Mimosas and Manhattan | Spring Break

Photos by | Courtney Seamon

Number 2 Bikini | Mara Hoffman

Number 3 Bikini | ASOS

Black Bikini w/ tribal detail | Target

Hot Pink Bikini | Target – in store (similar here)

So let’s talk Spring Break and bathing suit shopping. Mine and most likely every girl’s least favorite thing in the world. Body image and being a woman, at least for me, has gotten increasingly harder as I’ve gotten older. In high school I don’t even think I double checked the mirror when I was in my bikini on spring break in Panama City, FL with my friends. Now all I can think about is how I will look on the beaches of Punta Cana this coming March. I’ve never really been a girl into the whole diet and exercise thing. I have always been very athletic but when I got to college I discovered that I had a fast metabolism and could eat anything and everything and didn’t need to hit up the gym. That all stopped a few years later when I studied abroad in Italy. I ate a pizza a day and gained 10-15lbs upon landing back in America. All the sudden I became obsessive about losing weight, only to realize that this was not at all who I am, and I was doing it all for the wrong reasons. I learned that it is never ever a bad thing to lead a healthy lifestyle but it is how you go about it that is right or wrong. I have always been a confident and comfortable person in myself but sometimes you get caught up in trying to have the “perfect body.” Many girls my age go through what I have gone through and sometimes it is really hard and takes such a toll on our self esteem. But no one is ever alone. Rock that bikini through confidence and smiles. Rock it through eating pizza or fries. Never be ashamed of the person you are. To this day I attend yoga classes and eat healthy when I can but my ultimate advice is that obsessing over your body will just make you go crazy. Being actively healthy makes you feel better but no matter what, always remember to embrace it and embrace yourself. You are beautiful with or without a six pack and you are beautiful even if you want to order a burger over a salad. If you are a Bloomington resident and are not fond of the gym, check out Vibe Yoga! I highly recommend and go around 4-6 times a week. It makes me feel spiritually and physically improved after every class.

Something I’m doing to try and stop this epidemic among women is being aware of what I am saying. While watching TV, such as the Oscars, I found myself blurting out… “Whoa she has gained weight,” and in that moment realizing that us women are the ones starting this trend. We are the ones making it okay for boys to talk about our weight behind our backs. It starts with the strong women here. Even if it is a character on a television show, I am making the effort to be more conscious of how hurtful those words are.

Okay… onto fashion!!! The bathing suits in the second picture are mine for my upcoming trip! They were both purchased from Target and when downloading their Cartwheel app (click here) you can save up to 10%!!

I hope this little guide helps depending on if you want a steal or splurge, reach out for any other questions.

xoxox