There’s a moment that happens almost daily at dotty- and we're over it.
A woman walks in, shops around at our dotty studio, smiles… and then sighs.
“Oh, I can’t wear that. My arms are too big.”
Or: “Nothing looks good on me anymore.”
Or: “I’d love this—if I were ten pounds lighter.”
And our hearts break a little.
Not because of the comment itself, but because of how quickly and casually so many women criticize themselves. Almost like it’s a reflex. It’s become part of the small talk: “Hi, how are you? Oh, I hate my stomach.”
What’s wild is that we hear this from every size. Size 2s wish they had curves.
Size 16s wish they were smaller. And everyone in between is picking themselves apart like their body is something to fix instead of something to live in.
Let’s say this loud: It’s not the clothes. It’s the story in your head.
Here’s a little trick:
Next time that voice in your head starts criticizing your body, imagine saying it out loud to your best friend. Would you ever say, “You’d look so much better if you lost weight”?
Would you ever tell her, “You can’t wear that, you have cellulite”? Of course not.
So why is it okay to say it to yourself?
You are not your worst photo. You are not your pant size. You are not the voice that only pipes up when the dressing room light hits weird.
You are your laugh. Your opinions. Your resilience. Your ability to get back up, again and again. And you deserve kindness—from others and from yourself.
We’re not saying you have to fake loving your body every second of the day. This isn’t about pretending. It’s about shifting—changing the way you speak to yourself.
Instead of:
✘ “I look huge in this.”
Try:
✔ “I want something that feels like me today.”
Instead of:
✘ “My arms are fat and gross.”
Try:
✔ “I deserve clothes that let me move and breathe.”
Instead of:
✘ “I used to be pretty.”
Try:
✔ “I’ve changed, and I’m more beautiful than ever!”
You can acknowledge change without judgment. You can want to feel good in your clothes without tearing yourself apart. And you can be soft and strong at the same time.
Clothes That Are On Your Side
At Dotty, we don’t design for mannequins or made-up rules. We design for women. Real ones. With soft bellies, round arms, long torsos, full busts, and yes—curves, rolls, and everything in between.
Our dresses and tops are meant to flow, not squeeze. To highlight, not hide. They’re not about changing your body—they’re about meeting it where it is, right now.
You are not the problem. The clothes should work for you, not the other way around.
So the Next Time You Catch Yourself Thinking…
“That won’t look good on me.”
Pause.
Take a breath.
And say, “Don’t talk to my friend like that.”
Because your body has carried you this far. And it deserves better than insults disguised as casual comments. It deserves love. It deserves ease. It deserves kindness.
And so do you.
With love,
Sylvi xoxo