Body Positive Spotlight Series: This Retailer’s Fighting Against Body Shaming

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We’re starting 2017 off with some self-love! Last week, we chatted with female fashion entrepreneur Anne Claire Isabella about her own inspiring story. Now we’d like you to meet Larissa Gonzales, another power woman of fashion who’s on a body positivity mission to help women combat body shaming and the related negativity. Larissa is the founder and owner of women’s boutique Dress Me Good.

Read on to learn how Larissa became interested in the body positivity movement, and what she’s doing to support it.

Dedicated to Body Positivity

Budget Fashionista: How do you define body positivity?

Larissa: Body positivity is learning to acknowledge the fact that you are with your body 24/7 and you need to give it as much TLC as anything else — no matter what shape it is in. We are all shaped so differently from one another! And not one shape is better than the others, even though the media has tried to say otherwise. It is the affirmation you give yourself that you are enough all the time under all circumstances.

Budget Fashionista: Why is the body positive movement so important to you?

Larissa: It is important to learn to be loving and forgiving to yourself, because you are your own best friend. Only you know what you drives and moves you, and also what you have been through.

Life is too short to stay at home from the beach or a party, just because you feel insecure about your body.

We are our own worst critic most of the time. Even when there are mean-spirited people around, you can build a strength and confidence to deflect any negativity — and be a role model to those around who have the same self doubts.

Also, it is important to try to reshape the thinking of society to help young girls feel more proud of what they look like. They should not be worrying about trying to look like something that is unattainable or unreal! Photoshop has been around forever, but now they are creating ads that are not real human beings.

Budget Fashionista: How do you promote body positivity with Dress Me Good?

Larissa: We promote body positivity by:

• Providing details on how you can dress for your shape. Many women don’t know that with a few tips and tricks plus flattering clothing, you can feel great about your body as is.
• Offering a variety of sizes because we know it is tough to find plus sizes online or in store.
• Using many different types of models so women can see how they will look in the clothing.
• Sharing positive quotes and body positive role models to form a community around loving yourself.

Budget Fashionista: What advice do you have for women who feel ashamed about their bodies?

Larissa: I was teased when I was young, and I know the hurt and damage it can do to one’s self esteem. Going through that, I learned what hurt the most was that I did not love myself. Because there are still those people who love to try to bring you down, and that will never go away.

But now that I learned to love myself through self talk and meditating. And I have the confidence to use as armor to help combat those negative people. So do things for yourself, be kind to yourself and live life no matter what because it is too short to be worrying about negative people and their comments.

To learn more about Dress Me Good and its dedication to body positivity, visit dressmegood.com. You can also check out Budget Fashionista’s fashion advice by body type!