I'm happy to say that I'm finally a proud owner of mustard colored tights. As someone with so-called thunder thighs, I've always been told to stay away from bright colors because they draw more attention to unwanted areas. "You must wear dark bottoms and light tops," they said. For many years, I'd only wear black tights because black is more "slimming". Well, that kind of mentality was bothering me for a while. I'm already a very shy person who ironically likes things that tend to attract people's attention. But finally I said screw it. I'm going for it. And I'm happy I did. It was such a wonderfully contrasting color to all the black I was wearing.
And in lieu of Thanksgiving Day, I'm thankful for these legs. I'm thankful for many things in fact, but especially thankful now for these strong, powerful legs that have carried me from here to there all these years. There was a time when I hated them. I absolutely hated them. I remember clearly a time when I was still part of my Catholic youth group. I experienced awful remarks and passive aggressive comments and actions about my legs - about my body. I recall one of the most hurtful things that occurred to me under the watchful eye of God. I was sitting in church waiting for mass to start and one of my youth group leaders was sitting beside me. He looked down at my legs and stretched out his hand, using it as a ruler to gauge the width of my thigh. He then shook his head and laughed in disbelief at how large they were. I was terribly mortified, the hot rush of shame flooding my face. And I was so, so angry. I was a young girl then, probably a junior in high school. A crucial period in life where I was budding into adulthood.
I laugh now at that memory and am very thankful that I still have legs to walk on. These strong, powerful legs.
Happy Thanksgiving!
***
What I wore:
Bodysuit: F21 (similar)
Pinafore: F21
Tights: F21
Boots: Diba
Photos: John & me
Oh my! It is so weird how people feel entitled to make such rude statements about our bodies? I totally get what you felt when that man acted the outrageous way that he did... I have pretty muscular legs myself and my body is different from my mother's so I used to hear (and still do!) that I was big and heavy a lot ever since I entered puberty and lost my childhood birdlike stature. I've only recently started seeing that I may not, in fact, be large.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it struck me as strange to read the first sentences of your post. I've been following your blog ever since you started writing and not once have I thought there was anything out of the ordinary about your thighs. I mean, you are such a tiny, petite person and that's what I see. But however you feel about your legs, I'm happy you've come to terms with them. It's good to appreciate one's body! :)
Thank you, Klara, for the thought felt comment. I can totally relate to you about my body being different from my family's and hearing comments about being big and heavy all through my childhood. It's certainly hasn't been easy but I've grown past that now. Hope you're doing well, dear! :)
Delete