MY STORY – I AM MORE THAN MY BODY

Styling is very personal to me. There is a difference between following fashion and developing a unique style. All this that you see now is not what I was. People who know me from school/college are amazed by my transformation. It’s not just the external transformation am talking about. I am more me than I ever was and all this happened gradually, the more I accepted myself with all its quirks, the more I accepted my body, the more I fell in love with me, people saw the changes

College was not as much of a body struggle and I did not feel so conscious. One reason to this is that thanks to my genes, I had (still have :-)) great skin and decent metabolism. My body was a size S at the max M.

Started having body image issues in my mid 20’s, I started gaining weight every year and before I could take hold of it or realize this, I had gained 10 kgs and then came pregnancy weight. My confidence was an all-time low and with the birth of my son, my body image went on dipping. People feel they are doing you a favor by telling you about how much weight you have gained, or that you cannot / should not wear a certain outfit, or that suggesting exercises and food for weight loss. All this and much more is body shaming if not done with the intent to gain a healthy fit body and not just a skinny one.

Around the same time, I started my journey as an Image Consultant. With this new found knowledge of how to style my body, I started investing in clothes that looked great on my body type. With this zest to create a name for myself as an Image Consultant, I started and reading so much about Body shape styling and Body Image issues. How it is intertwined and with the right knowledge of your shape and confidence to accept your body, it can be your greatest asset.

As I started working with women clients, is when I realized that most of the women irrespective of age suffer from negative body image.

Our self-body image is a reflection of our thoughts… If you don’t respect yourselves, if you don’t love your selves, if you don’t follow a passion, you will be everything that others want you to be but yourself.

As influencers, role models for our kids, their friends, nieces, and nephews, it is our responsibility to bring about this change with every life we touch.

This is my story and why the hashtag #Iammorethanmybody. This whole society irrespective of which part of the world you are based in tries to put everyone in a box. The pressure is more on women than on Men. Do you know 60% of women conversations are based on what they ate and what diet they are trying to follow? We have so much to share, so much to give and yet our conversations are based on food, body, and diet? The world tries to create umpteen insecurities for women. I just saw this ad for “anti-aging cream for 20 years olds” as a precautionary cream to what is them turning 30? Am appalled at some of the products in the market, what happened being graceful at every age.

#Iammorethanbody is a passion project for me. Dressing up, looking pretty is NOT bad, it is a choice, it is something that I WANT for MYSELF, not for anyone else. I know some amazing women, who dress in 6-inch heels, apply a whole load of makeup, and talk to you on any goddam topic you want, yet they are judged only by the way they look. When people turn around and tell my 3.5-year daughter that she is pretty, she has to know that she is pretty strong.

When this self – image is positive you feel positive about your physical body. Try and appreciate your body. Dress smartly and wisely. Our Image depends on how we are groomed. If you keep on the feeling you don’t look good or you don’t dress smart, the other will sense your dip with confidence. Take a pledge to not be a part of fashion trend instead using the trend and styles that suit your body, roles & goals in life.

Have gone through so many changes to create an authentic look for myself, a style that is me, an image that says “Jainee Gandhi”. I can today truly say #IAMMORETHANMYBODY

The below picture is an actual representation of my journey from 2011-2015 as a person and an Image Consultant.