The "fatkini" web craze

I have recently noticed so many online articles talking about "fatkini" pictures, and it seems to have hit the web hard and become an overnight success!

These "fatkini" pictures have been labelled so, as many women who are deemed "fat" have taken pictures of themselves in bikinis and proudly posted them online for the whole world to see. A young woman named Gabi started a blog called "Young, Fat and Fabulous" back in 2008, and posted The XoJane and Gabi Fresh Fatkini Gallery for her readers to follow suit after she posted a picture of herself in a black and white striped bikini!

She encouraged other women who are deemed "fat" by society, peers of even themselves to brave the bikini, and post a picture online! The gallery of girls was tagged  "31 hot sexy fat girls in skimpy swimwear". The girls appear happy and proud in every picture, and more than willing to show off their bodies despite being the "usual" kind of girls who would model in such skimpy clothing! 



"I know first-hand how inspiring it can be to see people with bodies that look similar to my own feeling confident and happy on the beach in something other than a Hawaiian-print skirted one-piece." - Gabi.




This is just the kind of positive attitude that women who are lacking in self confidence need to show the world that "big women" can be seen as beautiful, sexy and attractive just as Catwalk size 0 models are deemed to have the same qualities. 

The ultra skinny and unhealthy size 0 trend started a few years back as pictures of celebrities, models and icons hit our magazines showing how extreme the size 0 "cult" was trending worldwide". Young girls look up to these women, and even start to believe that this is a good way to look. 

With both looks trending and believing that they are giving the right impression to young girls and women, it is hard to know which is right, and which one they want to follow, because after all, everyone follows some of trend, right? 

I think what Gabi has done is a great way to inspire women to be confident in their own skin and to be able to show off their bodies whatever their size and feel proud that they can and do look good! Lets hope this body confidence look helps other women to see that they can love themselves just as they are. 

Fatkini article from The Sun:

http://bit.ly/KgKGrK