In the 13 years I have been writing on this particular iteration of my blog, I've considered closing it down many times and for many different reasons. Mostly it's been because I've run out of ideas of things to write about, but occasionally I will find myself thinking that a particular social media platform has... Continue Reading →
Small reflections on a peculiar year
When I started thinking about writing a blog post to round up this year it was going to be a 'things I've learnt' format like last year but, in pondering what this year has taught me, my enthusiasm for writing it tailed off. Did this year give me any realisations that can be neatly summed... Continue Reading →
When summer comes…
I don't care if you exercised. If you got a personal trainer and toned up, trimmed down, fitted back into the clothes you wore before the pandemic hit. I don't care that you got moving, went from couch to 5k, or beat your personal best. I don't care that you want to be a "better... Continue Reading →
Virtual boudoir shoot with Tigz Rice
There's no denying that this year has been a difficult one, and most people's lives have changed dramatically in ways we couldn't have imagined twelve months ago. Something a lot of us are coming to terms with is how our bodies have changed due to a reduction in the amount of movement in our daily... Continue Reading →
Beauty standards, ageing and confidence
I've spent more years than I care to imagine working out how to love my reflection. It might sound strange to anyone who doesn't identify as a woman, or wasn't raised as female, but the constant stream of messages we receive about how our appearance is the most important thing about us takes a certain... Continue Reading →
Taboo Week: Fat bodies, uneven skin, and the courage to disrupt
The number of more positive articles on fat bodies is finally starting to increase, in the wake of the popularity of 'plus size' (ugh I hate that term) models like Ashley Graham, Audrey Ritchie and Tess Holliday. It seems like culture (and capitalism) has finally accepted that we're getting bigger, and that there's a lot... Continue Reading →
Taboo Week: What no one tells you about getting older
I haven't had a guest blogger week on Rarely Wears Lipstick since the days when I used to post regularly and wanted some content to schedule in before I went on holiday. At first I asked friends to write something, then I started to put callouts to my followers on social media. Every guest post... Continue Reading →
Knickers to the fashion industry’s narrow ideas of beauty!
Playful Promises are on fire right now and I just can't keep up with the number of amazing collections and campaigns they're launching, much to the excitement of their ever growing customer base. Having ventured out of core sizing into full bust in 2014, they embraced plus size and released a Curve collection last year,... Continue Reading →
How kink taught me to love my body
Like a lot of young women in their teens and twenties, I grew up feeling very uncomfortable in my own body. By most "standards" I was too big - my thighs were too fat, my arms were too chubby and my boobs were definitely too enormous to be considered desirable. I was an early bloomer... Continue Reading →
Lingerie & Body Confidence: a photoshoot with Tigz Rice
It's been a while since I had a photoshoot. Back when my hobby was burlesque, I was in front of the camera quite a lot and was certainly no stranger to posing in my undies. I had a few studio shoots with my burlesque gang, had various photographers snap my performances, did a couple of... Continue Reading →