REAL CAMPAIGN WITH AMERICAN EAGLE

Swimsuit: Aerie (American Eagle) c/o here; Shorts: Charlotte Russe: here; Sandals: Charlotte Russe, similar here: Headband: Forever 21 here

When I was asked to partner with Aerie (American Eagle) for their Real Campaign, I was SO excited. Not just about the product I would be featuring but about the cause. I am so so so passionate about girls, young and old loving their bodies. They challenged people to post unretouched photos of them in a swimsuit to show what girls’ bodies everywhere can look like. It’s so easy to get caught up looking at magazines and wishing we had something we don’t, whether it be the clothes we’re looking at or the body of the model wearing them. I kind of love how social media blogging has put advertising into the hands of everyday girls to try to eliminate the gap that’s sometimes felt when someone looks at a model in a magazine.

And to be honest, even if I wanted to retouch my photos, I don’t care to, don’t know how and don’t have the time. 😛

Over the years, I have really learned to love this body I was given. I take pride in caring for it. I look at my body as an incredible gift God gave me. And because of that I want to be good at loving it and be good at taking care of it. It took some time but I feel like as I’ve gotten older, I’ve stopped that internal battle with yourself where you put your body down and criticize certain parts. Some of that is a result of habits I’ve developed of healthy eating and sleeping and working out. And a huge huge part of it is realizing that I was made in God’s image and if I trust Him, then I need to believe that I’m beautiful simply because He says I am. And if that can be enough, then I can realize that I am enough. Just me. And my prayer is that every single one of you is able to believe that too. 😀

P.S. CAN WE TALK ABOUT THIS SUIT?! I have been absolutely loving one pieces lately. I honestly feel like I might get more excited about them than bikinis these days! Maybe because there are so many different styles that they can make them in. Like this one with the cute low back! I’m ready to put it on with my high-wasited jeans and heels and take it out to dinner too! 😛

P.P.S. We might have shot this look in this random garden field thing to the side of a church nearby. And even though it was late in the day and literally no one was around, I might have been freaking out the entire time. Because what would be worse than some leader from the church coming over and finding you prancing around their property in a bathing suit. #nothing but #yolo 😛

Happy Wednesday!

Love yourself better this week!

xoxo,

Christine