PLUS MODEL MAGAZINE June 2016 Swim Issue | Page 20

letter from
the editor
madeline jones | editor-in-chief

Swim Sexy...
What most people don’t know about me is that I grew up in a Pentecostal home. This
is a very strict Christian religion where the women often do not wear pants, sleeveless
tops or cut their hair. I remember summer days at the beach and looking around to see
the women in my family wearing culottes in the water with t-shirts. Even as a child, I
wore the same. So for me to find myself working in FASHION and to also
feel confident in my body, has been a very long and personal journey.

At the age of 43, I’ve had to add AGE to that category of things that I also have to deal
with. Things that used to be perky are no longer standing on their own no matter what I
do or how I filter on Snapchat. (lol) I recently visited the beautiful island of Jamaica and
for the very first time, walked around in a bathing suit without a cover up at the resort.
I was inspired by many things; the women in my life, the bloggers I share a friendship
with and our followers who continually express themselves genuinely on our social
media channels. It seems I have not been alone in this journey and while I love my
body, the early teachings as a child played a big role in how
I felt when people looked at me.