Close to My Heart

T-shirt: Feel More Better

Skirt: City Chic

Cardigan: Cocolatte

Shoes: Milu

I’m a pretty easy-going individual. I don’t have many soapboxes that I like to get up on, but I am a fierce believer in body positivity.

It’s pretty hard to feel positive about yourself when you’re surrounded by a media that tells you every day that you’re not tall/petite/thin/curvy/white/tanned/sporty/busty/flat-chested/hairless enough to be seen out in public, and presents you with countless images of “perfect” women to prove how utterly inferior you are.

But, of course, even those “perfect” women have flaws. They’ve got pimples and wrinkles and folds of skin, just like the rest of us. The image that is sold to us is non-existent. And unattainable.

This dearth of real women (and I’m not using “real” in that excruciating way that some people use it, i.e. “REAL women have curves”) in the media is one of the reasons I started reading – and eventually became – a blogger.

I don’t get my fashion inspiration from magazines anymore, because I prefer to know how something is going to look on a human body that hasn’t been pushed and pulled and stretched and airbrushed into oblivion. (Just for kicks and giggles, check out Jezebel’s hall of photoshop shame). And I have never, never, never photoshopped an image on Frocks and Frou Frou.

This is why I was so delighted when I was invited to take part in Feel More Better’s “Not Photo Shopped” campaign.

Nearly thirty bloggers will be wearing this t-shirt proudly today to promote transparency in advertising and legislation that will require advertising and editorial that meaningfully changes the human form through photoshopping to label the image as such. It doesn’t hurt that for every tee purchased from Feel More Better they donate a book to an underprivileged girl. I work in publishing; childhood literacy is another of my soapboxes.

 So here I am, in all my non-photo-shopped glory, looking exactly the same as if you saw me walking down the street. And proud of it.

And just to push the message home a little more, check out this wonderful little glimpse at the one product you’ll ever need to look like a covergirl:

30 thoughts on “Close to My Heart

  1. Lily, I hope you don’t mind that I shared a link to this post on Facebook, so that all my lady friends can be as inspired and heart-warmed by this awesome message as I was! You look beautiful in this post, but, more importantly, I’ve met you and can say you were a pretty beautiful person too! Such a fan-girl! I’m going to order me one of those shirts to wear to the gym!

  2. I want one! But what’s their sizing like? I can’t tell from the site if their XL is an actual XL or “XL” (i.e. size 12).

  3. awesome lilli!

    i am the first to say that i am not 100% confident in my body, but that is because i am very overweight and need to lose a bit of weight to be healthy for ME. it’s never been for anyone else.. because quite frankly, i know i’m cute and lovely just the way i am, and no magazine or blog or photoshopped woman needs to tell me that.

    you are so gorgeous! yay for no photoshop. i don’t even know how to use it anyway haha.

  4. I recently just ran across your blog and have spent the last few days soaking up all your goodness! Thank you so, so much for putting yourself out there the way that you do, it is no easy task trust me I know. I like every other man and women I know struggle with body image, why oh I guess it is because we are human right!? Any who I’m a pin-up photographer based in Cleveland Ohio and I’m a huge advocate for women and men encouraging them to embrace themselves just as they are. It is a much harder task to appreciate ourselves before we appreciate others. So again I would like to say keep doing the amazing things that you do, and thank you for sharing that special part of yourself with rest of us! xo Julia

  5. THANKYOU for managing to write an inspiring article on body image without saying “Real girls have curves”, one of my biggest pet peeves. It really isn’t so hard to just accept all shapes of girls as real, but apparently our media can go either one way or another. I like the way you’ve styled this shirt too.

  6. and this is exactly what I love about you: you are absolutely gorgeous, fresh and beautiful the way you are! 🙂 potatoshopping is overrated!
    huge hug!

  7. What a great campaign! And totally couldn’t agree more – the way magazine ads are photoshopped is beyond belief, how stupid do they think we are?? I’m much more interested in seeing/hearing what real girls do and don’t like – hence the appeal of blogs! 🙂

    Life Etc

  8. Love the message, love the style! I am sad for the struggles I go through in regards to body image and confidence, but I am sadder for what my gorgeous smart funny lovely bright happy 9 year old niece will end up most likely going through. Thats why things need to change! Thanks!

  9. You have been one of my fashion idols for years, though I don’t know if I’ve ever even commented on your blog. You are amazing, hilarious, beautiful and awesome. Thanks for your never photoshopped candor!

  10. I am so into stripes and loving your skirt! But more, I am loving the message. I am with you on the fashion magazines. I get my inspiration from real girls, like you and your kick-ass blog!

  11. I love everything about this post. . Most of all, your bravery. I do very much believe in what your shirts says and what body acceptance stands for. I do believe it in my mind, but not in my heart. I have spent so many years having been body shamed by everyone from my Mother to total strangers that I just can’t seem to muster up the confidence to do something as fearless and brave as this. It might seem small to you, but this is HUGE to me, and I have mad respect for you. You look beautiful and proud, and that is how I hope to feel and be one day. Kudos to you my friend… kudos. 🙂

    1. That’s not good, Cecily. I hope you gain the strength to be able to deflect that kind of negative commentary one day – It’s particularly hard considering it’s coming from someone so close to you too. Be strong. You’ll get there <3 It took me a while, too

  12. Brave shmave – you’re just smokin’ hot! Thanks for another excellent outfit idea and blog post that makes me happy.

  13. You look beautiful! Actually just discovered your blog through this campaign and I’m so glad I did. I love seeing fabulous fashion bloggers who are about the same shape as me — I struggle with body positivity and seeing others who are happy and comfortable in their skin and gorgeous while doing it is a huge help.

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