painful insecurities [and overcoming them]

*warning: some very unflattering photos of me straight ahead. i would never show the world these pictures if i didn't fully believe in this product with all my heart. 

skirt: c/o Modest Pop [similar] // top: Target, clearance // belt: thrifted // sandals: BYU Bookstore // bra: c/o Braologie // necklace: Cookie Lee

i have always, always struggled with my body image. 
i can specifically remember when i first started noticing all the flaws in my body, the first time i started nit picking everything about myself and what was wrong with me. 
it was in the 4th grade. and i was insanely embarrassed about my legs. 
i hated wearing shorts above my knees because that meant you could see my thighs, 
and that thought sent me into waves of turmoil.

as i got older, the self-conscious thoughts just continued to escalate. 
i was a bony girl, which meant i didn't have those sexy curves that all my friends started getting as they entered their teenage years. 
i hated it. i felt so ugly, so undesirable. 

eventually i finally grew some sort of chest that helped me {barely} graduate from training bras. but i still felt so.... unwomanly. 
i would layer bras and undershirts just to give me more padding. 
and it would work for the most part. i mean, it did its job at hiding my insecurities under the layers of cotton. 
but that doesn't mean those insecurities ever left. 

fast forward a few college years and the birth of a baby and my self consciousness about my body rivaled the sad, pathetic feelings from my teenage years. 
here i was, standing inside Motherhood Maternity, full from needing to feed Elijah, and being told i wouldn't fit their smallest size bra. 

you know those stories about women saying they quadrupled in size when they were pregnant & nursing? i shrunk. 

after i was done nursing Elijah, my chest was so flat that i didn't need to wear a bra at all. 
the only reason i even did wear one was so i didn't look like a 10-year-old girl carrying a baby. 

my insecurity about my body affected everything and everyone around me. 
already suffering from body image issues from the post-partum weight, this just piled more problems on top of that. 
not to mention all the feelings of anxiety & depression i was dealing with after having a baby.
i hated myself. i hated my body. 
i didn't feel comfortable enough in my own skin to even let Adam get close to me. 
i couldn't believe that a great guy like him could ever like me, let alone be attracted to me, and many times i would just start crying from being so overwhelmed by it all. 

so all this, 
all this turmoil & frustration & shameful insecurity, 
all this has been going on for a goooood while. 
the last three years being the worst of it. 

and it wasn't until recently that i finally started seeing the light. 

what changed? 
MY BRA!! 


i never, ever, would have thought a bra could make that big of difference in how i looked 
and {more importantly} how i felt about myself. 
but that's because i haven't been wearing the right one after all these years. 

80% of women are wearing the wrong bra. 
and most women don't realize that the bra they have been wearing has brought them back & shoulder pain as well as poor posture and migrated breast tissues at the back/armpits. 
{i didn't even know migrated breast tissues was a problem but i totally see the difference now!}

Braologie is out to change all that! 
they have created their own line of products that specializes in correcting a woman's posture and body shape through their revolutionary bra fitting technique. 
you can feel and see the difference instantly! 

i was able to test out the Posture-Contour Bra & Mini Vest
at first, the bra and vest were pretty uncomfortable and i didn't really jump on board right away. 
though, i really liked the push-up feature :)
but it didn't feel the best as the bra & vest worked to improve my posture. 


i kept with it though and in no time i saw & felt a huge difference. 
i told Adam, "I FEEL LIKE A REAL WOMAN!" 
and i finally started to like my own body shape a little more. 
i even felt {dare i say} sexier!

the people over at Braologie [namely Tallia, we got close :)] are wonderful to work with and really go out of their way to give you the best experience possible. 
i sent in my pictures and measurements to get fitted for a bra and they took the time to make sure i got the best product for me. 
they even gave me post-fitting advice to make sure i was wearing the bra correctly which helped tremendously since i needed to make some adjustments to help with the fit. 

and Braologie offers free fitting advice even if you don't purchase one of their products. 
their biggest goal is to educate women who have been wearing ill-fitting bras and have body & posture issues. their bra-gurus will help give advice on your current bra, understand what can be done to get a better fit, and help improve the comfort of the fitting and overall posture. 

i truly, truly, LOVE my Braologie bra and cannot stress that enough. 
since switching, i have more confidence in myself and my body, with and without the bra.
i know it can seem like such a vain thing, but how you see yourself does make a huge difference in how you feel overall. 

and i can honestly say that even though i still may not look like a Victoria's Secret model, i'm more accepting of my body and feel much more confident. 
i mean... it only took 25 years! 


be sure to check out Braologie on their 
blog 
& Twitter 


DISCOUNT:: to help more women get the best fit & support in their lingerie, Braologie is offering all Mrs. Robinson Readers $15 off all products from their online store with the code megancamille. code expires June 6th, 2013.

[how to input the coupon code: when checking out, the site directs you to PayPal right away to collect your shipping and billing address. after that, you will return to Shopify where you will pick a shipping rage & type in the discount code. the price is updated accordingly and, on that same page, you will be able to finalize your transaction.]



[i also want to say, for the record here, that i have gone to other places to get fitted like Victoria's Secret and they all have told me the same thing: they didn't have anything that would actually fit me. i tried their bras anyways because i was desperate but after wearing the Braologie bra now i realize how bad they were for me. Braologie has been the first company ever to actually cater to my needs and size. serious.]

22 comments:

Alexis Kaye said...

Megan you look amazing!!!! And this company sounds awesome! I WANT ONE!

Rachel Sayumi Porter said...

I believe that most women are wearing the wrong bra. Heck, I used to wear like the opposite of what i was supposed to! then i started working at Victoria's Secret, and learned how important it is to wear the right size!!! It's made a huge difference for me, for sure. And it FEELS 100% better, too! You are soooo skinny and cute, don't ever worry about it! :)

Unknown said...

WOW. Thank you for being SO open and raw with us - honestly, this is so special and rare to find this in the blog world and it is just so inspiring that you did this! You look SO beautiful and I am SO happy for you that you found a bra that makes you feel SEXY! Because YOU ARE!!! xo

Katie said...

I was the same way during puberty - but for the opposite reasons! It's crazy how mean we are to our bodies! I just think how I would feel if my daughter felt half as badly about her body as I did about mine and it breaks my heart! I think Heavenly Father probably feels that same way.

And yes...you do look amazing!!

Elisabeth Gee said...

This is great, Megan! I really need to try this out! I have a really small cup size for being 5'10" and a lot of times I can find the right cup size but not the right wraparound width. Definitely checking this site out! :)

Jenna said...

I've always been smaller-chested and I did see an increase in size during pregnancy and nursing but after that, I noticed they were deflated-looking. I don't mind the way they are but I did find I needed a more supportive bra to hold them up for my comfort. I got a push-up from VS but I hate it, and it wasn't cheap, either. I might need to try this place. Thanks for blogging about something so intimate. I fully support women wearing the right bra.

Denise said...

I definitely need to be educated! haha I've been thinking lately that I'm not wearing the right one. I'm looking into this!

April said...

Isn't it amazing that no matter how we're "shaped", so many of us women have body issues? You described some of the exact feelings I've had myself (kinda on the opposite end of the weight spectrum though!) and I'm so glad you found something that helps so much! I've never found a bra I was truly thrilled with, so I am DEFINITELY going to give these a try! Thanks so much for sharing!!
*hug*
~April

katilda said...

I love this soooo much! From one flat-chested female to another, it really can be disheartening to not fill out any swimsuit....to squirm at parties when a girl proudly declares "real women have curves" and you're just like "i'm a....woman...too..." I am so with you on all of this. And I'm so glad you found something that makes you feel more confident! This post was so honest and raw, and I know that takes bravery. Love you, girl!

Ainslee Hanger said...

We all go through those times, I know I've never been a fan of my body. You're so beautiful, thank you for being so vulnerable with us. :)

xo, AInslee

abeautifulheartblog.blogspot.com

Gentri said...

I totally need help in this area... the correct fit area I mean. I am opposite of you, I feel like mine are too large and I'm very self conscious about it. Yup, just said that for all your readers to see. awesome.

I think you look AMAZING here! So gorgeous!

An Oasis in the Desert said...

You are very brave to share these intimate secrets; and you are a beautiful young woman!

KaseyQ said...

I just had my fourth last year, and I am so, so glad you posted this because I will probably be weaning her at the end of the summer. After I weaned my last baby I remember crying, because my chest had shrunk SO much. I couldn’t even fill out an A cup. It was incredibly depressing. I will definitely be looking into this company when the time comes. THANK YOU!

~Anchored In Christ~ said...

Heck I wish I was small sometimes. Half the time with the bras I wear some may be too big or some too small. I think we should all look into this. and half the time I feel like Dolly Parton and I'm no where near her size

The Cross Family Adventures said...

Thanks for posting about this! I have been worrying if I am truly the size I am buying. I had a baby and my size went up and I just recently lost a lot of weight and have no idea what size I really am. I will be definitely taking advantage of this! Thank you again!!

Stacie S-H said...

You look so super cute! Def. ging to check out this bra website and get some advice from them. I wish we were friends in real life, I love your blog posts even though I dont always comment.

www.redcherries22.blogspot.com

Unknown said...

Wow. I feel like that's all I can say. I'm so glad that you were able to find them and that they actually made a difference for you. I've never heard of migrating breast tissue!

Tabitha said...

I will have to check out this bra company, especially since I have horrible posture as well. Yep, I know how you feel! I am very flat chested and have such wide hips big thighs, my shape really looks like a pear!! I do like Victoria Secret bras and usually only wear bras with some patting so I look a little normal ;)

Sue // As It Seems said...

You're so great to share your insecurities. We all struggle with body image! I'm glad you've found something to give you self confidence! xo

Cody Doll said...

I agree. Soooo many women are wearing the wrong bra in the wrong size and the wrong way. Lots to get wrong but just a simple bra change can boost a womens feelings. I totally understand. I have been about proper bra since I was in 5th grade.

Ashley Bagley Nielson said...

yes. just yes.

LeeAnne, Style N Season said...

Same here!!!! I'm also a bony wee gal, and though I'm pretty much comfortable in my own skin and figure, it bothered me sometimes when people said "You're too skinny!"
Whoa, it's considered rude to say that someone is too fat, but it's OK to say that the other person is too skinny?
So yes, I can relate.

Visit me:
LeeAnne, Style N Season
http://stylenseason.blogspot.com