I am 4'10", a whopping 120 pounds, and have curves that I am a little too proud of. I wear glasses and adore shopping in the clearance section of Urban Outfitters, where I only buy the loose-fitting men's clothes. I don't wear makeup every single day and, sometimes, I have split ends in my hair. I live by the phrase "it's not how you look, it's how you feel," and I tell myself this every morning while I get dressed for the day. So, what does all that say about me?
It says that I will never be a Victoria's Secret model.
And that's totally okay with me! Like the vast majority of us ladies, being tall, thin, and physically fit just wasn't the plan. Whether it's a genetic thing or a lifestyle thing, we don't fit into society's rigid standards of perfection. Personally, I don't need to be picture-perfect to feel good about myself. I am flawed, but my flaws are only determined by the society we live in. Thankfully, societal standards are subject to change over time, and we live in a society that is veering away from the standard indicating that the only beautiful women are tall, thin, and blonde. But still, I am imperfect.
We can see this shift in the Victoria's Secret fashion show, as they have instituted their most diverse lineup of supermodels ever for their 2017 fashion show. Does that mean we'll be seeing a curvy model anytime soon? Probably not. But, as much as I want to detest it, I really can't. Society has associated the term "supermodel" with the tall, thin, and beautiful woman for too long now, and standards like this won't change for a very long time. Victoria's Secret only adheres to this standard, just like most other clothiers do. I, too, have been conditioned to believe that, when someone says the word "supermodel," I picture a Jenner or a Hadid in my mind without hesitation.
But this doesn't discourage me from realizing that I, too, am beautiful. I don't need society or thousands of followers on my social media profiles to tell me this because I don't need to walk a runway in a bra and underwear on global television to prove my radiance. In all honesty, I'd probably feel much worse about myself if I did do that. After all, supermodels probably don't get to watch pageants and fashion shows on the couch with their mom in their pajamas while eating a pint of Ben and Jerry's. So, tell me, what are us imperfect girls missing out on? Literally nothing!
And, when all is said and done, I am a short, curvy girl who loves not looking "beautiful" all-day-every-day and is definitely NOT a model. Hell, I'm not even photogenic! I am totally okay with how I look, feel, and act (almost) all the time because I do what makes me happy. I hope every girl can feel this way, regardless of how well they fit into society's definitions of "beauty" and "perfection". We can't all be Angels because we just weren't built that way. But that's okay!
God has another plan for you, so be happy with who you are. I know I am.
