With the start of The Next Erzullie Icon Search 2013, we are really looking for confident plus size women. From time to time, we get inquiries about it. One inquiry that I have received (way before) that really got stuck with me is this applicant that said, "You said, confident plus size women who can wear tube and sleeveless. What if I am confident but I just don't prefer wearing these type of clothes? Does it mean that that I am not confident? If so, then are you equating that the more skin we show, the more confident we are?"
This woman made a great point, to be honest. I forgot what I have replied to it. But one thing is for sure, I should replace the word "confident" to "comfortable" with regards to that specific sentence.
Then, as I have been browsing through the internet for the latest fashion news about plus size women, I have stumbled across some plus size opinions saying that the plus size women are being exploited for being 'naked' across magazines and fashion shows. Of course, this chant has been on since I can remember (women are being exploited for being naked on magazine covers). Some are also not amused that magazines are 'sexualizing' the image of the plus size woman, fueling fetishes. However, the other side of the debate is that this is just plus size women showing how proud and confident they are with their bodies. This made me start asking the question --- do we really have to be naked to show how confident we can be?
The search for some answers also led me to some articles voicing out that there are some curvies, for the love and passion of 'being who they are' have reached to the extremes. They are starting to dress too outrageously, thinking that it is 'high style' when it is just plain cry for 'attention'. To the authors of these articles, they find this sad. To the other side of the debate, they are saying that this is just plus size fashion rebellion. They just want to make a point with the outfits that they make. They they too can wear what the regular size women can wear.
This ultimately led me to the right question --- what is (for me) the real definition of a confident curvy? Is it the one who is not afraid to show off some skin or the one who is so in your face with regards to her clothing and style, you can't forget about it hours after and in your dreams?
I turn to my core woman for this --- my Erzulliesta. If there is one thing that I have learned from the Erzulliestas that have supported the brand since its conception almost 3 years ago, the definition of a confident curvy woman is as so --- she is so solid with regards to her identity that she does not feel the need to shout it --- people just know.
So whatever style route they are taking, people will turn their heads and learn to respect it for they know that it is about the authenticity of one's actual character. There is no need to dress up to be someone else, but there is a need to dress up to be themselves. For short, a confident curvy is a woman who knows herself too much to the point that her mere existence already speaks volumes of who she is without anyone's need to question it.
How about you? What is your definition of a confident curvy?
Cheers!
Aries
