15 Plus Size Women Rocking Their 2015 Fatkinis

One of the best parts of summer is seeing plus-size women in fatkinis show up on social media in full force. At this point, the term "fatkini" has completely solidified its place in the lexicon and in plus-size culture — Bustle's own Alysse Dalessandro recently wrote an amazing writeup on the history of the fatkini. The presence of the #fatkini on social media, in pop culture, and in plus-size communities means that more and more women are uploading their photos with the #fatkini tag and sharing them with the world.

For some people, this might seem (at best) like a small, inconsequential event, or (at worst) an indication of how narcissistic people have become. For me, sharing photos of yourself is rarely an act of self-absorption, and is more an act of self-expression, especially when it comes to people sharing their "unconventional" ideas of beauty. So many of the images we see are aspirational, projected at us with no thought or care for the consequences (and mostly with the intent to sell us things).

Searching a tag like #fatkini shows images of all different bodies without a hint of pretense. This is who these women are, and you can take it or leave it. And there's no ulterior motive behind it, either. Women are sharing simply for the sake of sharing, hoping that their photos will inspire others to do the same. I know that every time I browse the tag, I feel a little bit better about the beautiful and diverse world of bodies we live in. After viewing the women below, I'm certain you'll feel the same.

1. @radfatvegan

I love this suit, and I love her power stance. Also, it's awesome to see photos of plus-size women in bikinis who don't have the classic hourglass shape. The more body diversity, the better!

2. @jewelzjourney

Because you don't have to just wear a #fatkini to the beach and serve come-hither poses all the time. Plus-size women get buck wild at the beach, too.

3. @sassyjodi

She's got the classic bombshell pose going on, and I am absolutely here for it.

4. @thegoddessmimi

She somehow manages to make the inside of a bedroom look like a dreamland being presided over by a benevolent and beautiful queen.

5. @stephanie_pierre

This suit is everything and I love how she's showing it off.

6. @premierbonheur

She's a classic beauty with a rock-and-roll swimsuit, and she looks like she couldn't be more confident.

7. @bykikisol

This plus-size style account happened to feature one of the hottest, most badass looking squads I've ever seen.

8. @interviewandy

Stripes on the top, small print on the bottom. Standing confidently and owning her space. She's doing all the things fat girls aren't supposed to do, and doing the hell out of them.

9. @amapod

She's wearing an enviable suit, and with that killer confidence, she wears it extraordinarily well.

10. @piecezofb

She looks like she's about to have some fun, and I love her mix-and-match suit selection.

11. @riscak

This amazing woman actually looks like a sea queen emerging from her kingdom, and I am fully prepared to be her loyal subject.

12. @travelvixen

She's ready to enjoy her day of vacation, and her confidence tells me she's about to make the most out of it.

13. @danielle.bex

The colors here are absolutely killing me (did she match her fatkini to her hair?) and I love her entire bold look.

14. @iaso_diva815

I love the attitude in this photo, but I liked her caption more: "That's right, 2pc action. I never thought I would put one on, but I DID." Yes you did, and yes I love it.

15. @hantisedeloubli

As my eyes darted around this image, I kept saying (out loud), "Is she kidding me?! Is she actually kidding me?!" Basically, everything in this photo is perfectly executed: the ice cream bikini, the hair, the cherry-and-whipped-cream ring, and, most of all, the confidence. This picture exudes the fundamental idea behind a fat girl in a swimsuit: no limits, no rules, and a healthy dose of self-love and pride.

Images: radfatvegan, jewelzjourney, sassyjodi, thegoddessmimi, stephanie_pierre, premierbonheur, bykikisol, interviewandy, amapod, piecezofb, riscak, travelvixen, danielle.bex, iaso_diva815, hantisedeloubli