Let’s get real here. Between television, magazines and social media women are constantly seeing all these thin, toned, perfect bellies. Society tells us that these cute bellies are perfect and make us feel like if ours doesn’t look like that ours must be wrong. When you come into the studio, one of the first questions I will ask you is what part of yourself do you love? Also, I will also ask what your least favorite part of your body is. This helps me to know what your insecurities are, as well as what assets to play up a bit more. Nine out of 10 times I hear that your stomach is the part about yourself you loath the most.
Trust me, I get it. As a teenager and young adult I loved my stomach. I wore crop tops and even had my belly button pierced. My tummy was adorable. Then I got older and had children. That adorable tummy is gone. I struggled for years with this. I tried to hide it during intimacy. My clothes got looser. Comparison to what I had seen in the media had affected me emotionally. Trust me, I 100% understand how you feel.
Your belly is imperfectly perfect!
Here’s what I can tell you though, NO belly is perfect. I’ve seen hundreds of real life bellies while shooting boudoir. No two bellies are alike and not one of them is perfect. All bellies are imperfectly perfect. A woman’s belly tells your story. Your beautiful belly tells the story of your 90lb weight loss, your 10lb gorgeous baby boy, or the years of infertility you went through. The story of 8 year old you who had her appendix removed, 10 year old you might have gotten bit by a dog, 17 year old you may have had a kidney transplant. Our bellies change with age as well. Many women have given birth, some have done so several times and some of you have had births of multiples. Women gain weight and we lose weight. All of these things will affect what our stomachs look like.
I really wish that women would see our imperfections, our stretch marks and our extra weight as a map and journal of our life. Embrace those things, as these are the things that have made you who you are today! Recently, I asked a bunch of random women to send me some pictures of their stomachs. My goal with these pictures is to show all of you ladies that no two bellies are alike. I want you to realize that all bellies are beautiful as they tell your story. Stop comparing yourself to others. Start believing and loving yourself.
Real women!
All of these images were submitted by real, everyday women. They all believe in trying to embrace their bodies and promote body positivity! They all rock for sharing :) Several of these women have done boudoir sessions with me and you’d never know it by looking at these photos. During your boudoir session posing and lighting is the key to hiding our flaws. I promise you, you will look amazing too if you choose to do a session in the future.
Thanks for taking the time to go through all of these images. Would you like to see a similar blog about breasts? Check that post out HERE.
