Your Five "Flaws" That Are Absolutely Beautiful ft. Iskra

body positivity

Jun 10

Written By

We are so excited to finally share this post with you all! But before we start spreading all this self-love, allow us to give you the background story!Late last year, we flew out to to NYC after we submitted Sarah for a creative project and she was chosen by one of her biggest role models: Iskra Lawrence! After the shoot we went out for cheesecake, ended up spending most of the day with Iskra and became fast friends. Iskra is one of those rare people who is so insanely beautiful and wildly successful while still being humble, kind, and genuine. We had a blast with her and her team, and Robbie even became friends with Iskra’s awesome father, Doug! It’s not often you get to become friends with one of your role models, and we feel lucky to call Iskra a friend. Before we even met her, she was so inspiring because of all the barriers she was breaking down in the fashion industry as a curvy model. Her work with Aerie and NEDA is helping so many women and girls around the world learn to love their bodies just as they are.After meeting Iskra in person, we started brainstorming ways we could join forces and further spread our passion for promoting body positivity and self-love. All these months later, this post is the result of that idea! A big thank you to Iskra and her wonderful parents for having us in her beautiful home and doing this body positive shoot. We hope that seeing two confident women celebrating their bodies will inspire you to do the same!We wanted to create something that would help all of you remember that no matter your shape or size, you are beautiful! There are so many aspects of being a woman that are critiqued daily in our society, and we want you to know that none of it matters, all that matters is how you feel about yourself. So whether you’re a size 2 or a size 22, a blonde or brunette, black or white, young or old, or whatever label others try to put on you, just remember: Love your body!!! We hope these unretouched photos shot right in Iskra’s own living room will remind you that true beauty is natural, real, and full of wonderful “flaws!”- Sarah & RobbieSpeaking of flaws, below are five things that women have been told they should change or hide, but that you should celebrate instead.(Looking for more of my body positive posts? You can check out Screw the Scale where I reveal how much I weigh, The F Word where I share a word I'm so sick and tired of hearing, or My Measurements where I share my bust, waist, and hip size.)Love your rollsHaving a flat stomach is probably the number one wish of every woman. But why?? Having a little squish {or big squish} is totally normal and doesn’t make you any less beautiful! In fact, Robbie always tells me that my "cute little side roll” and soft tummy is one of his favorite things about me. Don’t worry about the creases you get when you're sitting down, they’re totally natural and beautiful… just like you!Love your stretch marksStretch marks are a sign of your growth as a woman. They don’t make you less beautiful and they certainly don’t mean you are overweight. Almost every woman I know, skinny to curvy, has stretch marks. Don’t be ashamed of something that represents your body’s wonderful evolution over the years. I love this new movement of referring to stretch marks as ‘tiger stripes!’ Don’t look at them as scars, look at them as a symbol of being a strong, powerful woman.Love your thick thighsI also love the new term ‘mermaid thighs’ when referring to us ladies with thick thighs that touch! Long gone are the days where a thigh gap is used as a measuring stick for being sexy. I used to be so self-conscious of my thighs as a teenager. I remember when skinny jeans became a trend in high school and I bought a pair. I remember looking in the mirror and thinking how my thighs were literally twice the size of other girls. I would wear a swim skirt to the beach to cover them up. I realize now how silly that was and I hope you do too. When I first started dating Robbie, he looked at me like I was crazy when I told him I used to be self conscious about my thighs. “Your thighs are one of the sexiest things about you!” he said. He still reminds me of that to this day. My point is, thick thighs are beautiful and soft, they’re nothing to be ashamed of! There are so many gorgeous women out there slaying with their thick thighs and you can too! Get out there, rock that swimsuit, and show the world those sexy thighs!Love your arm hairThis one may seem random but to this day, the most DMs I’ve ever received on Instagram was on this topic. I once posted a photo to my Stories of me wearing my new Michele watch and soon after I received a message from a stranger saying that my arm hair was gross and that I should shave it before taking photos of my arms. Instead of ignoring it or letting it bother me, I screenshotted the message and posted it on my Stories to let other women know that they shouldn’t be ashamed of their arm hair either. I received literally hundreds of messages over the next 24 hours of girls and women sharing their stories of being shamed for their arm hair and being made to feel insecure about it. One of the most touching comments I received was from a girl who told me: “You are one of my favorite fashion bloggers and I have always noticed that you had dark arm hair like me so I just assumed it was okay for me to have it too.” Don’t let anyone make you feel insecure about your body! Having arm hair is so natural and you don’t have to shave it if you don’t want to!Love your cellu-lit!Contrary to popular belief, cellulite has nothing to do with how fit or out of shape you are. Don’t believe me? Serena Williams has cellulite and she is one of the greatest female athletes to ever walk the planet. Ashley Graham is a professional model, works her ass off in the gym to maintain her famous curvy physique, and she has cellulite. Cellulite is something that countless women have in various places and it’s not something that should be looked down upon! Again, it’s a natural part of being a woman and no one should have to apologize for it. Forget your worries about cellulite and celebrate your cellu-lit!undies: Aerie my white tee Iskra's white bra {actually a bikini top!}