We’re a long way from summer now, but here are some supportive words for moms to keep in mind when shopping for a swimsuit: Show off those stretch marks! They are marks of achievement, not shame.
Take it from Robyn Lawley, an Australian model who has graced the pages of Sports Illustrated along with an array of high-fashion magazines including Vogue Italia and GQ Australia.
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Lawley, who gave birth to daughter Ripley last spring, recently posted a topless photo on Facebook in which she proudly displays and discusses her stretch marks.
The Aussie beauty, who is in fact a "plus-sized" model, posted the bathroom selfie in response to a deplorable headline published by UK gossip mag during her pregnancy. Lawley said the following in the caption to her photo:
"Almost a year ago, an interview from a very honest maybe too honest conversation with a friend was manipulated and taken apart so heartlessly by a uk publication gossip page that at 7 months pregnant right after losing one of my my closest relatives, read 'Robyn considers abortion to avoid stretch marks."
Lawley said that at the time the article came out, she already had many stretch marks "like 90 [percent] of the world."
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The model said she now wanted to take the time to capture her post-baby stretch marks before they started to fade.
"As for my stretch marks I knew they were coming and as they're fading into white (like all my others) I thought I might capture them. Because they are some bad ass #tigerstripes. And I earned them."
Lawley encouraged other women to be proud of their post-baby bodies.
"To anyone who feels bad about your body especially after a baby, you are a warrior, you created a life inside of you, that's no easy feat."
She also seized the moment to highlight what she feels are more pertinent issues, like the epidemic of homelessness in America and women's rights at large.
"It's 2015 we have to urgently make women feel empowered by their bodies and minds"