Erin's Story

Erin's Story

The beautiful Erin is a model and role model who seeks to inspire women everywhere to love their bodies and live healthy lifestyles.

I got discovered for modeling a year and a half ago by the owner of an agency while eating dinner at a Chipotle in Hollywood. She approached me and asked if I’d ever considered being a model and that she had an agency just for plus sized models. When she called me plus size, I was offended. I was not and am still not plus size. I wear a size 10/12 and knew that plus size was size 16 and up. She then explained to me that plus models generally aren’t plus size. A plus model is usually between size 6-16. That was insane to me. How could you call a size 6 plus size, especially since the national average is a size 14! Regardless, I decided to give it a try and I’m so thankful I did because I am now working internationally and get to help so many girls with body image issues find their beauty.

I myself never really had issues with my body, I knew I could be thinner and more toned but I never really cared enough to do anything about it and I'm thankful to have never fallen into an eating disorder like most girls typically do. I’m now at a point though where I’m very happy with my body and completely comfortable with myself in every aspect. I’m glad that I got the opportunity to be a curve model rather than a straight model. I now understand that no matter your size, you determine your happiness and success. Curvy is beautiful, as is skinny. I don’t really see size as beauty but rather find people’s beauty in what they do: in how kind they are, how loving, how forgiving, how optimistic, etc. The most important thing now is for women to strive for health not a number on a scale or a dress size. Not every body will look the same at a certain weight or size and those things are irrelevant anyways! All that matters is your kindness.

I’ve seen many changes in the fashion industry over the last year and a half of being in it and I’m hoping for these types of changes to continue. More and more companies are booking average sized women to represent their lines, and certain brands have pledged to never photoshop any images they use to promote their brand. I am constantly urging designers and store owners to allow curve models to represent them and most of the time, they agree! I think really all I want to see is a mixture of bodies being used, different sizes, ages, ethnicities, etc. we are not all the same and we cannot keep pretending we are. If someone is a size 2/4 naturally or because they eat clean and workout, fine, and if someone is a size 8/10 naturally because they eat clean, workout, and have a broad bone structure, fine but the eating disorders need to stop. The bullying needs to stop. People are called ugly and pretty whether they’re fat or skinny so let me say it again, YOU ARE NOT DEFINED BY YOUR SIZE. stop acting like you are and live your life the way you want to.
xx -Erin Grady