Wow it has been one hot minute since the last time I went swimming! Technically, it was back in 2019—on a company outing to Yogyakarta—but we were just splashing and fooling around in the water back then, so I wouldn’t call it swimming. The actual last time that I remember is in 2017, which is also the first and only time I had ever posted a swimwear outfit here on the blog. Well, the other day I was finally back in my true element and got to flip my imaginary fins around in the pool across the street from my house. I decided to go there during lunch time and managed to avoid the crowd—gotta love swimming on my own. Once I got my whole body submerged, the relaxed feelings took me back to the good old days. Gosh, I miss swimming so much!
Embracing Shapes
Wow it has been one hot minute since the last time I went swimming! Technically, it was back in 2019—on a company outing to Yogyakarta—but we were just splashing and fooling around in the water back then, so I wouldn’t call it swimming. The actual last time that I remember is in 2017, which is also the first and only time I had ever posted a swimwear outfit here on the blog. Well, the other day I was finally back in my true element and got to flip my imaginary fins around in the pool across the street from my house. I decided to go there during lunch time and managed to avoid the crowd—gotta love swimming on my own. Once I got my whole body submerged, the relaxed feelings took me back to the good old days. Gosh, I miss swimming so much!
Embracing Shapes
With summer upon us—and the dry season coming in hot in the tropics too—I’m sure the thought of getting into our swimwear and heading off to the beach or nearest body of water has gotten us so giddy inside. It also, however, tends to come with the pressure of having a ‘summer body’ that will look good in a swimsuit. But who’s to say what kind of body that would be? Should I be skinny/toned/curvy? What if I get all the muscles and curves in all the wrong places? Well, I say all bodies are gorgeous bikini bodies. Let’s show off our flabby guts and chubby arms! Let’s parade around our hairy legs and underarms, as nature intends for them to be! Let’s embrace our good, our bad and—especially—our ugly for what they are! We’ve got no other bodies but ours, so never shy away from celebrating it!
I haven’t always been this comfortable in my own skin. In fact, the last time I posted a swimsuit outfit, I was very self-conscious—which I talked about in full detail here. But, today I feel a lot more neutral when it comes to my body—and anyone else’s, for that matter. Recently, I’ve been seeing more people with bodies like mine show themselves and it has taught me that representation truly matters. Liz Morrow, Carrie Santana da Silva and Shanny Doots are among some of the names on the internet who inspire me, while IRL Agung plays a huge role in me accepting my body now. They have shown me that my body is completely normal. Also, we are a lot more than just our bodies, so why should we fixate so much on only a percentage of who we are?
With summer upon us—and the dry season coming in hot in the tropics too—I’m sure the thought of getting into our swimwear and heading off to the beach or nearest body of water has gotten us so giddy inside. It also, however, tends to come with the pressure of having a ‘summer body’ that will look good in a swimsuit. But who’s to say what kind of body that would be? Should I be skinny/toned/curvy? What if I get all the muscles and curves in all the wrong places? Well, I say all bodies are gorgeous bikini bodies. Let’s show off our flabby guts and chubby arms! Let’s parade around our hairy legs and underarms, as nature intends for them to be! Let’s embrace our good, our bad and—especially—our ugly for what they are! We’ve got no other bodies but ours, so never shy away from celebrating it!
I haven’t always been this comfortable in my own skin. In fact, the last time I posted a swimsuit outfit, I was very self-conscious—which I talked about in full detail here. But, today I feel a lot more neutral when it comes to my body—and anyone else’s, for that matter. Recently, I’ve been seeing more people with bodies like mine show themselves and it has taught me that representation truly matters. Liz Morrow, Carrie Santana da Silva and Shanny Doots are among some of the names on the internet who inspire me, while IRL Agung plays a huge role in me accepting my body now. They have shown me that my body is completely normal. Also, we are a lot more than just our bodies, so why should we fixate so much on only a percentage of who we are?
Ain't Tiny for a Bikini
Ain't Tiny for a Bikini
If I’m being honest, the tankini I wore last time hasn’t fit me in years—not even when I took the photos for the blog. I tried to fight it for so long, but after seeing how little of my body it covered in 2019, I knew I could no longer wear it. Well, at least not until a faraway, possibly imaginary future when my weight drops to what it was when I was, like, 22 or something. Last month I finally took the plunge and purchased a new bathing suit.
Meet this cute, reversible high-waisted bikini! ‘Reversible’ here means I could wear the top front-to-back, you know, not inside-out. After a long and hard consideration—since I qualify for plus size now, apparently—I decided to get this one in mustard because I was so smitten with it. I’ve always wanted a high-waisted bikini, since it’s feels so mod and giving me this strong, pinup vibes that I love so much.
If I’m being honest, the tankini I wore last time hasn’t fit me in years—not even when I took the photos for the blog. I tried to fight it for so long, but after seeing how little of my body it covered in 2019, I knew I could no longer wear it. Well, at least not until a faraway, possibly imaginary future when my weight drops to what it was when I was, like, 22 or something. Last month I finally took the plunge and purchased a new bathing suit.
Meet this cute, reversible high-waisted bikini! ‘Reversible’ here means I could wear the top front-to-back, you know, not inside-out. After a long and hard consideration—since I qualify for plus size now, apparently—I decided to get this one in mustard because I was so smitten with it. I’ve always wanted a high-waisted bikini, since it’s feels so mod and giving me this strong, pinup vibes that I love so much.
I was initially worried it would be too small for me—the lady at the (online) store said no one with my waist size has ever tried on the item before. However, it turns out to sit comfortably on my skin and hugs my figure nicely at the same time. I would say it even flaunts some of my best features—including the flabby belly that may send people questioning whether or not I have a bun in the oven. The colour compliments my skin tone perfectly and the cut shows off my waist beautifully. It even feels lightweight for shallow divings and multiple breaststrokes. Couldn’t have been happier with this purchase!
When I was little, swimming used to be my life. I would spend almost everyday in the pool. I remember throwing tantrums when my parents would keep me from taking a dip. And I even won a swimming contest on Independence Day in my neighbourhood. But, somehow, over the years I have been getting into the water less and less. It all kind of started out when I moved to Germany and a pool wasn’t as accessible as in Indonesia—I needed only to literally cross the street to get to one all my life. But, when I moved back home, I also didn’t swim as frequently anymore—between unsanitary pools and outgrowing my tankini, there was always an obstacle. So, when I finally went swimming again the other day, it was like I was reminded of who I was back before everything else happened. And I knew then: I belong in the water.
What is your relationship with water? How do you feel about your summer body?
I was initially worried it would be too small for me—the lady at the (online) store said no one with my waist size has ever tried on the item before. However, it turns out to sit comfortably on my skin and hugs my figure nicely at the same time. I would say it even flaunts some of my best features—including the flabby belly that may send people questioning whether or not I have a bun in the oven. The colour compliments my skin tone perfectly and the cut shows off my waist beautifully. It even feels lightweight for shallow divings and multiple breaststrokes. Couldn’t have been happier with this purchase!
When I was little, swimming used to be my life. I would spend almost everyday in the pool. I remember throwing tantrums when my parents would keep me from taking a dip. And I even won a swimming contest on Independence Day in my neighbourhood. But, somehow, over the years I have been getting into the water less and less. It all kind of started out when I moved to Germany and a pool wasn’t as accessible as in Indonesia—I needed only to literally cross the street to get to one all my life. But, when I moved back home, I also didn’t swim as frequently anymore—between unsanitary pools and outgrowing my tankini, there was always an obstacle. So, when I finally went swimming again the other day, it was like I was reminded of who I was back before everything else happened. And I knew then: I belong in the water.
What is your relationship with water? How do you feel about your summer body?