My Bikini Problem

I have a bikini problem. I own sixteen (or sixty) sets of them. I’m Brazilian. It’s in my blood. But I’m also Canadian and that comes with a different kind of bikini problem, namely, being the only one amongst my friends who sports a bottom showcasing most of my butt.

Usually, their first reaction is shock. “I’m a bit uncomfortable with how much of your butt cheeks are showing.”

My reply, “I’m not.”

Sometimes my friends say, “My butt would look huge in those.”

To which I reply, “Ummm… isn’t that the point?”

And then the truth comes out, a deep yearning. “I wish I had the body to wear that.”

Then it’s my turn to be shocked. “You do!”

You’re a woman. You have a woman’s body. It’s beautiful and perfectly imperfect.

Are you a mother? I am. Both of my pregnancies wreaked havoc on my skin, stretching it to its limit like an over-inflated balloon. At a quick glance, you might think I had a clumsy one-night stand with Edward Scissorhands (I wish), but upon closer inspection, you would realize that I just have a bunch of stretch marks—all over my butt. And yet I boldly show my cheeks.

Why, you ask? Because I am a woman and this is what a woman’s body looks like.

Brazilian bikinis are not for the perfect body. They are for every woman’s body. There is a style for each and every one of us. My personal favourite bottoms are the ones with the ruching at the back. You see, endless squats are not the secret to a sexy apple round butt, cheeky Brazilian bikinis are. But there is a secret to being beautiful which every Brazilian woman knows and it’s this: attitude. It’s why we don’t care that our bodies are not perfect. We embrace our imperfections.

Wearing a Brazilian bikini is an attitude.

How do I feel in mine?

Sexy. Bold. Beautiful.