The right to bare arms...

[Hagothehills]

...and legs!

So I'm currently about two stone overweight, which is quite a lot at 4ft10. I have always been a bit chubby and sweltered in the summer in long pants and cardigans/ cover ups.

Well today that changes.

It's absolutely cracking the flags today and we're taking DS out for the day. I am wearing a beautiful summer dress that comes down to my knees and has short sleeves. I AM NOT WEARING A CARDIGAN OR TIGHTS.

I refuse. It's too hot. No one is going to drop dead or go blind from seeing a bit of flabby arm or leg

I am done being ashamed of my body. I want to be comfortable. I deserve that.

And so do all of you.

[bloodypassword]

I'm with you Hago. Go for it and have an awesome day

[ShelaghTurner]

I'm a lot lot bigger than you and I went crazy and took my cardigan off while driving yesterday. I was wearing a vest, people, a sleeveless vest!! And no one crashed with shock. It was great. Now have to work on doing it when I'm not hiding in the car.

[DurhamDurham]

Have a great day, like you say no one will even notice never mind care.
Life is too short for worrying about little this, take lots of photos and make sure you're in some of them so that you have fab memories to look back on with your little boy.

[ProfessorPickles]

Go for it OP!
I always feel like if someone is happy and confident in themselves they don't judge others. It's only insecure people that comment on the way other people look.

Do whatever you feel comfortable to, it's only a body at the end of the day

Enjoy the nice weather!

(I enjoyed the thread title )

[Hagothehills]

ShelaghTurner do it! No one has the right to judge you and you have every right to wear what you feel comfortable in!

[dudsville]

This has given me a smile! My legs are pale, blotchy, my knees are pudgey... I wore a skirt without tights and without tanning lotion on. My legs have no business tying to be more beautiful than they are!

[Floisme]

I avoid anything sleeveless for the same reason I avoid black or tops that end at the widest point of my thighs: because I am vain and prefer to wear clothes that flatter me. I am a bit suprised to be feeling I need to explain this on a style and beauty board.

Covering my arms also helps me to keep cool. I burn very easily.

But I would never tell anyone else what they should or shouldn't wear. At least I hope I never have.

[Hagothehills]

dudsville good! Mine are pale and blotchy and covered in bruises from chasing a toddler boy but it really doesn't matter :)

[Hagothehills]

Floisme and that's your choice entirely and again no one can judge you for it! Especially if that is what you feel comfortable in.

[ShelaghTurner]

Oops sorry Floisme. I forgot that The Fat (not you Hago!) have no place coming into S&B. Of course we need everything stylish explaining to us.

[mogloveseggs]

Yay go op! Hope you had a lovely day. I've got shorts on milk bottle does not cone close to the colour of my legs plus the stretch marks which are approaching my knees but bugger it. I've been in the garden and been to the park.

[SpaghettiMeatballs]

Along the same lines I decided to stop worrying that my legs are too white to bare in the summer. I no longer care.

and no longer have fake tan disasters

[PhylumChordata]

Do it. I'm going to bare my pale blue legs with pride this summer

[Savagebeauty]

Well done.
I've just bought 3 knee length linen dresses from Matalan ( with discount £13 each!!) And will not be using fake tan on my very 56 year old pale legs.

[RamsayBoltonsConscience]

Well done! I agree. I have stressed over my fat thighs and knees for years. I'm on week 7 of couch to 5k and it has not improved the shape of my legs at all but now I think fuck it! They are the only legs I have and if people don't like them they don't need to look at them. I am sad for the teenage me who had fantastic legs (I can see from old photos) but not the confidence to flaunt them.

[Floisme]

Oops sorry Floisme. I forgot that The Fat (not you Hago!) have no place coming into S&B. Of course we need everything stylish explaining to us.
I beg your pardon?

[Floisme]

What I mean, Shelagh was that I get lectured all the time about my preference for covering my arms. I get a bit tired of being told I must loathe my body and I expect a little more tolerance on S&B.
But hey you go right ahead.

[Floisme]

Sorry pressed too soon.
But hey you go right ahead with your sarkiness. Don't mind me.

[GiddyGiddyGoat]

Shelagh, did you mean to be quite so rude?!

[SomethingLike]

OP I love this. I too am making a concerted effort to be less self conscious of my (sausage like) arms and legs this summer and so far no one has cared at all!

[PestilentialCat]

A senior colleague of mine stops wearing tights on May 1st, no matter what the weather is like . This year I've done the same bloody freezing some days She reckons it takes about a month for the luminous blue/white glow to tone down a bit

For bare arms, I like to do triceps exercises a couple of times a week.

[Floisme]

I admit my post was a bit grumpy and I apologise for that. But to suggest I was sneering and telling people they didn't belong here was quite nasty, I think. And completely untrue.