Big thanks to Ashe of {Putting the} Ash in Fashion for including me in her Beautiful Bodies series! Beautiful Bodies is a regular feature on Ashe’s blog in which she interviews bloggers (real people!) about the very sticky subject of body image—namely our own.
It’s a funny thing that fashion and body image are more closely tied to each other than, say, food careers and body image. Although being a chef is a hot career path, no one seems to talk much about the effects those meals have on our bodies. More often than not, it’s all Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, with a side of chili cheese fries and no repercussions. The fat chef? Totally acceptable—and expected. Yet, fashion, which is obviously very focused on outward appearances, is more attuned to body image issues and health, and clothes do NOT contribute to heart disease or diabetes. Hmm.
That said, we all tend to forget that 18-year-old models still have time (and metabolism) on their sides. Sure, they can say, “I’m just naturally skinny,” and it’s true. As a 40-year-old woman, I appreciated the opportunity to speak candidly about the reality of maintaining my appearance and health. Jump over to Ashe’s blog to read Beautiful Bodies: Interview with Vahni / Grit and Glamour.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
@arashmazinani
September 22, 2012
I loved the interview V!
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@JTwisdom
September 22, 2012
Great interview Vahni, very real! Being healthy and being at a weight that is right for my body shape and height is really where it matters for me. Also,photo airbrushing in magazines to me is a false representation of what a woman should like because we are all different so it’s a complete facade. Getting my eyes off the media and focusing on what a healthy weight is for me keeps me on the mark.
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@oh_ashe
September 22, 2012
You, and your interview, came up today while I was chatting with an old co-worker and friend at Trashy Diva. We were talking about weight loss, and how much it REALLY does take work to maintain one’s body at a healthy weight. Once again, I appreciate your candor, and I loved the commenter (Cassie) who was so thrilled to see someone talk about plastic surgery in a positive way.
Ashe @ Ash in Fashion’s latest post: Beautiful Bodies: Interview with Vahni / Grit and Glamour
@princessmarthad
September 22, 2012
I love this!!!
I didn’t know of her blog and now I will definitely follow it…
What a great way to talk about something that is so relevant in all we do, wear, write about.
XOXO
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@whatupchick
September 23, 2012
I agree with you about plastic surgery. If it makes a person feel more confident and it doesn’t hurt them, then I’m all for it. After many years of feeling self-conscious about my nose (which looked just like my Dad’s), I had rhinoplasty at 38. Everyone said my new nose looked very natural, and I felt SO much more comfortable. I just wished that I had done it sooner!
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@Heatherfonseca
September 23, 2012
Great interview vahni! I really enjoyed it.
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@Styleeveryday
September 24, 2012
I also loved this interview and was so motivated by your honesty and commitment to being healthy and looking great at the same time.
I’ve always tried to live by the motto “Look good, feel good.” Whether we like it or not, liking the way we look makes us feel better. That’s why I was glad to see you talk openly about your cosmetic surgery. If that’s what you wanted to do to make you feel great about yourself, I’m glad you did it!
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@ladyofashion
September 28, 2012
I loved the feature Vahni! Enjoy your weekend! x
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@lolarocksme
October 1, 2012
Great feature, and I also agree with your views on plastic surgery. If it makes you feel good, go for it!
@shoesaremymuse
October 1, 2012
I’m looking forward to reading this, body image can certainly be a sensitive subject but not one I think should be avoided.
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@gritandglamour
October 2, 2012
Thank you all for your lovely comments, and for sharing your thoughts on body image, here and on Ashe’s blog!
@ladylux
October 19, 2012
Thank you for such an open and honest interview. Women all around the world struggle with this issue and it’s so great to see features like this. It’s so important to love yourself inside and out and body image can play such a huge role in that. Keep up the great work!
Xoxo, @LadyLUX
Thanks for the link to the interview, will check it out right away! I think it’s great that women of all ages talk about body image, since, like you say, young naturally skinny teenagers don’t really speak for most women, and personally I find them rather uninteresting to read about
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