Kim Kardashian usually laughs off jokes about her famous curves. But after some recent harsh comments about her assets, the 5-foot-3 star thought it was time to defend her rockin' bikini bod. "I love my body the way it is," Kim, 28, tells Life & Style. "I'm not perfect. I have cellulite, so what." In fact, she feels so comfortable that on April 13, when Life & Style asked if she'd pose for a photo shoot, Kim jumped at the opportunity -- that very day! "It was so much fun," says Kim. "I just put on my mom's bikini, and we did the shoot in the backyard. It made sense to just go out and take the photos." But in these shots, unlike some of her recent magazine appearances, Kim is entirely unretouched! "I chose to do the shoot because I am so sick of people giving me a hard time for those photos that came out in Complex," explains Kim, whose cellulite and skin were airbrushed for that magazine's April-May issue. "I wanted to say, 'This is me, take it or leave it.'" Kim spoke with Life & Style exclusively to set the record straight about her size, shape -- and cellulite.
L&S: Why does everyone attack your size?
Kim: I really don't know. If there's a picture that's not perfect, where I have cellulite, then people say I'm big. I'm built a certain way, and you just can't change the way you're built. People attack my true size, but the reality is that I look bigger on TV [on her E! show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians]. In Hollywood, people are used to stick-skinny women, and that's never going to be me. Growing up, I'd look at skinny models and feel like I looked different. But my parents always told us to be proud of who we are. When I was younger I was uncomfortable, but as I grew up, I grew into it.
L&S: People don't believe you're a size 2. Why not?
Kim: I don't think people get how petite I am because I'm so curvy. I'm small and curvy. The No. 1 thing people ask when they meet me is, "Did you lose weight?"
L&S: What are your actual measurements?
Kim: I'm 35-26-40. My dress size is a 4 or a 2/4. I wear a size 4 skirt and size 27 jeans.
L&S: Do you ever feel violated by the comments on your body?
Kim: Sometimes I do. On the red carpet, the paparazzi scream for me to turn around because they just want butt shots. People feel so free to talk about my butt, and it's not comfortable. Girls come up to me and grab my butt, or if I'm doing a TV interview, people ask on camera to squeeze my butt. It's uncomfortable. I'm like, "Let's move on. Everyone's got a butt, why do you care about mine?"
L&S: Why are you so open about your body? You even had a cellulite treatment on your show.
Kim: I'm so tired of people pretending they're perfect and covering up things when in reality we are who and what we are. You can try to improve that, but the reality is, nobody's perfect.
L&S: How do you feel when people say you've inspired them?
Kim: I love it when people say I've inspired them to love their bodies and embrace who they are. It's so satisfying to know my message is getting across.
For more, check out this week's issue of Life & Style, on newsstands now!
