A woman in a swimsuit radiates confidence, celebrating her body and age with pride. Her presence serves as an inspiration to others, encouraging them to embrace self-love and acceptance. She embodies the belief that beauty transcends time and age, proving that true allure comes from within.
I have spent as long as I can remember hating my thighs. The pale mottled skin, the way they jiggle, the hair I dislike but have never been committed enough to do anything about. So perhaps it doesn’t make sense that I feel most at ease in my body when my thighs are bare for all to see. But if I had to pick one outfit that makes me feel truly confident it wouldn’t be a trusty pair of jeans or a favourite dress. It would be my swimsuit.
It’s not that my swimming costumes are particularly flattering. I can’t be bothered with stomach panels to compress my mum-tum or underwire to lift what has drooped post-breastfeeding. I choose swimsuits that are colourful but practical in simple shapes with comfort rather than style in mind. My confidence in my swimsuit doesn’t come from thinking I look good – it comes from not caring how I look. Because as soon as I pull on my swimsuit the body image issues that have plagued my whole life on dry land disappear.
Like so many women, I inherited body image issues from the women who raised me, who in turn were conditioned by the world around them. I grew up seeing images of female celebrities on the front pages of magazines unwittingly captured in their swimwear while on holiday, the photos enlarged to point out their “flaws”. No wonder I grew up hating my thighs. I never once heard a woman say she loved hers.
