Ahhh, summer! Sunshine, barbecues, long days by the water! But for some of us the thought of summer fills us with quiet dread at the prospect of surviving the sweatiest of seasons. All winter long we’re allowed to bundle up and bury our insecurities under forgiving layers of fabric- everyone looks pretty much the same once you throw on a thick sweater and a peacoat. But summer is a double edged sword, and it requires us to step out of our shell and expand our comfort zone in order to stay comfortable. We find it easier to make the transition with some of our favorite Texture Clothing confidence pieces by our side. Wear your Wide Scarf as a sarong, shrug off the sweaters and bare some shoulders in an easy Breezy Tunic. The same Comfy Skirt that you paired with leggings in the winter will add swishy hipped flair to any bathing suit you slip it over.

We all deserve to feel the sun on our skin and the stars in our hair, and letting go of a little self-consciousness is always a good exercise. Last summer at the Vancouver Folk Festival I was especially bloated and not feeling the greatest, but some new friends asked me if I wanted to go down to Jericho Beach to swim. I said “yes,” as one does on summer weekends, so that all possible experiences could be soaked up. Although I usually choose more form fitting clothes, I had worn a very large flowy dress that day because I didn’t want to fight my self esteem while trying to enjoy the music and dancing. I did, however, wear a pair of Ophelia Undies and a polka dot bikini top because I’d planned on laying in the sun…by myself.

The time came to get into the water. I took a deep breath, lifted my dress up and off and started to walk towards my friends at the waters edge. One complimented my body and the other commented on how much she liked my bikini, and asked where I got it! I breathed out. Why am I my own worst critic? At what point did I learn that? What if I were my best cheerleader? It’s somehow socially unacceptable, but perhaps I could just say those things in our heads until the confidence (not arrogance) shines through. What are your thoughts about all of this?

I want to talk to you about body image! Summer is always a good time to renew our social media efforts into putting body positivity out into the world. Texture Clothing wants to help put an end to body shaming and letting society police our appearance, and we want to help encourage self-acceptance and self-love!

You know when you go shopping with your best friend, and they’re helping you pick out clothes? You want their advice because they’re that perfect balance of honest, kind, and encouraging. They’re as quick to say “Nope! That is not a flattering look,” as they are to say “That looks amazing on you.” But would your best friend say to you “your arms are flabby and gross, you should probably cover them up” or “you can wear that when you lose 10 pounds”? I didn’t think so. Would you ever say those things to anyone else? I certainly hope not; they’re cruel things to say. So then, why would you ever say something that mean to yourself?

We’ve all been there, those “I hate my body” moments. I’ll admit to having those moments at least once a day, and statistically, most women do. That’s utterly heartbreaking to me, even though it’s something I myself do regularly. I know that sounds hypocritical, but for some reason, it’s so much easier to be kind to others than it is to be kind to myself. I think that’s something many of us experience. And that’s something I’m trying to change in myself; I want to be able to be just as kind and forgiving to myself as I am to others. It’s been hard, and some days I fail. The growth has been slow, almost imperceptible sometimes. But I know I’ve come a long way, and to continue to make progress, I try to surround myself with body positive imagery, ideas, words, and people.

And that’s what we want to try to help do for you.

And we hope it encourages you to seek out other body positive media.

And ultimately, we hope that we in some small way can help you along your path to self-love and self-acceptance. Because you are enough.