I must have mentioned it on here at some point in the past, but my body confidence journey really took a long time to solidify itself. It really wasn’t until I was ‘in’ with the plus-size blogging community – first through Twitter and next through actually meeting more people like myself – that I could really accept my body for what it is. I couldn’t help it because I had a lot of bad experiences in my younger years that made me feel bad for just being bigger.

One thing in particular that I really didn’t like to show was my arms. I would do absolutely anything to cover them up because I just didn’t like the look of them and I didn’t want people looking at them. The best way to cope was to make sure that under no circumstances would anybody be able to see them. I specifically remember one time at work when it was the middle of summer, the air con had broke and I was sat there sweating, shrugging off the water pouring down my forehead because I refused to take my cardigan off.

I find that version of me absolutely ridiculous because I’m in such a different place in my life now. I’m in a position where I’m fully confident in my body and recognise that most people aren’t even looking at my outfit unless I’m wearing something designed to draw attention my way – which I actually like!

Now I could literally head to any website and search for t-shirts to wear for everyday of the week, but there was absolutely a time in my life where I would not even consider wearing a t-shirt out in public. It’s so funny how far things have moved on. Honestly, if the 22-year-old me saw a photo of the 34-year-old me at work (sometimes modelling in a bikini!) she really wouldn’t recognise her. I’ve completely changed as a person and I can see how my mindset completely changed, once I was surrounded by people with my shared experience.

Now I think I look GREAT in a t-shirt. It may not be my go-to top if I was going to meet people, but if it’s the summer and I’m just popping to the supermarket, it’s the easiest choice to make. Now that I’ve got a fair few nice ones in my wardrobe, it’s an easy decision to make. If I wanted to, I might even pinch one of my husband’s!

I’ve just realised that my journey with t-shirts happened in the same timeline as fashionable trainers. There was absolutely a time when I didn’t want attention on me, so I wouldn’t wear the kind of flashy footwear that would have people looking over my whole outfit and (so I thought) judging me. Now I really just don’t care – I know what I look good in and there’s no way that I’m going to consider what other people think when I step out of my door wearing my favourite white hi-top Blazers, along with a statement white t-shirt.