A mother-of-two has become an online star after sharing a photo of herself proudly posing in a form-fitting dress she had ‘no business wearing’ along with an important message about self-love.
Katey Johnson, a 40-year-old mom and creator of The Mother Octopus blog, took to Instagram and Facebook on Monday to post a snapshot of herself modeling a figure-hugging black dress while enjoying a weekend away with her best friend.
‘This is me in a dress I have no business wearing. It’s not the first time I’ve worn it and it won’t be the last time,’ the mom from New York wrote.
Loving herself: Katey Johnson, 40, from New York, took to social media this week to share a photo of herself modeling a form-fitting black dress she said she has ‘no business wearing’
‘I know it’s not flattering but I don’t want you to say, “OMG, YOU LOOK GREAT!” I don’t want you to say, “GOOD FOR YOU!” I want you to know why I’m wearing a dress I have no business wearing,’ she continued.
Katey, who has a 10-year-old daughter, Olivia, and a seven-year-old son, James, explained that she snapped the selfie after having some Prosecco during her getaway.
‘Someone could say that I look a little pregnant in it, because of, you know, that part sticking out in the front. I do look a little pregnant. That’s fine,’ she wrote.
‘Once upon a time I grew two babies in that part sticking out in the front, but I assure you, now it’s just where I keep my cheeseburgers and sauvignon blanc.’
Important message: In her post, the mother-of-two said the dress is not flattering on her, but she bought it because it made her feel good when she tried it on
Katey said when she tried the dress on, she knew it wasn’t made for her 5’2″, 160lb body, but for whatever reason she felt great in it even though she doesn’t usually wear form-fitting clothes.
‘I wanted it, so I bought it. And I was proud of myself for it,” she wrote.
Katey admitted that she is actually the heaviest she has ever been aside from when she was pregnant, explaining that she has always struggled with her weight and how she speaks to herself in her mind.
‘After 40 years of telling myself I have no business wearing things I want to wear, I’ve decided to change the subject. I’ve decided to start being kind to myself,’ she said.
Katey noted that she works from home and can workout two years a day if she really wanted to, but she is focused on raising her children and nurturing her relationships with her friends and husband.
Changing the narrative: The Mother Octopus blogger explained that after 40 years of telling herself she can’t wear certain things, she has decided to start being kind to herself
Advice: Katey, who shared this photo of herself making a funny face last month, urged other women wear things that make them feel good — even if they have ‘no business’ wearing them
Now, she wants to focus on loving herself.
Katey ended her post by urging other women to put on things that make them feel good about themselves no matter what they look like, noting if she can do it, they can too.
‘If the hard part is talking yourself into it, tell yourself life’s too short to worry about things you have no business wearing,’ she wrote.
Katey’s post has been liked and shared thousands of times, with many praising her for being an inspiration.
‘We need more of this positive message on social media,’ Sophie Victoria commented on Facebook.
‘We should all have the courage to be proud of our bodies and wear what we want. I’m still working on it but every time I read posts like this it makes it a little bit easier.’
Positive mesage: The mom’s message has been shared thousands of times, with many people hailing her an inspiration