Instagram and imperfections: two words you'll never see together

More of a personal post this time...

Do you ever do that thing where you're scrolling and scrolling through Instagram and suddenly, you realise that seeing all these gorgeous models with perfect figures and amazing lifestyles - not to mention all the endless outfit goals - is not going to make you feel any better about yourself or your body image? It's one of those things you can be so unaware of until you're having a bad day and you realise how much it can affect you.

There are so many expectations nowadays to look happy all the time, to look like you never go a day without a styled outfit, to look good in that perfect 'candid' photo. The whole "for every one selfie there's another 30 that didn't make the cut". And it's true. I won't deny it, even I try to make that impression I think we all do a little bit. But I do think we put so much pressure on ourselves to look good all the time that sometimes we just have to zoom out a bit and detach ourselves from it all.

Part of the reason I started this blog is because I needed to zoom out. This time last year social media started to affect my self esteem and the only thing I was concerned about was how other people saw me through it; so that needed to change.

So I switched up my priorities. I thought why not make it more about my style - so my obsession with coats and loafers - and put things on social media that actually matters to me and that I want to share with people.

I still have good and bad days, we all do. Some days you'll wake up and be like yes gurl (or not, if you're a guy but something along those lines I can only guess) and other days you'll be super hesitant to post something on Instagram thinking it's not 'good enough', or pretty enough or you think your face looks funny or you don't like how your figure looks. It's so totally normal though and now I've figured it's not just me and that this happens to literally every person out there I think we should all take a bit of pressure off ourselves to look good all the time and just have a bit more fun with social media. If you look super happy but you think you look a bit stupid because you're laughing too hard?

Pfft who cares you were having fun right? And I guarantee that no one looking at that will be thinking about that.

Take this photo. If I posted this last year what would I see? Bags under my eyes that are definitely not designer this time. Louis Vuitton...more like Louis victim of A levels and lack of sleep. A cheesy grin that is deffo not very flattering in the grand scheme of things and a figure very much flattened by a huge coat.

What do you guys see? I mean I can only guess but I'm thinking something along the lines of she's happy, she's looking up at the snow, she's doing a little pose that's cool...and nowadays that's about as much as I try to care about too when I post.

At the end of the day this blog post is just a happy little rant about imperfections and the importance of loving you and your look.

You want to wear heeled boots to Wilkos? Go for it girl be that extra.

You want to wear joggers five out of seven days a week? You do that too I respect that.

In the words of Bey herself:

"The most alluring thing a woman can have is confidence"

So embrace those flaws ladies - and gents I see you too - wear whatever you want, wherever you want, post that photo you've been too cautious too, take you're own advice for once...and anytime you're not so sure just ask yourself, why not?

*plays Beyonce on shuffle and sasses around like a diva*

xxx

Also, just a side note to make you smile. I went to the co op the other night in pyjama bottoms and a huge ass coat and no regrets at all just because I fancied a Mac n Cheese ready meal...but the best part was the look on the cashiers face. A look of pure respect that I had made the effort to move from a place of comfort to buy a microwave meal at 9pm on a Thursday and not cared about the fact I could've bumped into multiple people I know. Now that is the sort of support I need in my life.