Boudoir Love Letter | Brittany
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Hey Beautiful,
Let me just start by saying, I am not going to try and convince you of anything. You are the only one who can make this decision, you will know when you are ready. . . and when you are, I promise you the doors will open up, the light will shine, and you will walk taller than you ever have before. Trust me, I walked in there pretty tall and I left as a helluva tall woman!
Let me take you to the very beginning. . .I have always loved fancy things. What I mean by fancy is sexy underwear and lingerie. The fascination really happened back in 2001 when Moulin Rouge came out. We all remember that song: Lady Marmalade, with Christina Aguilera, Lil Kim, Mya, and Pink? Of course you do!
That song may be iconic, but that music video. . . who can forget the incredible outfits they were wearing!? I remember watching that and thinking, “Whoa this is really cute and I wish I could wear something like that!” However, coming from a conservative family. . . well, they may just kill me!
Over the years, my interest in lingerie grew. I learned about the different types of lingerie and it just compelled me to be interested in the entire outfit, which led to my shoe obsession! So one day I was walking through the mall when I saw a super sexy lingerie set in the window and I asked myself, “How can I wear that. . . without having a man?” It is just so funny that we automatically make that connection. Why was that even my first thought?
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Looking back on it, I was going through difficult period in my life. I had taken a break from school, I wasn’t active, I was nowhere close to being confident in my skin, and had no self-compassion. I just seriously wasn’t happy. Everyone has different coping mechanisms and my break from reality was living in this sexy world.
There is just something magical that happens when you slip into a sexy teddy or strappy bodysuit that gives you about as much confidence as an exotic dancer. At this point, I had submitted myself into embracing this sexy side that I had been hiding. I’d found that wearing lingerie helped me to be confident and happy. I was still trying to feel comfortable in my own skin and I was still trying to find myself. To add on that, it was also a tumultuous time for plus-size women’s fashion. Plus-size women were still being viewed as unhealthy and, quite frankly, being plus-sized was frowned upon.
My classmate was a catalyst for inspiration and admiration. She did a boudoir session and didn’t care what society thought about her. I had never done a photoshoot of any kind. I didn’t even know where to start.But I thought to myself, “F them. I'm going to do this.” I saw that she went to The Boudoir Studio and their website was so professional! There was so much information - things to read, gorgeous photos everywhere. I just knew that I wanted to work with these people. So I stalked them online for like 3 years!!
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In the beginning of 2020, I got the okay for weight loss surgery and it was so important to me to document the start of this journey. This moment was the kick in the butt that I needed to book my boudoir session this year. It made perfect sense! I was turning 30, my cruise had just gotten canceled, and I needed to do something for myself!!!
That first conversation I had with Asif confirmed the decision that I was making. I had been watching his live videos and could feel his vibe and knew that I wanted him to take my pictures. The S.A.S. (Self Appreciation Sunday) videos would sometimes make me laugh, sometimes make me cry, and I felt like he was speaking directly to me.
My first session was a little awkward, but it felt so. . . freeing. First of all, the things that I wore. . . I would never wear them in front of most people. You know, it’s totally different for like a boo-thang! But once Asif showed me the back of the camera, everything clicked. There was so much power behind him showing me the photo right after he took it. He spun the camera around, he didn’t edit it, photoshop it, or whatever. I saw myself, absolutely beautiful just as I was, sitting literally right there. That’s me!
That. Is. Me.
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Going through the photos, it only got better. Listen, I know I don’t have a . . .”behind”. . . but I liked those photos too!! There were photos of all my favorite features like my eyes and smile just done so beautifully. I was in disbelief that it was really me. Complete awe! I imagined I would look good, but I never imagined I would look that damn good. It was near impossible to narrow down my images when the time came to choose my favorites!
The entire experience was unforgettable. From beginning to end, I don’t think that there is a better team that could make me as happy as everyone at The Boudoir Studio. The added confidence, the smiles that we all shared, the laughter, the serious moments, holding those freaking positions. . . they are professional all along the way.
If you talk to anyone from the studio, Andrea, Asif, Nicki, or Jill, and they haven’t made you feel comfortable enough to move forward with your boudoir session, you’re not ready. And that’s ok! There was a point where I wasn’t ready and it took me 2 years to be ready! It’s been a big journey for me and like I said, I’m not going to try and convince anyone. . . but, if you feel like you’re 80% ready. . . just do it.
With love,
Brittany
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