I’m obsessed with flamingos. If you’ve been around for a while, this is not going to come to you as a surprise. You’ve seen me wear flamingo clothing, like my favorite flamingo print swing dress. You might even remember reading about my flamingo encounter at Lion Country Safari a few years ago (a.k.a the best day of my life!). After admiring flamingos for as long as I can remember, I finally decided to show my love for these pretty pink creatures by wearing it on my sleeve. Ok, maybe not my sleeve, but my arm by getting a flamingo tattoo!
Let me introduce you to Pluma, my new flamingo tattoo.
While I’ve wanted a flamingo tattoo for quite some time, Pluma came to be after a chapter of growth in my life. I recently went through a long period of time that I felt uncomfortable being my true self. This is an internal conflict that dates back to my childhood, and practically my life story. Some of these feelings come from my constant struggle of feeling like I don’t fit in. Since I was a teenager, this is something I’ve faced many times. I’ve always felt different. This feeling becomes more prevalent when I’m around people that have false expectations of me.
I can’t say that I blame people for not always knowing the real me. There have been many times in my life that I haven’t lived authentically. I’ve repressed myself to maintain an image that feels safe. I’ve toned down my style to not stand out in a crowd. I’ve covered my body to not make people feel uncomfortable around a fat girl that feels confident despite my size. I’ve lowered my voice to not be the loudmouth, Cuban girl. HeIl, I’ve even been conscious to not use curse words, and if you know me in real life, you know I can give a sailor a run for his/her money. I’ve kept my mouth shut when people tell me how I should be living my life according to societies standard for a 30-something-year-old woman. But, you can only be fake for so long until you feel like you’re living your life to please the people around you.
I will no longer be apologetic for being myself. I will be a flamingo in a flock of pigeons and I will not give a flock what they think of me (see what I did there ;).
It’s taken me a long time to get where I’m at right now, but I had a revelation that allowed me to finally stop questioning myself and push forward. I’ve realized that a great deal of my social anxiety (yes, I’m an extrovert but it doesn’t mean that people can’t make me anxious) through the years has been over peoples opinions of me. I’ve wasted a lot of time being fake. I’ve missed out on a lot of fun. I’ve spent a lot of time keeping energy vampires in my life, and that negativity no longer has a place in my life. By accepting myself and committing to live as the most authentic version of myself, I hope to live as the REAL SAHILY moving forward.
So, here’s where Pluma comes in…
Flamingos are a quirky, free-spirited, social animal. They are peculiar, but they embrace this gracefully. Their unique appearance and vibrant color act as a reminder for me to have fun and live my life to the fullest while being unapologetic for being myself. I decided to name my flamingo tattoo Pluma because this translate to feather in Spanish and it was important to me to give Pluma a special name that represents my culture. Pluma now serves as permanent reminder to live my life as the most authetic version of myself each and every day.
Outfit Details: Dress- Eshakti | Bamboo Clutch- Amazon | Heart-shaped sunglasses- Amazon | Shoes- JcPenney (old) | Earrings- DIY (Let me know if you’d like me to make a tutorial)
I couldn’t think of a better way to introduce you to Pluma than through my new Beaded Flamingo Dress from Eshakti. This dress is fun and perfect for my new found attitude. And, of course, summer.
Photos By Erica Esper
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