Even for someone who loves fashion, shopping can be nerve-wracking. When the shopping is online, the effect is doubled. Fashion is incredibly important to me as a means of self-expression, but it can be really hard to find clothes that fit right—I don’t have the idealized “hourglass” proportions, and seeing models with only one body type can be highly discouraging when I’m trying to decide if an item will look good on me.
A couple of weeks ago, I got an email from Modcloth advertising new swimsuits for the season. Not only was there a fine selection of styles, but also a variety of body types on their models. Modcloth does this often, especially with their #StyleForAll campaign, and it’s always refreshing to see that there really is no “mold” for beauty—it comes in all shapes and sizes. Seeing such body diversity in swimsuit promotion was especially powerful, because that’s the area where women are often made to feel the most self-conscious. Bodily insecurities are rampant, to the point to which they’re perceived as the norm. All women want to be skinner, right? I see countless ads every day berating me about shaping and toning my curves, losing weight fast, getting bikini-ready, eating this, not eating that, etc. I’ve personally spent way too much time worrying about wide hips and belly fat, to the point where I’m terrified of anything the slightest bit too tight or too short. It’s quite honestly crippling, especially in the summer, when shorts and tank tops are a must. And I can’t help but think, this can’t be normal.So why do so many people push women’s bodies to look a certain way? This is not to say that it’s not important to be physically fit. But being fit does not have a single “look”—every person’s body is built differently, and healthiness is going to look different on everybody. And fashion is not reserved exclusively for the “model figure.” Everyone has the right to dress their body in a way that makes them feel good. This is at the heart of the #StyleForAll campaign, which features a diverse array of inspiring women expressing themselves through clothing. Plus, the site allows customers to submit outfit photos for inspiration, which once again showcases all sorts of figures and their creativity in creating an ensemble. I’ve loved Modcloth for a long time. At first, it was just for the aesthetic of their items, but I now find their company philosophy even more compelling, which gives me even greater motivation to support them by buying their products (sorry, wallet). I never feel threatened the way I might normally while shopping, and when I see their images and read their reviews, it’s a really solid reminder that I don’t need to be a certain size to feel confident and beautiful. Moreover, the juxtaposition of vintage-esque items with diverse body types challenges society’s long-standing dictation of what the female body should look like. There are a lot of clothing companies out there, and many who support body diversity, but Modcloth will always have that special place in my heart.