Beating Body Shaming

Lately I have been hearing and seeing a lot of hateful and potentially harmful comments towards female bloggers and women in general and I am sad to see that it's coming mostly from other women.
As bloggers we put ourselves out there, people think that this means we leave ourselves wide open to criticism. Does this really give someone the right to judge our bodies and leave comments as what to what they think we should look like and what we should / shouldn't show? Is it not the same as walking up to someone in the street and saying "you're ugly"?
I am fortunate as a blogger, I have been faced with little personal negativity, however this is not the case for my acquaintances in the blogasphere and that just pisses me off! It’s bullying, and that is NOT okay! 

Many of you that follow me on various social media platforms hopefully see that I am a keen purveyor of kindness and I support towards my fellow kin.  Now, I am not preaching just for femails here, you men are good in my book too : ) It is not any more acceptable to leave a negative comment about a males body as it is to a woman. Any kind of hateful behaviour to me is intolerable.

So when my friend Penny quite rightly decided to make a plea to us blog sorority to stop this craziness and join her to take a stand and spread the love, I of course wanted in.   

We can all be walking along the street and judge people, it unfortunately is a fact of life, these thoughts are sometimes born out of our own insecurities and for most of us that’s where they stay, as thoughts; but when it comes to leaving negative body related posts or making comments to others you have crossed the line, it’s just not acceptable.

When I was younger I use to get constant comments about my weight. People thought it was okay to comment on me being Skinny. I in fact wasn’t very well. I am naturally petite and in my early years was diagnosed with Coeliac disease, so was vastly underweight prior to knowing what was wrong with me and it took me a long while to get back a heathly weight and well. 

 

In my teens

 

I know as a 21 thirty something I feel I have quite a good attitude towards my own body, I am mostly quite comfortable in my own skin and do not feel like I have to hate on others to make myself feel better. Naturally I do have little hang up’s, I have moments when I start to feel a little down on myself, could I be a bit thinner, why is my hair not fuller.... 

 

 

Part of Penny's quest was to pair us up with fellow bloggers and asked us to take a look at their blog, and highlight three great things about them. I have been paired with @dinoprincesschar. I already follow her and dip in and out of her blog, one thing I know about her is she is a very talented dressmaker and has the most amazing shoe collection!

 

Char’s blog is a heady mix of outfits, lifestyle and sewing posts I love that her blog is not constraint to be about one thing which makes for a interesting a diverse read.

 

Take a plunge into her blog t*rex and tiaras and the first thing you will see is her beautiful long brown hair and slender frame all packaged up in some beautiful dresses, many that she has wonderfully handmade herself.

Char comes across in her posts and on twitter as kind and fun person that has a warm heart. She has a wonderful sense of individual style that I admire.

Penny asked us to include 3 things about ourselves that we like, it feels very strange to sit and think so... I love this about me, after all this is not the British way!    

• I have a Malaysian / English heritage so have fairly almond eyes, more so as a child, I love my big brown eyes, people often comment on them, it makes me smile

• I like being petite, at 5ft and a fag paper I can get up to mischief easily, this paired with my innocent face, it’s a winner J

• I like being curvy, I have a big butt I shall not lie.... but I have a fondness for pin up girls and this is a shape that is mostly associated with 50’s pin ups.  

Remember each and every one of you is beautiful. I would love you to leave me a comment to stay what you love about yourself and share this post to join our cause to stop this uncalled for bullying.

 Urban Butterfly x

Raspberry Dreams

How gorgeous is my new bag Nica Lauren Grab bag

The one thing I don't buy a lot of is bags as I am quite fussy but when Nica kindly allowed me to review a bag I knew Lauren was the gal for me.

 

She loving arrived all packaged beautiful and that was it.... it was love at first sight! The Lauren Grab bag is a moden style with a vintage twist Doctor‘s bag.

The size is perfect as I do not travel light, it fits all the things that i need to cart around with me on a daily basis... 10 lipsticks and my ipad, why do lipstick congerate at the bottom of your handbag?
I love the two large separate zipped compartments but most of all I love that along with the perfect length strap there is a little handle, I assume this is where the 'grab' name comes from. 

If the long strap is not your thing, simply remove using the little clips and bingo, all gone!

 

 

The raspberry colour is ideal for summer but a great splash of colour we head into autumn / winter. I have just bought the most beautiful pink coat that I can't wait to show you that Lauren will go with like a dream.

 

The Lauren Grab also comes in Tan, Black and Blue Haze.

 

 

 

Fancy a 15% discount on any Nica bag on me? Simply enter Butterfly15 at the checkout Nica Uk

Discount only applies on www.nica.co.uk and on full priced items

Urban Butterfly
~

This is a sponsored post but all content and opinions are 100% honest and of my own.

A vintage girls guide to Glastonbury

When I say to people, "Yes I love Glastonbury, Yes I camp" they tend to do a little squint, a head tilt and reply "really"!!!.... For some reason I am not seen as a camper.

I like to joke that I am very much like an onion, there are many layers to what I enjoy!
Who would of thought, me, loving an excuse to don something on my head and jump around like a fool.....  
Glastonbury gives me freedom to have 6 days (yes I am a hardcore festival goer) of unadulterated fun with my hair and clothes. So cat ears and wigs at the ready!




Glastonbury 2010

I am often asked what I take, so here goes.

Packing list

• Rum, all else is lost without this!
• Hip Flask say no more
• Bucket  I have a strip wash every day. I do not come back stinking! I find wet wipes leave you with a funny smell
• Flannels  x 5
• Washing items / basic cosmetics
• 5 outfits, each one that can be layered up as it gets cooler towards the evening
• Long stocks/Tights a tend to wear two pair of socks, no one wants to come home with trench foot!
• Wellies and 1 pair of Dr Martens Open shoes are a no no especially in crowds
• Hat  - There is little shade to be had if the sun decides to grace Worthy Farm
• Tent / Sleeping bag and Air bed You need some luxury after all
• Spare phone batteries. I only have a few this year as I have bought this to try - Power Bar As much as I try I am not an off the grid kinda gal
• Things to put on my head.. haha a wig or Minnie Mouse ears. This year so far is looking tame!
• Waterproofs You know at some point the heavens will open
• Hand sanitiser
• Suncream The areas are so vast with very little shade so it's so easy to burn and ruin your skin and your time there.

I
 do think about what I am taking to wear to Glastonbury, for me it's all part of the festival. Can you imagine if Simon Neil from Biffy Clyro spotted me and I looked a mess!
When I first started going to Glastonbury I bought what I think you "should" wear but in the last few years I am sticking true to more 'my style' and carrying it through to being in a field! To be honest I never get filthy and still have a excellent time.

Glastonbury 2013

This year I am looking forward to seeing Dolly Parton, Ed Sheeran and The 1975. I love that every year we discover new quirky little bands, go to flash Lindy dances and full on raves in the rain. I am also keen to see the Shellac Sisters They are four glam ladies who play all things vintage using 78rpm records on 1920s wind-up gramophones.  



I also can't wait to get there to eat! The array of food is amazing. As a Coeliac I thought I would be stuck with only a handful of options, how wrong was I! The food is great quality and it's a good price.

Is it your first time of going to a festival this year?

You can follow my capers on Instagram

Happy Camping!  

UB x

I am my fringe......

One single thing should not define a person but my fringe or bangs to my friends across the pond is one of the thing people recognise me for. For some time my fringe has been a staple in the many hair transformations I've been through. I even had a good old fashion pudding bowl fringe at two years old. 
 


Cheese!

 

For years I’ve have been happy for people to near on shave my head but the directive has always remained “be careful with my fringe” It's a predominate feature in my logo, and for those who followed ‘logo gate’ with a not so pleasant Z-lister, will know why it meant so much to protect, not only was it copyright infringement of a graphic designers hard work but it is pretty much my face!! I digress….
 

Now with this unhealthy fringe obsession comes a high expectation and critical nature. Leaving me with a difficulty finding someone that understands ‘what I want’ I have a clear image in my mind as to shape and the perfect fringe for me, not what they think I should have!

It seems most hairdressers will cut a fringe in a bridge shape to frame the face, what I want is the opposite to this, I like a blunt cut smile shape, some will call this ‘Betty Bangs’ I’ve even taken to YouTube with a pair of clippers in hand, this did not end well!

 

After I cut with clippers... a little uneven!

 

My constant battle for the perfectly blunt cut fringe this month took me to a Barbers …. yes, you read that right, a Barbers! There I sat amongst all the men eagerly waiting! A lovely young girl took the time to stop, look and listen, then took her time to get it perfect, BINGO I’m thrilled! I've even been brave and had it taken quite a bit shorter.

Where my hair’s been cut into my hair line so badly I need to grow back the sides which will be a pain but it will get there. To top my exhilaration the barbers shop is within walking distance!

The new short fringe

 

UB x