Want to be skinny?

Okay girls. Summer is coming up. We all know what that means. We begin looking at our bodies after they’ve been covered up all winter, fed with Christmas feast and Easter candy. Wanting to look good in swimsuits in a few months, most of us will begin to hate on our bodies. And for the majority of us, not a little hate, but a lot. We will then do things to our bodies that are less than healthy in order to achieve and “ideal” body, like a flat tummy and skinnier thighs.

This very popular "photograph" is almost all Photoshop. The girl's back, stomach, and most of her ribs were airbrushed out, arms and legs slimmed, legs lengthened by at least ten inches, hair added below the shoulders, etc. The retoucher completely REMOVED her navel and her left arm. She doesn't look like this in real life... this is not attainable by humans.- Julianna Young on Pintrest (excuse the slight nudity)

It’s no wonder we mistreat our body as society’s idea of beauty is unattainable for most human beings. Some of us will never have a completely flat belly, and some of us will always have thighs that touch.

The other day I received in the mail a Land's End swimsuit magazine. I opened it and began to look at the pictures, thinking this woman (pictured below) had a very nice body:

As I flipped through the magazine I came upon the sizes. 1XL, 2XL, 3XL. WHAT?! This is a plus size magazine???!!! I was horrified. If this is plus size, how in the world do they expect women to look like the models in regular sizes without being unhealthy? Here are some more pictures of these beautiful women.

Click to enlarge the picture 

I say these women are not plus size. Just because their thighs touch does not mean they are heavy. These women are curvy and feminine. Their bodies remind me a lot of Marilyn Monroe, who was, by the way, considered one of the most beautiful women of her time and loved by men everywhere.

Now, don’t jump to conclusions. I’m certainly not saying if your stomach is flat, you’re not healthy, and I’m not saying if your thighs touch, you are healthy. Know what is healthy for your own body, not someone else’s, and strive for that, not some photoshopped model’s seemingly perfect figure.

HEALTHY is always better than SKINNY, and a beautiful FACE is nothing without a beautiful HEART.

Here are some pictures and quotes I found various place on the web (thanks to Pintrest and Tumblr!) that I love enough to share with all you gorgeous ladies:

Interview with Shari Braendel

In October, I got the chance to do a wonderful interview with Fashionista, Shari Braendel! Shari has written a book called "Good Girls Don't Have to Dress Bad" and it is a wonderful book for every girl and lady who wishes to dress modestly but still fashionable. I hope that you will enjoy this interview and go read Shari's book!

Love, Haylie



1) Why should women dress modestly?

Shari: Women should dress modestly to honor God, themselves and the guys around them. God’s Word instructs us to NOT trip up our brothers in Christ and immodest dressing does just that. The Word also instructs us to honor God with all our hearts and minds and by dressing modestly we do that. But understand that I believe that modesty doesn’t mean fuddy duddy, it can be stylish, fashionable and fun!



2) What inspired you to write "Good Girls Don't Have to Dress Bad"?

Shari: I never planned on writing a book but I started getting invited to churches all across the nation to speak and afterward women and girls would ask for a resource to take home so the book was born. Zondervan saw it as a great resource for Christian women and took a chance on publishing the first ever (and still only) Christian fashion guide for women in the marketplace.

3) What is your favorite fashion season?

Shari: Fall, for sure. I wear warm colors all year round due to my coloring and having a plethora of hues to choose from that suit me is this fashionista’s dream!


4) What should every teenaged girl have in her closet?

 Shari: A great pair of jeans, lots of long cami’s and a pair of ballet flats.


5) What would you tell every girl who wanted to be more modest or live modestly?

Shari: I would tell her to remember that fashion meets faith the minute she decides what to put on her body each day and that her clothing choices are going to show the world who she is and what she believes. Society will try to teach her that dressing modestly isn’t fashionable and it absolutely can be. I would advise her to be creative with her clothes and show her personality thru her style but never compromise her values.


6) Who are your fashion icons? Why?

Shari: The only book I keep in my living room (besides my bible which seems to travel from room to room) is a coffee table book called A Matter of Style . It’s a portrait of 10 women who changed fashion and so many of those women shaped my views of fashion and the industry. My favorites are Coco Chanel for her classic style, Katherine Hepburn because she was unconventional in her dressing by stepping out and wearing pants way before anyone else and Mary Quant because she had so much to say about style and the way it affected people. I read and re-read that book.

7) What is one of your fashion weaknesses?

Shari: Only one? LOL. That would have to be handbags. I have a rule that when I buy a new one, I give one away, otherwise there would be no room for my clothes. I just bought a fabulous (I mean FABULOUS) Michael Kors classic huge bag that I’m planning on carrying for a very long time. However I just caught myself in the purse department the other day and made myself leave before I bought another bag.

8) What NEVER goes out of style?

Shari: Hopefully my Michael Kors handbag! And also, a classic blazer, ballet flats, silver or gold hoop earrings, jeans and a simple white t-shirt. Put them all together and you’ve got a great outfit.


9) What is one thing you cannot live without?

Shari: I must have at least one cat at all times. Right now I have three, Belle, Lily and Olive. A girl’s gotta have limits, right? Okay, my husband limited me to three, but I will probably be the little old woman in my nineties who lives in a cottage by the lake with a dozen little furry friends! I just love them so much because they have amazing beauty and such individual personalities.


10) What are some tips you would give to a girl who wants to be a junior fashionista?

Shari: Be true to who you are and don’t be afraid to show your style by wearing clothes the way that only you can. Only a fashionista would understand what I mean by that. Also, read every fashion magazine and style book you can get your hands on. I would live in the library if I could, just reading all the books on style, beauty and fashion that I could. I still do that on occasions.





Random Questions:

1) You never leave the house with/without...? I never leave the house without my sunglasses. I never leave the house with: my cats! They have to stay home.

2) Would we ever catch you in jeans and a T-shirt? Jeans, yes; T-shirt, no

3) Muffins or Cupcakes? Cupcakes for sure, hopefully with lots of frosting!

4) Sour candy or Sweet candy? Sweet, especially white chocolate

5) Photographs or Paintings? Paintings

A Healthy Tan?

Summer is coming! Are you as excited as I am? The one thing I hate about the summer though, is being self conscious about my pale skin. I never like being the whitest girl at the party, or the only one at the beach who has to lather in 100 SPF sunblock every 30 min! Wanting this summer to be different (I don't care what color I am, I just want to have color), I decided to get the scoop on tanning.

What I have gathered, and you all have probably already heard, is that a "healthy tan" is almost impossible. Discouraging...but I kept searching.

Almost every doctor would tell you that excessive sun exposure increases your risk for skin cancer. Burns and tans are also the second leading cause (behind smoking) of premature aging. And this is just for natural sun. If you really want to be scared, look up the risks of indoor tanning. I know a lot of people do it, but if you can avoid it at least now while you're young, I would try to.

So whether its a tan from the sun or from bulbs, the bottom line is that the bronze beach babes we all envy might not be as lucky as we think!

Protection is easy though. Most experts recommend that if you are going to spend more than a few minutes in the sun, you should generously apply sunscreen. I have heard different opinions about what SPF you should use, but most agree that you shouldn't wear anything below a 15. To reduce exposure you can wear a large brimmed hat, sunglasses, and clothing that is not see through.

So if all these smart people keep saying that we should avoid the sun and hide under rocks (well maybe they're not quite that overboard), how do we get the sun kissed tan that we all want?

A couple suggestions?

I know that when I say artificial tanning, the first word that pops into your mind is ORANGE! And that is very true sometimes! I do not know much about spray tans, but I've never heard them recommend very highly, so what I would suggest is a gradual tanner. Just do some research. Whether it's a bronzer or an instant tan lotion, find something works for you. Make sure the product has good reviews, even though what works for someone might make you look like an oompa loompa! So when you decide to use a product, it might be a good idea to try a discreet part of your body (like your inner thigh) to see how it looks.

Actually, besides artificial tans, there are not many other healthy ways to gain that glow. For those of you who are already dark complected or tan after going outside for 10 minutes....consider yourself blessed. :)

So after some research and trial and error, here is my game plan to become...well...less white.

1. Jergens Natural Glow Moisturizer.  A lot of people sing this lotion's praises. I love it! You don't have to use it very long to notice a difference in your skin. I can't promise that it will make a huge difference, but to me it is enough to make it worth it.  The change is gradual, so it looks natural and no one will have to know :) Not to mention it is a great moisturizer! My legs are always super soft after using Jergens.
2. Just a little bit of sun bathing. Some Vitamin D can't kill me, so when I get a chance I will probably lay out in my back yard for small periods of time. I will use sunscreen though, because without it, I will just turn red! I found a this tanning lotion at walmart. Mine has an SPF of 15 though.

For further research, this article by Dr. Oz is really good. He gives a lot of the same information I talked about.

And with all of this said, keep in mind that our outer beauty is temporary. A tan will fade, and 20 years from now, trends might be totally different!

I hope these tips have helped. How are you trying to get tan? Do you have a favorite lotion or bronzer? Let us know!