in the past few weeks, i've been thinking to myself, it's okay to not be "pretty". it's okay. my body is only a vessel. i'm sticking to a popular definition of "pretty" here. slim, symmetrical face. big eyes. small nose and mouth. occasionally, when i look into a mirror or look at my selfie, i see someone who looks good and healthy (or, god forbid, pretty). yes, i'm saying that unashamedly. that IS what i sometimes see. it is not wrong to be satisfied with how you look. and you must not take away those rare moments of self-appreciation from anyone, not even yourself. let me sum up this whole paragraph with this -- try to be less critical on your own looks; you look good. it's very normal to be insecure. but whenever possible, love yourself. 

also, don't you dare deride others for being confident of the way they look. i know, we all have been conditioned to be superficial and judgemental. i still do that from time to time. but consciously control your thoughts and words. what defines you is your second thought.

don't point fingers and proscribe people for wearing certain clothes even though they "don't have good figures to pull them off". who gave you the right to make fashion rules? i can wear a crop top even if i don't have a flat tummy. i wear low-cut tees even though i don't have much assets. i can wear what i like. i don't deserve any mockery.

realise that when you limit others with unnecessary, rigid standards, you are trapping yourself too. it's a vicious cycle that upsets everyone. so why be a part of body-shaming?

lastly, you reinforce the rigidity of beauty standards every time you tell others that they must only wear certain types of clothing that "suit their body shapes". it is kind of like a self-fulfilling prophecy.