Brighton Beach, Brooklyn — Land Of Fatkinis
Despite the fact that I’ve been a truly body loving person for over five years, I had never done this before.
I had planned to go with a friend. I was all packed and ready to go, and then she texted me that she couldn’t make it. So I decided to hop on the Q train myself and take it all the way down to Brighton Beach.
Brighton Beach has a special place in my heart, because it was there that I first saw fat women in bikinis.
About 10 years ago I took a train to Brighton Beach on a whim just so I could walk along the boardwalk.
What I saw there just amazed me. I saw lots of bigger women in bikinis. Most of them seemed to be in their 40’s, 50’s and 60’s. They were unabashed in their comfort with themselves. I couldn’t imagine being so comfortable with myself. All I ever wore to the beach were tight miraclesuits that were hard to get on and even more difficult to take off.
A lot of those fatkini wearers were apple-shaped like me. For the most part, they weren’t fabulously curvaceous. Lots of them had big bellies (like me) too.
I’d been to Brighton Beach many times since then, both in my pre-fat-positive days and more recently, but always in a one-piece.
Until yesterday, I had worn a bikini just a few times in my whole life. My first one was when I was twelve — it had been my mom’s from the early 60’s. It was really cool, and I loved the freedom of not wearing a one piece. I always felt (an unspoken?) criticism that I shouldn’t be wearing it, but I somehow ignored it and wore it. Unfortunately, I soon grew out of the suit and my ability to ignore that criticism.
Me in my fatkini
Wearing my bikini yesterday made me realize that it’s really not a big deal. I mean, it is a big deal in that we’re reclaiming the right to wear whatever we want, which is really important. But, I mean that wearing a bikini, in the scheme of things, is really just a choice. Once you make that choice and get yourself to the pool or the ocean or wherever, it’s time to (possibly literally) dive in.
It’s really thrilling to me that stores like ASOS, Modcloth, Simply Be, Always For Me and even freaking Lane Bryant are selling plus size bikinis. O brave new world, that has such fatkinis in’t!
Have you ever worn a fatkini? Do you plan to? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Golda is a certified holistic health counselor and founder of Body Love Wellness, a program designed for plus-sized women who are fed up with dieting and want support to stop obsessing about food and weight. To learn more about Golda and her work, click here.
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you go girl, well done, you should be proud x.
Only wore a 2 piece once in my life, back when I was a teen. I jumped in the pool feet first and the top came off. Never again, no matter what size I am! I want a suit that will stay put when I swim.
I prefer tankinis at the beach just because I like having more protection from the sun, but I love the freedom of a 2-piece (especially when you have to pee!) If I don’t have to worry about sunburn, I’m totally comfortable in a bikini or even topless/nude.
And I TOTALLY agree with you about Brighton Beach! I think that was the first beach where I was ever able to just relax, enjoy myself, and enjoy my body instead of feeling self-conscious.
But as a fellow New Yorker, I’m dying to know – where do you put your cell phone, MetroCard, and money when you go swimming if you’re there alone??
I hadn’t worn bikinis in my 37 years of life until 2 years ago, except for one Summer when I wad 14 I guess and I am realizing that I was not wearing them basically because there weren’t decent bikinis for my young age at the size I was then (maybe a US 14). The one I wore at 14 made me feel bad as it looked very old-style. Moreover, gaining weight in the years made me even more self concious, all my childhood and teen age I had been bullied at the pool and later even stopped going to the beach. Then I discovered foreign plus size fashion blogs and I realized I could live my life as well and try things and now I try to inspire other women who feel like I used to do, to wear whatever they like. Today I was at the beach too and I saw many plus size women wearing bikinis. I saw very few one pieces and I felt good.
I wear a 2 piece, but it has the covering “skirt” attached to the bra. I am very self concious of my the stretch marks on my belly. 3 Pregnancies and too much weight gained with all 3. I am a Lane Bryant shopper and I will certainly look at the 2 piece suits next time I need a new one. Thank you for your inspiration.
I went to the beach at the jersey shore a few days ago and there were tons and tons of French Canadian women in fatkinis. I was so impressed and happy! I wanted to high five them all.
When I was in Mexico I met Canadians in fatkinis. It was very exciting. I want to high five fell fatkini wearers too!
{Check This Out} O Brave New World, That Has Such Fatkinis In’t! http://t.co/yZtQ2E9EVZ via @bodylovewellnes
I wore my FIRST Fatkini out IN my neighborhood and in front of my normally disapproving Mother. Let me tell you.. my tummy was in knots just SHARING my blog and pictures and you can see it on my face how terrified I felt.
But I have done it and WILL DO SO AGAIN! *Fist pump!* LOL.
I wore my FIRST Fatkini out IN my neighborhood and in front of my normally disapproving Mother. Let me tell you.. my tummy was in knots just SHARING my blog and pictures and you can see it on my face how terrified I felt.
But I have done it and WILL DO SO AGAIN! *Fist pump!* LOL.