A beautiful thing happened over the holidays.

I gained weight.

And I didn’t care.

Sure, I opted not to wear the skinny jeans I usually do (even though I could have made them work), but it didn’t bother me that they were tight (-er than usual). I went for some on my knit options that were more flexible and I wore my jeans I’d left at home that had been a bit too big before.

(Caveat: I was at home with family, so I could also be a bit more relaxed in my outfits)

When I put on those jeans that were a size up from my usual, I did have a moment of what can be best described as ‘ugh, great.’ Then I looked in the mirror. And they fit great and I felt great.

So who the heck cares? I’m the only one who knows they are a size bigger than my usual favorites.

Growing up, I remember people would always be shocked by how much I weighed. (Don’t ask me why the question came up.) I guess I was flattered because they thought I weighed less. Well, play sports and lift weights and you’ll have some extra muscle.

Not to say I always loved my body. My derrière has always garnered a lot of interest. And it’s been my biggest frustration – especially when I was younger. I didn’t know how to dress it. In high school, I had to go up a size in my lacrosse kilt because it was so much shorter in the back.

In the words of Sir Mix A Lot, it was ‘like, so round, so out there.’

Mortifying for a 16 year old girl not quite comfortable in her body. Or a 24 year old woman wanting to conform to the ‘ideal’ slim figure.

So, I am grateful to be here, a woman who is truly comfortable in her body. So that even when I gain weight, I still love it.

It’s only taken me over 30 years to get here.

Thank God.

Now, I don’t even pay attention to my weight.

I notice how I feel and how my clothes fit.

Being a woman with hormones shifting throughout the month, it’s easy to fluctuate a few pounds. So, why get my hopes up or, conversely, beat myself up? Wasted time! Call a friend instead!

Most importantly, I know how to dress my body and I dress to both feel and look good.

And I love my strong body. I love how I can push it’s limits and impress the workout instructor when I try a new workout. Even if I’m nowhere near graceful, they can see the intensity and the effort. I love my rock-hard core. Now, I love my ample derrière. And my strong legs and arms. I even love my short toes that don’t peep (no peep-toe shoes for me!).

I love that I can be a tomboy. Or sassy. Or sexy. Or classy. Or even all of the above.

And it all started with confidence in my style and knowing how to dress my body.

What do you love about your body? About your style?