Tank top Tuesday is all about exercising your right to bare your arms! I don’t care how fat or jiggy or saggy or pale or whatever. It’s about rockin’ what you got and giving zero fucks what anyone else has to say or think about it!
Since I’m treating this week as a sort of relaunch and re engagement with my beloved blog, I thought why not be the first TTT post of the season, too!
I used to hate my fat upper arms. I was the 3/4’s sleeve queen in my old life. My then husband didn’t understand it and would always encourage me to free my arms but I just couldn’t do it. I was ashamed and embarrassed. I felt awkward in my own body. It was terrible. I think it was around 2008 or so when I first started to say fuck it and try going sleeveless here and there, usually close to home. As my self acceptance journey became part of my everyday life and my confidence grew I started to see that the only thing holding me back, as well as my arms, was me. I could never have imagined what my future held then.
I remember the very first time I went out of the house strapless! It was for a Big Moves dance show called “Go Big or Go Home” and my bffs accompanied me. Little did I know that this would be a life changing event and not just because of my strapless-ness! I wore a shawl/wrap because I wasn’t quite ready to just do it straight away but it felt amazing and empowering. And the show was fucking fantastic! (I’m now in that very show every year, so yeah, big life changing thing!) Fat positive people doing normal things we’ve been told we can’t or should never do like dancing and burlesque and more! YES!!!
Here we are, me in my almost confident state with my bffs posing for a photo outside the Big Moves show:
Later, when envisioning my first big fat event in San Jose in 2012, I had a dream dress in mind. I took the plunge and ended up wearing it to host the first Fatty Affair and have zero regrets about that! I mean look at this:
Fantastic! I loved the dress and that Fatty Affair was such a delight! You can see how happy I am in this pic! It’s infectious! Then the following year’s Fatty Affair came along and I knew what I wanted to wear. It was inspired by a picture of the singer P!nk and cobbled together in my newly-single-life bedroom. Another dream outfit, another strapless endeavor and again, no regrets!
I soon became known for being the fat girl with all the strapless dresses! Which, to be honest, still does my head in a bit because for so many years I had sworn off dresses all together. Ha-ha! Now I have too many! I love an excuse to dress up now and rock my sleeveless reputation without a care in the world! It’s taken a lot of self work. But my body is nothing to be ashamed of or apologize for. I need provide no explanation for my existence.
Now I don’t give any thought about whether or not to go strapless. It’s more of what I’m feeling sort of thing that guides my choices. This one I’ve worn to NYE and goth prom and other fun things.
And this was just this past New Year’s dress that I snagged for $20 at Charlotte Russe, if you can believe it! I love it!
It’s hard to look back at my former ashamed self but at least I can and know that I will never be that person again. My body is mine and my comfort is my priority. If I’m looking fabulous then I know I’m feeling it too! It may not be for everyone, but that’s not for me to decide. Just do you! <3
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I always ask TTT submissions to include their own fatty philosophy. I guess mine changes as time goes by. I would typically say something along the likes of be you, stay true to you, listen to your gorgeous gut and give zero fucks about the rest. Right now I’m feeling a bit more like, do what feels right, stop worrying and just keep going. How’s that?!
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I am always looking for submissions from anyone who wants to exercise their right to Bare Arms for future Tank Top Tuesday posts! Email your pics here: notblueatall@notblueatall.com, please include the name you’d like in the post, a blog or etsy shop you wanna plug, your thoughts on bare arms or other fatty philosophies. It does not have to be in a tank top, so long as your arms are bare. Have fun with it! And thank you to all who have submitted and continue to do so. These posts make my week! They are so fun and empowering, too! So keep ‘em comin’ and keep baring those arms!
Rad Fatty Love,
<3
S
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