In case you think you’re reading just any old blog, you are wrong. You are reading the blog of a St. Louis Fashion Week Blog Ambassador. Impressed? I thought so. As such, I attended lunches, dinners, shopping parties and events around town that highlighted both important issues in our area and cool spaces in St. Louis.

Mixing up Blogger Cocktails at Central Table (photo courtesy of Ashley Kuenstler photography)

One that I found very humbling and informative was dinner with the Missouri Eating Disorder Council (MOEDC), Socially Jen, and Lori Coulter Swim at Central Table. Perhaps because I have two young girls, this event really hit home. The dinner aimed to break the silence and debunk the myths associated with eating disorders and was appropriately entitled Feed The Facts. The facts were startling and I’m ashamed to say, totally new to me. Take a look at these: 90% of the people who get eating disorders are women, 90% are ages 13-23, less than 10% of those affected will receive treatment and 20% of those affected will die. DIE. Did you know that? I had NO idea. The discussion really focused on getting people with this disease help. You can help by learning about the disease and speaking up. If you live in Missouri (and even if you don’t), visit the Missouri Eating Disorders Council website for resources and more information.

Bloggers learning about the MOEDC’s new Myths Campaign, striving to educate the public on eating disorders. (photo courtesy of Ashley Kuenstler photography)

During dinner, we listened to the story of Jen Singleton, an eating disorder survivor.

The dinner was done in collaboration with Lori Coulter – a swimwear line that emphasizes fit and technology, making swimsuits that complement women’s bodies, no matter the shape. Lori was inspired to start her line when she got tired of hearing women complain about “wanting to lose 10 lbs” or “lose the baby weight” before buying a suit. She uses 3D body scanning and computer aided design to create wearable, fashionable garments. She can even custom make a swim suit to fit your body. Her swimwear can be found in resorts around the country, as well as on her website. And, since I love me some fashion, below are my favorites from her line:

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Thank you to the Missouri Eating Disorder Council, the Midwest Influencer Network, and Explore St. Louis for including me in this event, educating me on eating disorders, serving me a yummy dinner and sponsoring this post.