My personal journey to shopping more consciously, started with me learning to be more body conscious. I don’t mean jumping on the next set of scales and measuring out every last calorie, though a little bit of that discipline might be helpful as I transition out of my leisurewear! The conscious part of that equation was learning to be more aware of my own body and its different shapes and sizes, for the many different parts of it.
I’m not particularly big or small, tall or short and up until fairly recently, I would have classed my body shape as fairly ‘regular’, perhaps a size 6, 8 or 10, depending on where I was in the world and how generous a particular brand was with their sizing policy. However, digging just a little deeper, I realised that even my ‘regular’ body was unique in so many different ways … it’s just that I wasn’t really thinking about it consciously.
What do I mean by that?
So to start, being Asian, there’s not much there by way of bust, so I’m a modest B cup. However, I have fairly broad shoulders for my stature … which means it is definitely a struggle to find things like button ups or strappy tops.
At 164cm, by usual standards, I’m on the cusp of being a petite. But I’m not convinced, particularly given that most petite pieces tend to assume a combination of narrow shoulders, a slim top and a relatively shorter torso. None of which describe my body! I also feel particularly un-petite like when shopping in Asia, where a modest dress becomes a mini and the tailored fit feels more bodycon than slimming.
Based on a petite profile, I should also have broader hips for my height, but my hips are slim in comparison, though that doesn’t mean I have a slim profile all the way down! Which means when it comes to jeans and trousers, I’m guaranteed that standard thigh widths will always be a little snug and when that feels right, the length will always be too long!
Being more body conscious
I realised that I had internalised all of that in the past, the years I spent just picking things off the shelf, looking for that one little digit - ‘my size’, which is meant to sum all that up, a marker to say that ‘this fits you’! However, learning to be more conscious about my body has taught me to think beyond sizing and to really consider how items will fit the different shapes and contours of my seemingly ‘regular’ body.
In looking to shop more consciously, I realised that I needed to start with being more conscious about my own body and understanding what best fits my frame. This has helped me take a more considered approach to shopping for my wardrobe and learning to look beyond trends and seeking out what looks good on other people, on other bodies. With Curobe, I hope to empower others who might be looking to shop more consciously, by bringing our bodies to the forefront of that purchasing journey, which I believe will help us make better choices and in turn, help us buy better and to create a wardrobe that is more loved and valued.
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