I don't need someone who loves me despite my size or because of my size. I want someone who loves me enough to see everything else too.

For years, I didn't choose dresses because they were cute. I chose them because they covered something. My legs. My arms. Sometimes both. If a dress was maxi length, even better. If it had three-quarter sleeves? Sold. Not necessarily because I loved the style, but because it checked the boxes I thought it needed to check. Would it hide my legs? Would it cover my arms? Would it make me look smaller? Would it help me blend in? Those were the questions guiding my shopping decisi

I recently attended an afternoon tea, and as I looked around the room, I realized something familiar. I was the biggest person there. For a moment, I became hyperaware of myself. My body. My outfit. The way I sat in my chair. The tiny sandwiches and pastries on the table. The voice in my head started whispering all the things that plus-size women are taught to think in situations like this. People are watching what you're eating. Don't take too much. Be careful what you order

Sometimes I think about how much time I wasted in high school worrying about my body. Not taking care of it. Not appreciating it. Not celebrating it. Worrying about it. I spent so much energy trying to figure out how to be smaller. How to sit smaller. How to dress smaller. How to eat smaller. How to exist smaller. Every school dance, every class photo, every club activity, every trip out with friends seemed to come with the same underlying question: How can I make people noti

If you were to look through old photos of me, you'd probably notice a pattern. Cardigan. Cardigan. Ruana. Cardigan. Different color, same concept. For years, a cardigan was my go-to layer. It didn't matter if it was 95 degrees outside or if I was headed to class, work, church, or dinner. Chances are, I had a cardigan on. At the time, I convinced myself it was because they were practical. And they are. They're versatile. They're comfortable. They go with everything. But if I'm

I have 30 tattoos as of today. Some of them have deep meaning. Some of them commemorate important moments in my life. Some represent people I love. And some? Some are simply because I thought they looked cool. And honestly, I think that's enough of a reason. As a plus-size woman, I've noticed that people often have opinions about tattoos on larger bodies. Will they stretch? What if you gain weight? What if you lose weight? What if you don't like it when you're older? Can you

Do Clothes Really Need to Be Flattering? No. There, it has been said. For years, I believed every outfit had to be "flattering." Every shopping trip, magazine article, and fashion tip seemed to revolve around the same goal: looking thinner. Wear dark colors because they're slimming. Avoid horizontal stripes. Accentuate your waist. Hide your stomach. Lengthen your legs. The message was clear: clothes weren't meant to help me express myself, they were meant to help me disguise

For years, I convinced myself there were swimsuits for people like me and swimsuits for everyone else. As a plus-size woman, I thought my only option was a one-piece with maximum coverage and minimum attention. Every summer, I searched for a swimsuit that would somehow make me look smaller, flatter, or more acceptable. I wasn't shopping for something I loved...I was shopping for something that hid me. The message was everywhere: cover your arms, hide your stomach, wear black,

Saturday was Pride, and I always find it so inspiring to see so many people come together to celebrate love, authenticity, and community. There is something powerful about being surrounded by people who are unapologetically themselves and who support others in doing the same. Pride is a reminder that everyone deserves to be seen, valued, and celebrated for exactly who they are. The joy, creativity, and sense of belonging that fill the day are truly unmatched. Walking through

Hi! My name is Chelsea... As a kid, I wore whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. The brighter, bolder, and more outlandish, the better. Fashion was fun, creative, and a way to express myself. But somewhere along the way, that started to feel wrong. Because I was never skinny, I began to believe there were rules I had to follow. Big tops. Skinny jeans. Cold-shoulder shirts. One-piece swimsuits. It felt like my body determined what I was allowed to wear instead of what I actual