'Because life is NOT Photoshopped!' Plus-size women post photos of themselves in lingerie to celebrate 'real beauty'
In a bid to celebrate 'real beauty' without the magic of Photoshop, a plus-size lingerie store is asking women who are U.S. size 14 or up to post 'sexy' selfies on its Facebook page.
Chrystal Bougon, 45, the owner of California-based Curvy Girl Lingerie, says her aim is to show 'what regular women look like when they step into all of their beauty and sexy.'
Encouraging ladies to step forward, she writes: 'You never know who you might touch. Who you might help. Whose life you may change when they see they are NOT the only woman with cellulite, rolls, scars, saggy breasts or stretch marks.'
Body confidence: In a bid to celebrate 'real beauty' without the magic of Photoshop, Ms Bougon appealed to women who are U.S. size 14 or up to post 'sexy' selfies on her professional Facebook page
She stipulates that participants must take a photo of themselves wearing 'sexy clothes or lingerie' with no retouching allowed.
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Since launching the initiative on November 14 dozens of women have uploaded shots.
Some are seen dressed in briefs and a bra while others appear wearing vest tops and bustiers.
Happy to share: Chrystal Bougon, 45, the owner of the owner of the store, says her aim is to show 'what regular women look like' - most of the women, like this one pictured, posted a photo but did not leave their name
Laid bare: The rules stipulate that participants must take a photo of themselves wearing 'sexy clothes or lingerie' with no retouching allowed
Many of the pictures include detailed captions, revealing each subject's story.
One Florida-based 'curvy girl' who chose to model a thigh-skimming LBD, wrote alongside her shot: 'I am a size 20/22. I am always told I weigh way less than I look.
'I'm proud to be a bigger girl and happy to show others something they don't get to see everyday.
'A bigger girl wearing the same kind of clothes that a model wears too.'
Putting it out there: Some are seen dressed in briefs and a bra
Covering up: While others appear wearing vest tops and bustiers
Happy with who I am: This woman said 'when you accept yourself', friendship, love, and happiness comes
Another unnamed woman unloaded a shot of herself lying down with her bust on display, captioned: 'When I was a preteen, one of my only women role models told me "no man will ever love you as much as they would if you were skinny."
'I have been married for around 2 years to a man, who undoubtedly loves me with every piece of his mind, body, heart, and soul.
'He has loved me at my heaviest, at my lightest, and definitely every pound in between.
'I now know that, "No one will ever love you as much as you can". I've found that when you accept yourself, friendship, love, and happiness will surround you.'
Growing support: The 'real women' campaign launched on November 14
Instant hit: The campaign saw the number of 'Likes' on the Curvy Girl Lingerie Facebook page skyrocket from a few thousand to more than 27,000
Mixed reaction: While there has been positive feedback, there have been negative comments too
And a mother-of-three, exclaimed: 'This is me! I used to hate my body hate myself but I have learned in the last year not just to like myself but to love myself to embrace my curves and celebrate them!
'So here you go this is me! [A] mom of 3 . . . who is grateful for the skin I'm in!'
Since the 'regular women' campaign launched, the Curvy Girl Lingerie Facebook page has attracted a burgeoning fan base.
Indeed, the number of 'Likes' has skyrocketed from a few thousand to more than 27,000.
Spreading the word: Nevertheless, Ms Bougon says she has been overwhelmed and 'touched' by the response
She concluded of her project: 'We all know some people will HATE on these beautiful Curvy Girls. We know people will say mean, nasty things about these beautiful bodies . . . [but] life is NOT photoshopped'
Ms Bougon says she has been overwhelmed and 'touched' by the response.
While she has received a lot of positive feedback, the campaign has also faced a flood of negative comments.
Anticipating such critical opinions, she wrote: 'We all know some people will HATE on these beautiful Curvy Girls. We know people will say mean, nasty things about these beautiful bodies.
'[But] life is NOT photoshopped.'
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