Photo courtesy of swimsuitsforall/Michael Edwards
Unfortunately, as soon as you can say "sexy at every curve" (the calendar's theme), people are jumping to decry the calendar and what it stands for. I blame that other ubiquity of summer: all the articles telling you how to "get a bikini body." Put down the Popsicle, they say, and start doing jumping lunges — right now — or you'll never be able to show your face at the pool without a caftan. Whole ad campaigns, plot lines on popular shows and more mommy group discussions than I care to count have hinged on this idea of how to be good enough to wear a bikini in public.
Photo courtesy of swimsuitsforall/Michael Edwards
But here's the thing: Every body is a bikini body. (That is, if you want to wear a bikini.) You don't have to get it or work for it or earn it. All you really need to do is wear a bikini. Boom, done.
Photo courtesy of swimsuitsforall/Michael Edwards
Every body is beautiful in its own way but we are often told otherwise. It's drilled into us from a young age that unless we look like a very specific, narrow standard of beauty, then we don't deserve to feel comfortable and cute on the beach. Model Robyn Lawley and noted fashion blogger GabiFresh decided to push back at this ideal by creating swimwear that makes you feel sexy no matter what your size. (Oh and it's not just bikinis. The swimwear line features a wide range of styles, prices and, yes, sizes.)
Photo courtesy of swimsuitsforall/Michael Edwards
The calendar shows lots of gorgeous shots of models lounging on towels and smiling while running through the surf. To show how serious they are about body acceptance and confidence, the girls even recreated the legendary topless photo from Sports Illustrated's 50th anniversary swimsuit edition.
Photo courtesy of swimsuitsforall/Michael Edwards
"I think all bodies should be celebrated," GabiFresh told TODAY.com. "Beauty comes in all forms."
The idea was born when rumors started circling the fashion community that this year's Sports Illustrated cover would finally feature a plus-sized model. Instead the cover ended up featuring three skinny models. "When the issue came out and that didn’t happen, we were disappointed and decided to do our own calendar shoot around the idea that curvy women — and all women — are sexy in swimwear and sexy to men," said Moshe Laniado, president of Swimsuits for All.
Photo courtesy of swimsuitsforall/Michael Edwards
"I think there needs to be more publications and campaigns so that people can look at these things and think 'Wow, I look like these women and they feel confident and sexy and they’re portraying my body shape,'" said Jada Sezer, one of the other lovely ladies featured in the calendar.
Because, as GabiFresh summed it up, "having curves doesn’t mean you can’t look and feel sexy in a swimsuit."
Hear, hear!
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