https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts Style Advice for Fashion Lovers en-US Wed, 08 Apr 2026 23:22:46 +0000 http://bbpress.org/?v=1.0.2 q https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/search.php https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-873647 Sun, 10 Mar 2013 20:59:26 +0000 Irene 873647@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Ooops, sorry, didn't remember that. </p> <p>Well then, I guess it's different in that case. I want to think women of a certain age know how to appropriately dress themselves. And while I randomly see women dressing inappropriately AT ALL AGES, it is not that common for me to find a woman in her earlier twenties dressed like a brat, at least in Spain. I do find that sort of 'dressing style' on younger girls... </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-873345 Sun, 10 Mar 2013 15:36:51 +0000 Traci 873345@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Irene, I get where you are coming from, but the original article referenced girls in their late teens and early twenties. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-873313 Sun, 10 Mar 2013 15:10:05 +0000 Irene 873313@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Traci, Lena Dunham is 24. I also believe she is quite mature, even for her age. She is the owner of her own bussiness. She is making her own money and paying her own bills. And she is an independent, working adult that actually shows a good self-esteem of her as a person. She is intelligent, knows it and flaunts it every single time she opens her mouth, maybe even too much. AND I think she looks great in that outfit, which is showing off her legs but not her upper body (te shorts could have been a bit longer though). She actually knows how to dress herself in a flattering way, and that's easy to see when you watch 'Girls', since almost none of the outfits Hannah (fictional character) wears flatter the actress' body, whereas what she wears on TV interviews or formal events make her look much better. Hannah has no clue as to what flatters her body and doesn't even care, but I think Lena does. </p> <p>Teenagers, on the contrary, are known for their low self-esteem, and it doesn't really have to do with whether they are good-looking or not. It is a rule that almost every teenager has low self-esteem. Either they are growing into a body that's 'weird' and different from what they were used to as kids, or they are NOT growing into any new body while the rest of their peers do, which also affects their self-esteem. The truth is, teenagers don't like to be unqiue. Even those who claim they want to be unique want to find other teenagers that dresslook/think like they do. They need to belong to a group. And they want to look like some of their peers. If your peers dress like that, so do you. Whether it looks good or not is almost irrelevant. </p> <p>The problem is that when I was 12, I dressed like a child. All of my peers did. We wore patterned leggings and comfortable cotton tees and sweatpants and trainers. We had the occasional girly dress or suit for formal events. That was it. And this wasn't even that long ago. Now I see 5 years old dressing like I would: tight jeans, tall boots, blouse. They go dressed like this to school. And while they look extremely cute and stylish, it's hard for them to distinguish themselves from the adults. They dress like their mothers and their teachers! So when they start developing and having the body of a young woman, they dress like such. And because they are exploring their sexuality like there is not tomorrow, they want to attract older boy's attention, which is why they show so much skin.</p> <p>- Done with the rant lol </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-873287 Sun, 10 Mar 2013 14:45:09 +0000 annaj 873287@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think it's great to be confident and have a healthy body image, but to me, that also means that it doesn't need to be on display! Like others have said - it still needs to be "appropriate". You can look great without showing too much. The "no pants" example above would have looked so much better (to me) if it was a few inches longer - she could still show plenty of leg (and look great doing it), but there was no need to see her entire thigh! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-873209 Sun, 10 Mar 2013 12:53:01 +0000 Traci 873209@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Thanks for sharing the article, Hil. It made me think of this "incident" from a few months back.</p> <p><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/gossip/lena-dunham-appears-sans-pants-event-article-1.1172018" rel="nofollow">http://www.nydailynews.com/ent.....-1.1172018</a></p> <p>Lena Dunham wore this outfit and was blasted for having the nerve to share her soft thighs with the world. I was sort of stunned when I read the comments. I don't find the top to be the most flattering, but why is it that this outfit not working becomes all about her body, while an outfit that doesn't work or flatter a slimmer celebrity is all about the outfit being wrong?</p> <p>While I agree with the other ladies here that part of body acceptance is wanting to dress your body in clothes that fit and flatter, I do think we can get very wrapped up in the idea that only certain people can wear certain types of clothes. I would argue that no young lady should be flaunting her parts in shorty shorts and belly baring tops, not just the non-skinny ones.</p> <p>The more I think of it, we've discussed here quite a bit the idea that figure flattery is not the top priority for some women and that it is okay. That begs the question for me...Is it only okay to not care about figure flattery if it's really clear to the observer that you have a rockin' bod underneath those layers? Would Man Repeller be applauded and adored if she were +50lbs? or is that sort of edginess only for the slim and young? </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-873160 Sun, 10 Mar 2013 10:21:48 +0000 RoseandJoan 873160@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Well said Echo. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-873034 Sun, 10 Mar 2013 02:35:01 +0000 Echo 873034@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>And the other perspective is that young women are dressing in things that are too tight, too small, too short , too low-cut and otherwise too revealing because they believe that their only value lies in their sexuality. I think that's far more likely than the idea that young women have suddenly thrown off the shackles of body dissatisfaction and embraced their shapes. </p> <p>When you embrace your shape and respect yourself, you dress in clothing that is occasion appropriate and that FITS. When you embrace your body, you realize the number on the tag is irrelevant compared to fit. Most of all, when you embrace your body, you realize that you are inherently beautiful and attractive and worthy of attention and love, and you don't feel the need to be falling out of your clothing and showing your bits and pieces to the world in a desperate bid to be noticed. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-872949 Sat, 09 Mar 2013 23:27:29 +0000 4babiesMe 872949@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I agree with what many others have said here. Today more than ever, young girls (and boys) are being flooded (through media, internet, hollywood, etc) with images of what girls/women *should* look like. (How often do we see an age-appropriate love interest cast for Nicolas Cage or Bruce Willis?) There is one radio announcer here who all she does is spots about lazer hair removal, lipsuction, tanning, implants, etc. And the billboards for these things are all over this state. </p> <p>Sadly, I doubt this results in young ladies being more comfortable with their bodies. In fact, it probably has the opposite effect on girls (and on boys expectations of girls). I don't doubt that many young girls are wearing these things because they are confident and comfortable with their bodies, but most are probably dressing that way because it's what their friends are wearing, it's what boys like, and/or it gives them attention; which makes them feel better about themselves. Frankly, it makes me afraid of what things will be like when my daughter is a teenager. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-871760 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 19:55:32 +0000 Mander 871760@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think that, at least for some teens, it's actually less about whether or not you look good in something (or think you do) as it is about being seen to wear the "right" clothes for whatever group you belong to, or aspire to belong to, and the situation. In this sense I think it's really overtly using clothes to communicate something about the wearer.</p> <p>As a fat person and an advocate of fat acceptance, I'd like to think that girls wearing too-small and unflattering clothes is a product of body acceptance, but I'm sure that for many it is not -- rather, it is an attempt to signal belonging to the "popular" group. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-871617 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 17:49:11 +0000 Irene 871617@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Embracing your own body should imply accepting that some things do not look good on you. It should also mean that your body deserves to be appropriately dressed. I am not sure these young girls are embracing their own bodies, to be honest: I think they are just looking for the attention they get. I can recall from my teen years that if you happened to be slim and pretty enough, guys would come to you no matter what. Yet if you were 'unathletic', as she puts it in the article, you had to show the world you were up to no good. Literally. I can recall a girl from my generation that did this. She was overweight yet wore tight and revealing clothes all the time. Probably wouldn't have gotten any attention from her male peers if she had been dressing like a normal teen. But she didn't, and she got the attention she was looking for: I once saw a guy grabbing her breasts, right in the middle of my school corridor. I wouldn't call that good self-esteem. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-871606 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 17:32:02 +0000 Raisin 871606@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>It's a very interesting perspective she's putting out there. Yes maybe some of these girls are dressing this way because they do accept their body and don't give a darn what anyone else thinks. That's certainly a healthy way of mind, IMO. I don't necessarily believe that's the case for most of them though. It's a place we should all strive to get to though, I know I do my best to accept mine and dress it as I like! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-871520 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 16:37:17 +0000 Anonymous 871520@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>That explains everything! (Living where it's hot exposes us to the cropped cami and denim diaper a LOT). I hope two things in the article are true: that young girls are okay with their bodies and that young men grow up realizing that women come in all shapes and sizes. BUT, I could do with a little more modesty in general, no matter what size the young girls are. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-871398 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 15:04:58 +0000 Greek Goddess 871398@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I agree with you, being proud of your body however it is shaped is a good thing but its no excuse for dressing badly or trying to squeeze into a much smaller size than you need. Actually, trying to do that shows you are NOT happy with the size your body is as you are hooked on the smaller label size (if you see what I mean).</p> <p> I grew up with a poor body image as I had been criticized so much as I was growing up. Eventually I rebelled completely and became a bodybuilder. Its only since I did it that I feel happy with the way I look. I no longer look like the ''norm'' and have stopped trying to conform to what others want, and I am much happier for it.</p> <p>I try on clothes and see if they fit me well and look good. I do not look at the label size but rather the cut of the clothes and if it will suit me. Then I try them on to see if they have a happiness factor to them. I like to see others expressing their personality by the way they dress, no matter what size they are. I must admit though, I hate some of the new fashion model photos where the models look anorexic and are made to stand in a submissive, victim like pose......it would never inspire me to buy the clothes and even less to buy the magazine. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-871306 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 14:17:17 +0000 Kalli 871306@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Hil I definitely agree with you that I love the idea that women/girls are embracing their bodies flaws in all. But also, I would hope they have what I read of as the sensibility to embrace the flaws but also make them attractive like dressing accordingly. However, I do believe the reason that they don't is because role models other than models are now existent however those role models are sending the wrong message such as people on some reality shows. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-871283 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 13:45:19 +0000 lyn* 871283@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I think there's a difference between acceptance of your body and wearing inappropriate clothing. I don't think that shorts should be "restricted" to people who wear under a size 6, but I think that people should be comfortable too. Clothes that are too revealing and short kind of show the opposite, I think - that you're uncomfortable with your body image and think that you are a different proportion than you actually are. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-871282 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 13:43:06 +0000 Parsley 871282@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I am 100% in favor of healthy body image, and loving and accepting the body you have, but I think part of accepting your body is learning to dress in a way that makes it look great.</p> <p>Skin-tight, overly revealing, an ill-fitting clothes don't send a message that you care about yourself, IMO. Youth is a time of experimentation, though, and I certainly can't say that I didn't make some questionable fashion choices as a teen. (well, I probably still do, actually!) </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-871266 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 13:17:19 +0000 Anonymous 871266@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>The only issue I have is that one should never dismiss the fact that dressing, is also about being appropriate for the situation. Ill fitting clothes is not the way to go for the more serious parts of being a young adult: College interviews, internships etc. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-871203 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 11:38:30 +0000 missvee 871203@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yes I agree with RoseandJoan. It's important to feel comfortable with your body no matter its size or shape, but ill fitting clothing does not say I'm comfortable, it just says I don't care (or I don't know). </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-871186 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 11:22:30 +0000 Molly L-R 871186@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Yes, as RoseandJoan says, when I see someone in ill-fitting clothes I'm liable to suppose it's unintentional and that the wearer doesn't really know what size they should be wearing nowadays, rather than a conscious statement of being proud of their body. Ultimately, wearing clothes that don't fit sends out the message that you don't have the time and/or inclination to shop for clothes that actually fit you. It signifies a lack of self care. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-871184 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 11:19:15 +0000 RoseandJoan 871184@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I don't know.</p> <p>Of course I think we should be accepting of our bodies and aim for good health rather than an it size but I'm not going to applaud ill fitting short shorts because the wearer is comfortable of her body. If you are truly accepting of your body it deserves clothes which fit. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-871178 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 10:43:07 +0000 Astrid 871178@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I like the idea of being comfortable in our own skin and bodies, but I'm not sure that 'dressing with the wild abandon they’re currently embracing' is a thing to wish for. Body image is a very important topic for all women (teens especially), that's true. And maybe she's right and these girls have accepted their bodies, but I don't think young girls should aspire to dress the way she's describing. They don't have any concept of what is appropriate and how clothes are supposed to fit, the way she writes it. I didn't have any concept of fit and proportions either before I found YLF, but at least I never showed as much skin as many teens are doing now. I do know that I will have a much easier time now to be dressed stylish and appropriate in adult life, on all occasions - because of what I learned here. Not because I looked at the way most of my contemporaries are dressing. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-871165 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 10:19:23 +0000 Thistle 871165@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>Ii really hope things are headed that way. Where we all find the beauty in all sizes and shapes. The human body is pretty amazing, and I am hopeful lots of body types will one day be a recognized and appreciated rather than the single body today idolized. </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-871163 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 10:10:50 +0000 rute 871163@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>That's the ideia that Angie is always talking about! We should be confirtable in our own skin and learn how to love our body! </p> https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/topic/body-image-thoughts#post-871147 Fri, 08 Mar 2013 08:15:39 +0000 Hil 871147@https://youlookfab.com/welookfab/ <p>I read this article today and I wondered what you all think...</p> <p><a href="http://www.women24.com/Wellness/BodyAndSpirit/Whats-with-the-short-shorts-20130306" rel="nofollow">http://www.women24.com/Wellnes.....s-20130306</a></p> <p>I like the idea of girls being comfortable with their bodies no matter their shape or size. </p>