No, I’m NOT pregnant but
thanks for RUINING my day

I would brush off “The Comments” when I’d hear them just a couple of months after the birth of my babies.  I mean, Come on! Maybe my self-esteem and body were a bit on hiatus, but I’ll give myself a break as I just had a baby!  But now my daughter is FOUR and my son is TWO, so when I still get the comments,

“when are you due?”

“don’t worry, after you deliver you’ll go down a size”

“oh…you are just starting to show!”

I WANT TO PASS OUT AND DIE!!

My self esteem was big time destroyed.  I’ll admit it, maybe this is payback.  I was always that girl who could eat whatever I wanted, and never gain weight.  In the last several years, however, thanks to a slower metabolism, two kids, and a lover for food blogs (David Lebowitz, you are my hero and my worst nightmare wrapped up in a French Apple Tart) my body has changed, and I’ve gone up, err…three sizes.   FEAR lurked beneath:  Fear that the man I married who met me 30’ish pounds lighter would leave my ass for a smaller/younger one; Fear of seeing my old friends in NYC who remain rail-thin due to those crazy subway steps and 5^th floor walkups; and Fear of seeing what has sagged, flabbed and dragged as I flip through old photos doing the Now vs. Then comparison.

In my line of work as plus size fashion and clothing designer at Shop Translated,  I’m prepared to deal with gorgeous models and hotties in the fashion industry. But, what doesn’t help is when I’m just minding my own business waiting in line at the grocery store and there they are!  Watching me from the covers of the magazines:  Giselle, Megan and even Kate (post her 8).  I can see them from the corner of my eye, as they glare at me with their perfect bodies and overwhelming self confidence,  judging me as I throw the package of bacon on the conveyor.  So what do I do?  What CAN I do?  I reach over, flip the magazine to the back, and see an ad for newly-improved-triple-protection maxi pad with wings.  There, much better!

The social pressures of our body image and obsession of being thin with perfect, flawless bodies affect all women, it doesn’t matter if you are missy or plus size.  It can be toxic, everywhere we turn, there’s something pulling our self esteem down and reminding us that we need to lift, improve, contour, revitalize, or revamp one of our appendages.  But us women need to face reality:  There are things we can change and things we can not change.  Most of us will never look like a super-model, and most of us will never have a 6-pack.  I may not be 6 ft tall, but platforms make my legs look amazing.  I may not have a flat stomach but an empire waist hides all sins.  So, at the end of the day, what we can change is our self esteem, how we present ourselves to the world, and how we react to all the craziness.

So I could do more sit ups and maybe eat a little less bacon.  But for today, I’ve got on my cute empire waist dress, my hot platforms, and I’m stepping out the door with my head held high!

By Jacqueline Floro

Co-Founder and Designer at Shop Translated – Plus Size Clothing and Mother of two….