Why Waist Beads Could Be The Accessory You Need To Boost Body Love

Self-conscious of your tummy? So much so that letting your belly be exposed to the world is something you shy away from at any given opportunity?
We hear you. Sadly thanks to the proliferation of Instagram #fitspo, a recent study from the University Of New South Wales has found women more than ever feel self-conscious of their bodies, leading to a negative impact on our appearance and beliefs surrounding ‘beauty ideals.’
While pregnant women get the perk of flaunting their belly, knowing a baby is a reason to celebrate their body in all its glory, if you’re not pregnant and tend to opt for full piece swimsuits and high waisted yoga pants over midriff fashion, then it might be time to invest in the latest accessory gaining popularity around the world.
An accessory said to build body love, waist beads are the latest fashion trend gaining popularity around the world, thanks to their soul focus surrounding self-love ideals.

An age-old accessory worn in Eastern Africa, waist beads—a thread of beads worn around the belly—originally were worn underneath women’s clothes to represent different tribes (depending on the colour worn) but flash forward to today and they’re now being adopted in Western culture to adorn the belly and promote body love.
Considered a form of ‘self-expression,’ waist beads are being used to represent a myriad of positive body love values, from femininity, individuality, acceptance, sensuality, fertility, heritage and of course self-love and worth.
While they can be a fashion statement, fans of waist beads typically wear them all the time (including when showering and sleeping) and for different reasons. Women wanting to get pregnant believe they can harness the energy of the earth through wearing them, while others believe they simply hold healing energy and others wear them to monitor their weight, knowing when the string tightens its time to cut back.

Much like chakras, the beads are also said to have different energies and values depending on their colour and what the wearer may need.

If healing your body image is something you can relate to and want to learn how to soften into self-love and appreciate your stomach (or body), perhaps start with a simple string of beads. To help, we’ve curated a guide that explains the healing qualities behind each colours.
Blue: represents knowledge, healing, peace, truth, harmony, devotion, deep insight.
Green: represents prosperity, hope, harmony, healing, humble.
Red: represents self-confidence, vitality, sexual energy, passion, courage.
Yellow: represents wisdom, knowledge, clarity, awareness and relaxation.