The world is embracing the word ‘body-positive,’ concerning fashion and beauty standards.
Being body positive is all about loving the body that you’re in, and making it work for you. It’s about realizing that you aren’t limited, to a particular fashion size, to be a part of fashion trends. It’s all about making peace with your flaws.
Earlier on, I knew that the standard beauty ideas were being tall, thin and with straight hair. It was a subconscious thing since most people look to fashion houses and publications to learn more about what’s en vogue.
Currently, there are several tutorials focused on looking after natural African hair including protective hairstyles and different head wraps. A lot of men and women are going back to their roots by embracing their natural hair. The natural curls that come out, when stylists don’t over manipulate hair, with heat and chemicals that relax and weaken hair.
However, hair care is a personal thing, so you can still wear wigs and weaves if that’s what makes you comfortable.
Being body positive also means embracing bodies that defy traditional beauty ideals. One example is how culture is embracing curvy artists like Nicki Minaj and Lizzo. With Nicki Minaj, her body transformation before plastic surgery after it is a big difference. It proves that people are free to do what they feel is right for aesthetic purposes.
On the other side, plus-size models are pushing the boundary and creating a more realistic outlook on beauty. You can open a fashion magazine and see variety in body shapes.
“You’ve got to love what you have because it is the only body that has been given,” Ashley Graham says in Vogue, November 2014.
Slick Woods has a gap tooth, & isn’t what you’d typically expect, but she’s still making strides, being a part of the Fenty tribe. She was selected to model for Rihanna’s fashion line.
Nigerian model Adetutu has tribal marks, on her face & she tweeted Rihanna so that she could get discovered. Rihanna followed her back on Twitter. Yaay, social media. I mean who would have expected it.
Duckie Thot is very dark & glossy and almost feels like a doll. Her blackness feels very surreal and a few decades ago, it would have been hard for her, to launch her modelling career.
Winnie Harlow has vitiligo. Her skin has different colour patches, and nothing can change that. She’s embraced it and used it to crack the modelling world. She was once a participant, on America’s Next Top Model, cycle 21 by Tyra Banks.
So it doesn’t matter if you’re covered in stretch marks from head to toe.
Or cellulite runs across your thighs with small dips, here and there. It’s all about standing in front of the mirror and repeating body-positive statements to yourself.
Nairobi Fashion Hub wishes you love as you spend extra time with yourself.