All you will have seen from me recently are snaps, photos and tweets about my recent holiday to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. It was a blissful two weeks - a balance of pure relaxation, exploring the local area and completing a few experiences off of my never-ending bucket list. Over the course of the fortnight, I learnt a lot of things about myself and had no worries weighing me down. My head space became inexpressibly clear, reviving my creativity and motivation - something I lacked a lot of during exam season due to stress and anxiety. Not only did these breath-taking landscapes clear my head, they also reminded me to focus on things that would improve my lifestyle and make me feel better.
Number 1 being my self-confidence. This is something that is very difficult for anyone going to, or on, holiday due to the endless media pressures and 'beach body' expectations. It is insane that there is pressure to have this 'perfect', idealistic model prior to even stepping on the plane. For months leading up to my holiday, I succumbed to this pressure - not only because of the pre-made expectation but because I was simply not happy with my weight. I had gained a lot of weight over winter 2016 and I seriously wanted to lose some weight. Unfortunately, I was struggling with money over this time period too so I had to cancel my gym membership. This made it slightly more difficult for myself - I had to pluck up determination and motivation to achieve significant results in such a short amount of time, as well as balancing my time sufficiently in the middle of exam season. Over this period, it was so tough and I struggled with it a lot; however, it heightened the holiday even more when we arrived in Puerto Vallarta. I could forget all of my worries that were waiting for me 5,677 miles away at home. Overall, I managed to lose just over a stone, which I was, and still am, super proud of - I couldn't believe I managed to stick to healthier eating and regularly exercising. This inevitably made me so much happier in myself, and the way I looked, which allowed me to dress how I wished and feel confident in myself. In no way at all am I saying that you have to lose weight to feel happy on holiday - I had just gained significant weight and it was healthy for me to lose it in a long-term way. There are many other ways to improve confidence on holiday, more of which I will be covering in the rest of this post...
Before I carry on talking about confidence, I thought I would talk about one of the outfits that made me feel happy, confident and care-free when on the beach. Both the kaftan and sunhat are from UK Swimwear - a brand that self-explanatory sell a vast variety of swimwear, cover-ups and beach accessories. The main component of the outfit is Iconique's stunning white Paloma Kaftan. The Boho-style and laced crotchet detail lining the bottom and neck of the piece, instantly made the item look Mexico-esque. The lightweight material and loose-fitted design allowed comfort in the scorching 40 degree heat - comfort is a huge thing for me, as comfort equals confidence. If my beachwear is too tight in the wrong places or clings to areas that made me feel discomfort, I find it very difficult to feel 100% good in the outfit. I was so happy with how beautiful this fit my figure - the float-y cut out arms and lace trimming made me feel super elegant and feminine whilst strolling along the beach. This was the first time I've actually felt completely confident in my beach attire on holiday, so that made me extremely excited. I would also like to thank UK Swimwear for sending along a Sun Hat from Gottex to accompany the white lace body. The black and gold combination complemented the bright white kaftan - all three tones worked together to complete the beach goddess vibe I was attempting to master. A loose floppy hat was utilised well during my trip - protecting my face and scalp from the intense heat, as well as looking stylish on the beach. I love the loose clothing, floppy hat combo and will continue to dress similarly for future beach holidays. I cannot get over how incredible these two products look together.
Remaining within my personal comfort zone is something I am very guilty of doing, especially when it comes to clothing. I would love to wear some of the crazy, quirky outfits that models work on the front cover of magazines or the laid-back, street style that some bloggers can pull off. However, I always seem to opt for the same style of clothing and fitting. When hauling the clothes for my Mexican holiday over on my Youtube Channel, I realised that I had actually stepped ridiculously out of my comfort zone. This made me very nervous but excited to try something new and a greater reflection of what I want to wear. Two weeks away allowed me to experiment with my style, ensuring I was happy, comfortable and felt 100% me in my new outfit choices. Whenever you have some free time, try some new outfit combinations in your wardrobe and you will be surprised at what you master up. I never thought I would pair some things that I owned together but I honestly loved the outfits I managed to conjure up. You don't even need to go out and purchase lots of new clothing, I bet you there are several pieces in your closet that you had no idea would look incredible when worn simultaneously. Sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone is a risk, but more than worth it!
What are your tips to stay body confident during the summer period? Do you find it just as hard as I do?
Lots of love
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This outfit was gifted by UK Swimwear; however, all opinions are honest and my own.
I, personally, loved this article. It talks about freeing yourself from your struggles. Also how we stress and have anxiety over fears that we have developed overtime and that to be happier, we need to let go. Of people, certain sentiments, materialistic items and whatever it is that troubles us.
ReplyDelete