While the fashion world has been slow to wake up to the fact that models don’t need to be super-slim, there are a number of agencies that are opening up their doors to curvy ladies. These include Models Direct and Talent.

They believe that by promoting women and non-binary curve models, they can combat toxic diet culture.

Prints

Most women — chubby or not — instinctively gravitate towards their best colors and know when they look good or bad. But figuring out why they work or don’t is less intuitive, which is what makes shopping for prints a frustrating process.

One of the most important things to keep in mind when choosing prints is that they should be face flattering. When choosing prints, it’s better to go for larger designs that are in scale with your size rather than smaller ones that make you look out of proportion.

In terms of patterns, vertical stripes can be very flattering for petite and chubby girls. The same goes for horizontal and zig-zag patterned prints. It is also a good idea to avoid square or angular patterns as these tend to draw attention to the face.

Shapes

While it is refreshing to see a model of a size other than a thin woman, many people don’t like the idea of seeing plus-size models constantly being used. This is due to toxic diet culture where being skinny is seen as the epitome of beauty.

Apple shaped women have shoulders and hips that are about the same width, with a flat or round tummy area. Pear shaped women have a bigger chest and smaller waist, while an O shape has a narrower waist with wider hips and shoulders.

A short and chubby girl can wear wrap dresses that look flattering on her shape because they can create the illusion of a smaller waist. In addition, vertical patterned prints can also be quite flattering for this body type.

Accessories

Models have a lot of accessories to choose from like hats, shoes, jewelry and belts. These items can add a little extra something to the look and they are available in all shapes and sizes. You can find a variety of models with their accessories on TikTok. Among these are Kat Stroud and Akilah Biederman. They are part of Part & Parcel Talent, an initiative that aims to showcase more plus-size models. They are fighting to counter toxic diet culture in the fashion industry and beyond.