my mom struggle with rheumatoid arthritis and various health scares throughout her life, and now I’m going through health stuff of my own. I’m grateful for the days/weeks/months where my body is healthy and strong and serves me, and I refuse to let myself feel bad for “flaws” I can’t help.
I wish my legs looked as great Cee! You look fabulous in shorts! I was like, look at Cee! We all have hangups and inhibitions. Great post.
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