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Like many people, I've struggled severely with body image for more than half my life. I’ve detailed my journey from crushing self-doubt and internalized fat-phobia to the confident woman I am today in many articles for Refinery29, including my most recent takedown of the term “flattering.” Because of my candidness, people often ask how I was able to adopt the body-friendly mindset I have now, as if there’s one magical tip I could offer to transform the way they view themselves. Everyone has their own road to walk — no two people's personal progress is identical. But one of the first things that set me on my positive path was reading plus-size style blogs.
When style blogging first became a thing, I felt like I could never be part of that scene, considering the websites I’d frequent were filled with lean women who could “pull off” outfits that I’d never dare wear. So I dug deeper: I knew there were tons of people out there who looked like me. The first plus blogger I found was Gabi Gregg, then known as “Young, Fat & Fabulous.” The fact that she had embraced the word “fat” enough to put it in the title of her site stirred something inside me, and I devoured every post she had. Seeing a woman shaped similarly to me wearing everything I wanted to was all the motivation I needed to actually begin my own blog. And though some people and websites knock on bloggers — see Vogue’s recent bloggergate — I still find them inspiring.
That's why I gathered confidence-boosting tips from some of my favorite plus fashion bloggers ahead. Their advice is both unrivaled and relatable, and it'll remind you that no style risk is too daring — and that, if you haven't already, it's time to start wearing what you want to.
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