WOW: The White Dress

The slit in the thick silk curtain spreads, and the glisten of a satin skirt leads her towards the mirror that is framed in whitewashed wood carved with floral detail in front of us. Shoulders softened down and slightly back, she glides up onto the circular wooden platform before the mirror.  A small crystal chandelier…

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Noticing Fat

“Hello darkness my old friend, I’ve come to talk with you again.” – Simon & Garfunkel Amidst an otherwise still moment of gazing through a window at dunes that lead out towards the beach and a feathered blue sky, I notice a whisper from a dusty corner of my mind. “You’re getting fat.” My right…

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From the Aftermath of “Edie”

Growing up, I was one of those girls who people thought had it easy. I learned at an early age to strive for goals, achieve, and measure people’s value (including my own) on material things. I was rewarded well for the efforts I put on this outward success, and yet, they left “Edie” brewing. “Edie”(pronounced…

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Don’t Hide. Celebrate!

I have tan, long legs with defined calves. I get them from my petite Japanese mother and tree-trunk-sturdy-calved Caucasian father. When I wear heels or workout shorts, my legs become a statement piece. So I don’t wear dresses with heels unless the occasion is incredibly appropriate. I hide my legs not because I think they’re…

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You Are More Beautiful Than You Think

Dove has done it again with this video that speaks to the heart of the beauty issue for women and girls.  In this three-minute ad, a forensic artist sketches people based on their own perceptions of themselves and then again how others see them.  It brought me to tears. Dove says that only 4% of…

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Tweens, Beauty & Instagram

Parents frequently ask me if Instagram is okay for teens/tweens.  Please read this mom’s powerful blog on its downside AND potential. http://www.suburbabble.com/post/46865510969/beauty-is-only-skin-deep-but-instagram-goes-all-the My concern with Instagram and all of the other photo-face-fabulous-or-not obsessions we have these days goes for adults as well as teens.  Through them, we learn to measure our worth in “Likes” –…

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What the heck is going on?

Note: A version of this post published in the Huffington Post on 9/26/12: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephanie-armstrong/bulimia_b_1914788.html In the past week, Katie Couric spoke about her past battle with bulimia in an interview with young star and current center of the eating disorder conversation, Demi Lovato, and Lady Gaga has engaged conversation about her struggle with anorexia and…

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Thin-spiration, Body Love & Beauty

In the past three days, I have seen two pictures circulating on Pintrest and Facebook from “pro-ana” sites. Unsuspecting dieters are liking and sharing these images (one at 50 likes/hr!) that display clear indicators of starving intentions: references to “pro-ana” tubmlr sites in their bottom right corners.* If you are not familiar with them, “pro-ana”…

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On French Model Tara Lynn

What was your experience with “French model Tara Lynn”? When this woman caught my eye on Facebook yesterday I found myself gazing at her, and at first, I felt rather uncomfortable.  She seemed pretty but she was so big! My conditioned mind was immediately judgmental (aka fearful) of this model.  Yes, she had beautiful parts,…

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