Categories: fashion & stylemusingsUncategorized

Why Women of Any Age Can Wear a Bikini – or Cover Up – if They Wish #iwillwearwhatilike

After almost a year of hosting the #iwillwearwhatilike link up the theme is finally swimwear / beachwear –

here’s to women at every age wearing bikinis, swimsuits or burkinis – in other words, whatever you damn well want to wear when you’re at the pool, on the beach or lounging about on holiday! I’d especially love to see lots of bikinis linked up simply because this is the one item that seems to touch a nerve with (some) journalists who insist that if you’re past the age of being able to have children then you really should put it away.

And if you’ve actually had children, god forbid you even think about getting your body out on the beach at all.

Aaaaargh let the madness stop!!

It’s the flippin’ 21st century and we’re long past being told what to wear – and what not to wear. If you’re even slightly contemplating whether you “should” be wearing a bikini at your age, ponder this:

SHOP THE LOOK:

The difference between a swimsuit and a bikini is roughly a few inches of fabric – and therefore a few inches more skin on show. If anyone has a problem with one and not the other, they need a serious reality check. And if a 22-year-old woman wants to cover up from head to toe on the beach, then that’s no one’s business but her own. If a 72 year old wants to wear a bikini, the same applies… It’s really that simple in the grand scheme of things. There are far more worse things in the world to worry about.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SWIMSUIT AND A BIKINI IS ROUGHLY A FEW INCHES OF FABRIC – AND THEREFORE A FEW INCHES MORE SKIN ON SHOW. IF ANYONE HAS A PROBLEM WITH ONE AND NOT THE OTHER, THEY NEED A SERIOUS REALITY CHECK.

So now that I’ve got that off my chest 😉 I’ll mention my own beachwear outfit!

I bought both the yellow bikini and the paisley beach jumpsuit last year for my holiday to Santorini – neither actually appeared on the blog in the end, but this weekend was so glorious they were put to use at long last once again in the garden. The jumpsuit is definitely a beachwear jumpsuit – it’s unfortunately a little too see-through to wear out and about, otherwise I think I’d be donning it with a t-shirt or tank underneath and rocking it down Sainsbury’s.

I can’t see a time when I’ll no longer be wearing a bikini – but you can rest assured that if and when that time does come it’ll be my decision, and my decision alone…!

Pleeeeeease add ALL your outfits to this week’s link up (not just beachwear!)… as always you may be featured next week if you’ve linked up something in this week’s theme of beachwear, bikinis, swimsuits or swimwear.

Don’t forget only blog posts that include a link back here or my button – or Instagram posts with the #iwillwearwhatilike hashtag – will be considered!

ARE YOU WEARING WHAT YOU LIKE WHEN IT COMES TO BEACHWEAR OR SWIMWEAR? HAVE YOU STARTED WEARING A BIKINI DESPITE WORRYING ABOUT IT IN THE PAST? COMMENT BELOW, OR TAKE IT TO TWITTER @NOTLAMB!

ASOS bikini (love this yellow bikini top and bikini bottoms and this yellow swimsuit) | ASOS jumpsuit (love this patterned wide leg jumpsuit) | Reiss SS13 hat (this striped floppy sun hat is perfect) Marks & Spencer flips flops (love these Havaianas flip flops) | Models Own Navy Blue nail polish (pretty much the same as Chanel ‘Marinière’)

Above: My favourite shot from my poolside photo shoot on holiday in Santorini last year… Take me back now!!

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Thank you for joining the #iwillwearwhatilike link up! This started as a campaign on Instagram in August 2015 where women over 30 wore everything on a journalist’s list of “inappropriate” items for 30+ women (including leopard print, short dresses and oversized sunglasses. Yes, really). It was so popular that I decided to carry it on weekly where women of all ages link up their fabulous style, never mind what anyone tells them not to wear!

The link up goes live every Monday at 3pm UK time and will stay open for a week. Whilst the original article was of course aimed at the 30+, you can be ANY age to link up. The only criteria is that you’re wearing whatever you damn well like!

An InLinkz Link-up

Next week’s theme…

The OPTIONAL theme for next week (22 AUGUST) is SUMMER SANDALS

Linking up etiquette…

CLICK HERE to read the rules of linking up (and to grab the #iwillwearwhatilike button)

Featured favourites

My favourite EMBROIDERY outfits from last week’s link up:

(L-R) Petite Silver Vixen | Anna’s Island Style | What Lizzy Loves | Sheela Writes | Une Femme d’un Certain Age

To get yourself featured next week, link up something following this week’s theme and make sure you’ve included a link back to Not Dressed As Lamb or my button in your post/sidebar!

DO SHARE THE LOVE AND VISIT AS MANY LINKS AS YOU CAN (YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT OTHER LOVELY LIKE-MINDED LADIES YOU MIGHT MEET) – THE ORIGINAL INSTAGRAM CAMPAIGN FORGED SOME WONDERFUL NEW FRIENDSHIPS SO DON’T MISS OUT!