#EffYourBeautyStandards – Plus-Size Model Lands Contract After Viral Twitter Campaign

The latest model to embrace her body is a stunning US lady, Tess Holliday, who proves there’s a change coming to the beauty industry. Tess always dreamed of being a model, but when she was told that her UK Size 24 frame ‘didn’t fit the model bill’, the young woman decided to take things into her own hands. Starting the campaign #EffYourBeautyStandards, Tess wanted to reinforce that beauty comes in a range of forms. The message seems to have hit a nerve too – with the campaign going viral across a half a million Facebook messages and 350,000 Instagram posts dedicated to showing the world that women like Tess are a role model. The model posts images of herself, alongside mantras and inspirational quotes, including: "I hope this makes you realize that it's okay to be yourself, even if you happen to exist in a fat body. I'm sexy, confident & give no f*cks. Also, f*ck anyone for saying otherwise." Anna Shillinglaw, director of the modelling agency who later signed Tess, explained the company’s decision to add the model to their books: "I think we're the only agency with a model of her size. She is by far the largest model I have in the [Curves] division. "I started following her, and saw how many followers she had—more than most models. She's such an important role model for so many women."