The Nexus: Body Positivity, Self-Acceptance and Fashion

 

By Olufunmilola Oludare

Photo Credit: BBC

I love to call Pinterest my comfort app and sometimes, my guilty pleasure. It’s a place that allows me to escape reality's constraints; the outfits I'd never dare wear, styles that defy my body type, and fashion trends that make bold statements. At the end of my trip through the endless feed, I’m forced to reckon with a commonplace truth: my perception of what tickles my fancy is often distorted by the opinions of others and the insecurities I’ve learned to deny. And yet, with each Pinterest session, I’m reminded that I have the will to wear whatever makes me feel confident, adopt any style that makes me feel good, and break the social stereotypes that meet beauty standards. 

There is mostly the only option for me and every other person who this shoe fits: to continue chasing individual beauty standards or to go on a shopping spree of self-acceptance, confidence, self-love and body positivity. It’s not cheap but it’ll be worth the effort.

Beauty standards are often suffocating, the body positivity movement challenges the status quo. It’s a unifying cry for self-love, self-acceptance, and self-confidence, allowing individuals to celebrate their unique bodies. Regardless of size, shape, race, gender, or ability, this movement breaks the unrealistic expectations built by societal norms. But the journey to self-acceptance is rarely easy. 

The pressure to conform can be taxing for those whose physical characteristics deviate from the norm. The constant show of glass-skinned models, flawless celebrities, and near-perfect influencers can take away the strongest sense of self-worth. Whenever this comes to mind, I remember Ayra Star when she visited UI. What struck me most wasn’t her physical attributes, but the radiant glow that seemed to emanate from within. Someone observed that Ayra’s beauty wasn’t a question of how fair or dark her skin is, she gave the golden girl vibes. This suggests that beauty has nothing to do with skin colour, size, or physical proportions. Many people try to alter their appearance, chasing an unattainable ideal. But the consequences of such attempts are often disastrous, leading to physical, emotional, and psychological harm that can linger for years.

Fashion is a medium by which people express the state of their mind, it offers an avenue for self-expression and acceptance. It’s a language that defines words, allowing individuals to convey their personality and the impression they want to create in people’s minds. It is not only about the dress, the hair or the jewellery. It includes the carriage and comfort in whatever fashion and style choices. 

Posture is also an important concept to take into consideration. Posture is important in self-expression. A confident stride, a straight back, and a radiant smile say a lot about one’s self-worth and esteem. While some imperfections may be impossible to change, fashion offers a way to celebrate ourselves regardless. It is important to maintain good posture. However, scars are beautiful, covering up and revealing a little less of these imperfections is also not a bad idea. Perhaps, we can all decide not to care after all about fashion and everything in between tends more to subjectivity than objectivity. The same applies to fashion. A skinny person may wear body-con dresses while a plus-sized person can go for the baggy aesthetics, a person with albinism may explore light-coloured dresses such as yellow and dark-skinned people may as well rock darker dresses. The most important thing is that we all own up to the version of ourselves that we love to see, the version that raises our heads. In the end, fashion is a form of self-love. It’s about embracing our individuality, rather than trying to conform to someone else’s ideal. The world will a

djust.