20 Models, Influencers and Actresses Who are Redefining Beauty Standards

As a curvy woman, I have always dreaded beach season. The idea of fitting myself into a tiny two-piece and bathing in the sun with my body exposed terrified me. Time passed and I grew more confident, but no matter how much work I did to heal this negative perception of myself, I had this persistent feeling that bikinis were not for me. Rather, they were for the ‘other girls’ with smooth hips and flat tummies. On top of the war raging in my mind, I faced a battle on social media. My perception was shaped by years of seeing ads for adorable swimwear featuring only one body type. Wherever I looked, the nagging at the back of my head echoed back to me in real-life media; “The bikini is not for you.”

Everything changed when I finally started following women who looked like me. These women have real, diverse bodies with thick thighs, rolls, and stretch marks. From Ashley Graham to Kate Wasley and Barbie Ferreira, there are countless examples of women who openly display their bodies with confidence. They use their voices to spread the message that women are beautiful at any size. These women assert that you can wear bikinis. In fact, you can wear anything you want.

Whether walking on the runway, featuring in a swimwear campaign, or sharing snippets of their life on Instagram or TikTok, these women inspire others to love and accept their bodies as they are.

Thanks to them, I learned to show my hips with pride and wear my stretch marks like little lightning-shaped badges of honor. To celebrate their dedication to spreading body positivity, the team at MySwimLook compiled this list of 20 influential women who are redefining beauty standards. Read on to learn who to follow for inspiring body positivity and style advice from influential, gorgeous, and talented women. 

Ashley Graham

Ashley Graham is without a doubt one of the most well-known models in the extended-size category. More than just a model, she is also a designer and body activist who uses her voice to spread the message that there is nothing you cannot wear. She made history by becoming the first plus-size model to appear on the cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2016. 

With over 21 million followers on Instagram, she promotes self-acceptance and body positivity. Ashley also works with major brands such as Swimsuits For All and designs size-inclusive lingerie. Her most useful tip for anyone looking to feel more confident in their style is to tailor your clothes to fit your body rather than try to make your body fit the clothes.

Parisxhx

Parisxhk is a gamer, model, and content creator from the UK. Her profile shows a love for luxuriously draped fabrics, showing off her elevated sense of style. She loves to travel, often showing off exotic places combined with gorgeous two and three-piece swimwear sets. Paris’s Instagram is the perfect place to search for vacation fashion inspiration if your vibe is simple but elegant.

Raeann-Langas

Raeann Langas is a fashion influencer and podcaster who promotes body positivity. She has a strong Instagram following of over 220K and frequently shares her love for travel and fashion with her followers. She often makes content that shares styling advice and recreates popular looks for curvy bodies.

Raeann and Kristina Zias have recently launched The Confident Collective, a community and podcast that encourages individuals to embrace their confidence. With a focus on various topics like body positivity, skincare, and lifestyle habits, they aim to inspire and empower their audience.

Denise Bidot

Presenting Denise Bidot is straightforward: she made history as the first plus-size model to grace the runway for two brands at New York Fashion Week in 2014. Bidot has since appeared in renowned magazines such as Vogue, Glamour, and Elle.

She recently admitted to Yahoo, "I'm curvy. I'm petite and I'm Latina. I never envisioned myself as a model.” Yet, she continues to act as a shining example of a woman standing against conventional beauty standards. 

She noted, "That's why I do what I do. And I continue to talk about it. Because we're in 2023, and we're still fighting this narrative that people have given us of this 'one thing' is what's beautiful.”

Iskra Lawrence

Another well-known personality in the body positivity movement is Iskra Lawrence. With more than 5 million followers on Instagram, she uses her platform to advocate for self-love and share her honest experiences about coming up in the fashion industry as a curvy woman. 

She emphasizes the importance of embracing imperfections and recognizing one's worth beyond physical appearance. Iskra also puts her advocacy into practice professionally and actively rejects retouching in her photoshoots to promote authentic representation of women.

Candice Huffine

Candice Huffine, a model, designer, and body activist, has made a profound mark in the fashion industry. In 2011, she achieved a groundbreaking milestone alongside Tara Lynn and Robin Lawley when they graced the cover of Vogue Italia, captured by the iconic Steven Meisel.

With an Instagram following of over 260K, Candice is renowned for her unwavering advocacy for body positivity and size inclusivity within the fashion world. Beyond her stunning looks, Candice's stubborn determination has opened doors for greater diversity and inclusion. In addition to her accomplishments in the industry, she is also an enthusiastic runner who has conquered several marathons, showcasing her strength and resilience both on and off the runway.

Robyn Lawley

Robyn Lawley is a well-established name in the plus-size modeling industry. She gained significant recognition for being part of the historic Vogue Italia cover shoot in 2011, but she boasts many other high-profile accomplishments since then.

Lawley also made history as Ralph Lauren's first-ever plus-size model. Plus, she made her debut as a rookie in the 2015 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition (one year before Ashley Graham's cover). She also hosts a podcast called Every Body with Robyn Lawley, focused on calling out body-diversity blind spots in the fashion industry. 

Fluvia Lacerda

Fluvia Lacerda is a Brazilian plus-size model and author. She shares her vibrant wardrobe, videos of her work with numerous international brands, and an inspiring sense of adventure with her over 368k followers on Instagram. Fluvia’s book titled "Gorda Não é Palavrão" (Fat is Not a Bad Word) promotes body positivity by spreading the message that people should be honest with themselves without hating their bodies.

Marquita Pring

Marquita Pring is a model and body positivity activist from New York and uses her platform to speak about promoting inclusivity in the fashion industry. She mainly works in the luxury industry and has walked the runway for high-profile designers such as Jean-Paul Gaultier.

She has also been featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue multiple times, including the recent 2023 issue.

Jennie Runk

Jennie (Jade) Runk is an American plus-size model who gained recognition after appearing in H&M's Summer 2013 beachwear campaign. She is known for her advocacy for body positivity and her support for the LGBTQIA+ community.

Her Instagram profile features style inspiration and videos where she shares personal stories and answers questions her followers ask about life, love, and self-confidence.

Alessandra Garcia Lorido

Alessandra Garcia Lorido is the daughter of Andy Garcia. She has a classic, elegant sense of style that shows in both her personal life and in the brands she works with. In addition to her modeling and acting career, Alessandra is passionate about cooking and has shared that cooking is an expression of body positivity for her.

"I know! I know! Just let me live! 🙈" was the caption for this beautiful post a couple of years ago. Her feed is an ongoing discovery of love for her body, heritage, and self-expression. 

Precious Lee

Precious Lee is a model, actress, writer, and advocate for race and size diversity in the fashion industry. She consistently speaks out against the double standards that Black women face in the fashion industry.

Precious Lee is a model, actress, writer, and advocate for race and size diversity across fashion. She made history as the first Black plus-size model to appear in Vogue and Sports Illustrated's annual Swimsuit Issue. 

Two years ago, in an  interview with W magazine, she was asked this question: "What’s the one question you’re tired of answering?" She said: “‘How did you become so confident?‘ To me, that question is like... wait a minute, how are you so happy and going for it? [...] I think that question is loaded. Another one is: ‘How do you feel about being called plus?‘ I don’t really like answering that, but I continue to answer it because I know we’re in a pioneering situation; it’s new."

Chloe Marshall

Chloe Marshall is an influencer and ‘curve model’, with over 179k followers on Instagram. Her style is captivating style with a certain understated elegance that celebrates her curves, especially in her swimwear choices. Her feed features looks for any occasion and is the perfect place to run in case of emergency summer-style inspiration!

Beary Becca

For women with a youthful, colorful sense of style, keep Beary Becca on your radar. Beary Becca is a Dominican-Cuban plus and mid-size fashion and lifestyle agent, as well as a curve model. She lives beachside, so if you’re looking for adorable bikinis and vibrant swimsuits with lots of feminine details, she is your go-to girl. Her YouTube channel features videos on curvy girl fashion, vlogs, and sit-down talks about self-love and fitness. She has a significant following on social media, with 211K subscribers on her YouTube channel and 400K on her Instagram account.

Bree Kish

Bree Kish is a 27-year-old plus-size model, actress, and influencer from Orange County, California. She discovered her passion for modeling at the age of 14 and has since made a name for herself in the industry. She has an adventurous sense of style and frequently features bright outfits alongside home-style inspiration.

Bree has modeled for brands such as Frankies Bikini and has appeared in high-profile fashion campaigns. She is also an actress and has appeared on the TV popular show, "Euphoria”.

Tess Holliday

Tess Holliday is certainly one of the most recognized figures in the body positivity movement with over 2.5M followers on Instagram and ties to some of the biggest names in fashion. In 2018, she was featured on the cover of Cosmopolitan magazine wearing a swimsuit, and blowing a cheeky kiss to the viewers. 

With her motto, "Eff Your Beauty Standards," Tess believes that beauty is not confined to a specific size or style. She challenges societal norms through her Instagram, where she shares unapologetic images of her body and fabulous fashion sense.

Barbie Ferreira

It seems that Barbie Ferreira is everywhere lately, and for good reason. She is an authentic voice in the body diversity movement, often sharing realistic takes on what it is like to be a model in an industry that fights against progress at every turn. 

She is best known for her role as Kat Hernandez in the HBO series “Euphoria,” but she is also a highly regarded model. She has been featured on the covers of Vogue, Elle, and Cosmopolitan, among many others. 

Sarah Nicole Landry

Sarah Nicole Landry is a jack of all trades. She is a content creator, writer, speaker, and host of The Papaya Podcast. She often shares stories of her journey, where she demonstrates that embracing a positive body image is an ongoing process. Landry invites her followers to join her as she shares her journey of self-love, even after giving birth to four children.

She often showcases her stretch marks and encourages women and fellow mothers to dismiss negative comments, especially those that originate from within.

Ali Tate

It is easy to feel drawn to the personal style of Ali Tate Cutler. She is refined in a way that evokes images of lounging on a picnic blanket in a sunlit meadow. Ali is a Texas-based plus-size model, podcast host, and health coach. She was the first-ever plus-size model for Victoria's Secret and has since been in high demand for countless other brands. 

She has recently launched "unf*ckwithable", a mental coaching service aimed at helping individuals release and let go of negative elements that are no longer beneficial in their lives.

Dana Patterson

Dana (Isabella) Patterson is an influencer who is an advocate for body neutrality, sharing the idea that we should accept our body no matter what. She uses her platform to promote inclusive fashion and beauty brands. She often shares unedited videos showing realistic proportions, showing off tight-fitting dresses that touch her curves and bikinis embracing her shape. Her posts feature positive messages and swimsuit pics all curvy girls can look up to.

Conclusion

One last clarification: this article is not intended to rank or select the most famous influencers or curvy models. Dedicating an entire website to the courageous women who fight against unfair beauty standards wouldn't be enough. The twenty names we suggest are just the tip of an iceberg that, fortunately, is growing bigger every day. While there is still much work to be done, thanks to the contributions of these women our view of what is beautiful is inching away from unrealistic standards. The more we highlight these voices, the more we show the world that this is what we want to see- women embracing their beauty for what it is, curves and all.

As a final note, I will leave you with these four posts from Kate Wesley, where her words speak for themselves. 

See you soon.