So I am going on holiday to Tenerife this week and I knew I couldn’t be lounging by the swimming pool in my jumpers and leggings so I decided to go shopping for some more appropriate clothes! For the record, I ended up spending more money than I am comfortable to admit but I am happy with my purchases and can’t wait to wear everything in the sun!
But one thing I had to do was try on some bikinis… We didn’t go on holiday last year and I used to struggle with my weight and I was slim however since I started college and have had to deal with a few difficult situations, I have noticed that I’ve put on a bit of weight since I went on holiday last so when I had to buy some bikinis I knew I was going to want to curl up in a ball and cry.
I chose a couple to try on and wandered into the changing rooms and I noticed something bizarre… Changing room mirrors make me appear so much larger than I thought I was? I didn’t understand why my body looked so horrible in a bikini when it fit well. I am already quite body conscious, what teenage girl isn’t?! But these mirrors made me look horrendous! I was shopping with my sister and she agreed with me that the mirrors in there made her feel bad about herself so I knew it wasn’t just me! I bought the bikinis and when I tried them on again at home I felt so much more comfortable with my body but now I’m panicking because is my room lying to me?! Are changing room mirrors how other people see me? Because if so, I will be wearing my onesie for the duration of my holiday!
I did a quick google search and most people were saying it was the lighting in the changing rooms that made you look bad. The one that I was in made my skin a very grey colour and made my thighs look so wobbly. I have quite a curvy figure but I wouldn’t consider myself overweight but trying bikinis on in these changing rooms ruined my day! Why do they have such horrible lighting in there if they want people to purchase from the shop? People are not going to buy clothes that a mirror made them feel uncomfortable in! When I researched, I found out that a lot of mirrors bought in for changing rooms are made of cheap glass and a lot of it is stretched which can make you look wider than you are. Some even make you look taller and slimmer, I suppose it all depends on how much the establishment are willing to splash out! I doubt they bear in their mind that teenage girls will be looking in them wanting to cry themselves to sleep and try to motivate themselves to exercise all day!
The moral of the story is, do NOT take notice of the mirrors in changing rooms. They are the enemy and make you look 10 times worse! You are all beautiful and you should all feel comfortable with your figure. I will definitely be flaunting my new bikinis in clothes in Tenerife and I hope none of you have let these mirrors affect your confidence!
Happy holidays!! X
Amy Lauren Turk 