I am Curvy Kate - Body Confidence Booster

Curvy Kate are a massive name in the underwear industry, offering a wide range of sizes and lots of different styles too, I've always admired their bras and had a bit of bra envy.

When they announced they were running the #IamCurvyKate campaign I debated for a little while whether I wanted to enter to be considered. There was a lot to weigh up, for years I'd said that the one thing I wouldn't do would be pose in my underwear on the internet - one because of my confidence, with clothes on I am the queen of confident but in my underwear I was really insecure. Secondly, I thought about the people who may see it - friends, family, and even people I knew growing up.

I had a conversation with my Mom about it all, and how I was feeling and its thanks to her that I entered. She reminded me that I could do this, and I got used to posing for photos for the blog so how much different was it, and I had to remember that I'm not a person who fears the thoughts of others anymore. We all have our moments, but I needed to enter and do this for me and my confidence.
No sooner had I entered that I received the email saying I'd been selected, over the next week I was so nervous and contemplated dropping out a few times but one of my close friends, Tracey kept reminding me that I could do it and she was super supportive, her using the words 'lady balls' a lot helped haha.

It came to the day of the shoot and I was nervous as hell, I got to Baker Street, filled out the questionnaire, checked in and the nerves really hit.
I was met with so many amazing, beautiful women that I couldn't believe that I was there and about to do something I feared doing in front of a partner never mind tons of other women and photographers. I went in for a fitting, they put me in the Delightfull Full Cup Bra and it was so comfortable.

Melissa from the Team Topsy Facebook group was lovely!

@gellnern was great for a chat and captured some great pics for me!

Next was makeup, I arrived fully done up and ready for if they wanted to make changes or do touch ups and the makeup artist was so kind and thoughtful - she tried her best to put me at ease sat there in my bra and jeans and to be told by her that my makeup was perfect was a win.

While waiting to shoot I chatted with lots of the others who were on the Sunday shoot session with me, including bloggers, influencers and lots of lovely women.  It was a great, empowering experience and the flower wall was brilliant for some fun selfies and impromptu posing. We shot videos, lots of Instagram content, professional photos and a real boost for everyone involved. It was the most supportive environment and I had the best time. In front of the camera the photographer was really supportive and helpful and made me feel so at ease too.

There was a photographer from a newspaper at the shoot, who got me out of my comfort zone well and truly on the sofa, legs up with my chub in its full glory  and it was fab! Pushing my own boundaries on the day was an incredible awakening.

I never dreamed that I'd be the kind of girl that would model for brands or have the confidence to go out into the world and do my thing - wearing what I want and feeling damn good about myself while doing it but this journey with blogging and with my own body hang ups has so far been a brilliant one. I have learnt a lot about myself, the people around me and what I can achieve if I put my mind to it. I am so thankful for the day with Curvy Kate, because the last frontier for me is getting my kit off - I have spent so long scared of my own body when I had little on, and in relationships I have always been incredibly nervous - I still have some issues to overcome there, but I'm feeling a million times better of how I feel about myself. It took me so much to be able to go to that shoot, and be vulnerable and I wouldn't change it for anything. I'd actually love to model again after doing something so out there too.

We are all beautiful in our own ways, we all have something to bring to the table and we all deserve to feel as good as I did that day.