Darté Lamptey, 25, Teaneck, NJ

When I was younger, I never thought much about my body or size, because I was a pretty active child and I felt pretty average. When I got to high school, my perception of myself began to change. I gained a substantial amount of weight and limited myself to wearing only sweatpants, basic jeans, and big tees to conceal my legs and stomach. It wasn't until senior year that I wore leggings for the first time, in order to break out of my comfort zone and begin my journey towards self-love.

When I began college, I started wearing whatever I wanted because, honestly, I didn't care about what other people thought anymore, until one weekend when I came home to visit family. It was a very hot day and my family was preparing to go to a barbecue. I decided to wear denim shorts and a nice T-shirt, because the outfit was simple and easy. But before I left the house, a family member said to me, "Maybe you shouldn't wear those shorts, because all your thighs are showing."

At that moment, all the self-confidence I worked so hard to build over the years disappeared, and I began to feel very negatively about myself. Why was it such an issue that I was comfortable enough with my body to wear shorts? After that incident, I realized I can't control other people's perception of me — but I can control my own. There were times after that statement when I fell into a depressive state and felt ugly, but I knew those perceptions weren't valid.

I continue to wear mini skirts, dresses, shorts, and even bikinis in the summer, because it's my body, whether or not everyone likes it. That's just a simple fact. But I love how I look more than ever. My curvaceous shape shows the beauty of my roots, where the women are naturally voluptuous and considered beautiful. I wouldn't change that for anyone's idea of what an "ideal" body should look like.