Real beauty : laid bare

I don't own a full-length mirror, seeing myself all at once scares me. I would much prefer to see myself a little bit at a time, that way, I can kid myself that all those good looking little bits make up one exact replica Jennifer Lopez style figure.

I'm not that hung up, am I?
I mean, once I get to know a man I stop holding everything in; or insisting we have sex in a position which flattens everything out and (naturally) the lights are always off.

On a really good 'God I'm thin' day I can even have a bath with my boyfriend without filling it to the brim and making sure there is at least 6 inches of bubbles so he can't see my body lurking beneath the water.

What men think
Men of course are completely different. They are happy to stroll around the house naked. They don't care that their bits are swinging wild and free or that they are wearing nothing that will hold, lift and separate. They are happy to stroll naked past the window, not caring that the curtains are open and the neighbours opposite are all staring wide eyed.

Me, myself and I
Me, I just can't get to grips with nakedness or any form of partial body exposure. Thankfully most shops now have recognised women's fear of even stripping off in front of others and have changed those fearful communal changing rooms into individual cubicles.

There, I can ensure the curtain is right the way across and hide behind it. Then I take off my bra with my back to the mirror and change into that dress only turning round to face my reflection when fully covered ensuring I never discover that my body might not be exactly the same as Jennifer's.

Written by Sera Barrett