Style & Shopping
Body Talk
Locals discuss learning to honor the bodies they have.
▶ Alysha January
Founder, Discover Charm City
You come to a point where you realize, I am never going to be a size 0, 2, or 4, and I never really wanted that, but I know where I am healthy. I have legs that work, eyes to see the city, a nose to smell all of the amazing food made by these great restaurants, and arms that I can hug my family and friends with. When you start to think about those types of things you can’t complain about anything physical. Being happy with who I am internally allows everything else to fall into place.
▶ Kayode Adigun
Co-leader, November Project Baltimore
I grew up in Nigeria. Growing up as a guy, I had this male privilege of it not mattering what I looked like, so I have never been body-conscious. For me, it doesn’t matter what you look like, because there are so many things our bodies can do. Everyone has different types of bodies, but they are all powerful in their own way.
▶ Christina Camba
Public Relations Coordinator, Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore
I’m not someone who is very comfortable in sweatpants. I like more form-fitting things because I’m so small. If I wear looser clothing, it makes me look even smaller. I really like to try to play up any shape I have, especially as a woman. We should be emphasizing our features and owning them.
▶ Glenn Bennett Jr.
Store Manager, Ma Petite Shoe
When you keep hearing, ‘You’re so tall and so skinny,’ it’s the same as someone telling you that you’re fat—it has the same effect. I’ve grown up feeling insecure about how tall and skinny I am, because it’s still people commenting on your physical appearance. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve gotten to the place where I’m like, ‘This is okay.’ I want to be one of those old New York City art ladies. The ones that are like 85 and fabulous. I aspire to have that kind of confidence and knowingness of myself.
▶ Lauren Rutkovitz
Owner, A Style Studio
When you are larger all over you just want clothes that fit you. You want to feel good, and to look put together, whereas smaller women, especially women who work out, are way more critical about their bodies. When I was younger, I wish I had known that there were going to be plus-size models and that big would be beautiful. My goal is to make all women feel beautiful.
▶ Dave Seel
Founder, Blue Fork Marketing
I really like pushing my body and seeing what it can do. I’m really into adventure sports. Climbing and yoga are things that push me to get better. Like most men, I struggle with my midsection. I really like beer. I really like food. One of my secrets is that I don’t eat everything that I post on Instagram. But it’s hard, when you’ve got mashed potatoes and a nice steak with a crab cake on top, you’re like, “Uhhh, yes, please.”
▶ Vanina Wolf
Acupuncturist, Five Stones Integrative Health Clinic
I’m French. My parents are French. I think that informs a lot of my views on body image. My mom was always very clear to me from a young age that beauty is fine, but it’s skin deep. She’d say, “Don’t put a lot of weight on it—it disappears. Grow something else—grow your brain, grow a passion.” It may sound trite, but what I love most about my body is that I’m alive and that things are functioning.