Tara lynn plus size, There are many reasons to admire Tara Lynn: The plus-size model, who covers this month's issue of ELLE Spain, has not only helped redefine the industry's standards of beauty, but encouraged women of all sizes to embrace their natural shape, too.
But make no mistake: Lynn knows better than anyone that it's easier said than done. She's very candid about the challenges that came with growing up as a size 14/16 and admits that it wasn't until college that she grew to accept her body. With a newfound appreciation for her voluptuous frame, she then mustered up the courage to walk into a modeling agency—a move that would not only change her life as she knew it, but also launch a movement.
Since she made her foray into the modeling world, the all-American beauty has starred in numerous controversial editorials, covered ELLE France, which deemed her "The Body," fronted H&M's "Big Is Beautiful" campaign, and worked with storied fashion photographers such as Patrick Demarchelier and Steven Meisel.
Behind-the-scenes, Lynn holds a degree in linguistics (she speaks French and Spanish) and is a classically trained singer who admires the work of 19th century French composers like Debussy and Fauré. In addition to belting out tunes, she spends her free time reading, writing, painting, and hanging with pals such as fellow plus-size model Robyn Lawley—who, for the record, makes a killer gluten-free French onion soup.
ELLE.com caught up with Lynn on the heels of her big cover to talk about how she got her start, body diversity in the fashion industry, and why she takes no issue with being called plus-size.
Congratulations on your ELLE Spain cover! What was your experience on set?
It was great! Xavi Gordo was the photographer. Some of the poses were held for quite a long period, so it was a bit of a workout. But I could really see that he knew how to flatter [my] proportions. It was a really cool and different experience to work with him.
The images came out beautifully! How did you make your foray into the modeling industry?
It was kind of a last minute idea—it was just a moment of wanting to take a risk. I was at university and just wanted to pay my tuition. I realized I couldn't work and study full time. So, I quit my job at a bank and walked into a modeling agency thinking it would give me a lot of freedom if they said yes. They did, which surprised me. For two years I just worked out of Seattle but didn't have any New York representation. I finished my course of study and then went to New York.
Did people tell you that you should model growing up?
Pretty often. Starting in my teens, people would say things like that. I was never skinny, so I always thought that if I was going to model, I'd have to lose a lot of weight. I knew at some point in my late teens that plus-size modeling existed. Based on societal pressures, you think when you're in your teens that by next summer you're going to be able to wear a size 4 or 6, or fit into that bikini you thought would look pretty if you lost 50 pounds. It just didn't occur to me as something that was realistic. You don't want to invest in your size-14 body when you feel bad about it as a teen.
Was becoming confident in your body a progression?
There was certainly a natural progression that happened over time. As you become an adult, you realize that you don't have to fit in with your peers. You don't have to look and think like everyone else. Though there certainly was a point at which I realized I was really unhappy in my body and that I had to take control. It was maybe a couple of years after going through that, during college, when I took some weight off and felt strong, beautiful, and in control. I had enough courage to walk into an agency and realize that this body that's a size 12/14 is a good body, it's my own, and I feel good about it.
But make no mistake: Lynn knows better than anyone that it's easier said than done. She's very candid about the challenges that came with growing up as a size 14/16 and admits that it wasn't until college that she grew to accept her body. With a newfound appreciation for her voluptuous frame, she then mustered up the courage to walk into a modeling agency—a move that would not only change her life as she knew it, but also launch a movement.
Since she made her foray into the modeling world, the all-American beauty has starred in numerous controversial editorials, covered ELLE France, which deemed her "The Body," fronted H&M's "Big Is Beautiful" campaign, and worked with storied fashion photographers such as Patrick Demarchelier and Steven Meisel.
Behind-the-scenes, Lynn holds a degree in linguistics (she speaks French and Spanish) and is a classically trained singer who admires the work of 19th century French composers like Debussy and Fauré. In addition to belting out tunes, she spends her free time reading, writing, painting, and hanging with pals such as fellow plus-size model Robyn Lawley—who, for the record, makes a killer gluten-free French onion soup.ELLE.com caught up with Lynn on the heels of her big cover to talk about how she got her start, body diversity in the fashion industry, and why she takes no issue with being called plus-size.
Congratulations on your ELLE Spain cover! What was your experience on set?
It was great! Xavi Gordo was the photographer. Some of the poses were held for quite a long period, so it was a bit of a workout. But I could really see that he knew how to flatter [my] proportions. It was a really cool and different experience to work with him.
The images came out beautifully! How did you make your foray into the modeling industry?
It was kind of a last minute idea—it was just a moment of wanting to take a risk. I was at university and just wanted to pay my tuition. I realized I couldn't work and study full time. So, I quit my job at a bank and walked into a modeling agency thinking it would give me a lot of freedom if they said yes. They did, which surprised me. For two years I just worked out of Seattle but didn't have any New York representation. I finished my course of study and then went to New York.
Did people tell you that you should model growing up?
Pretty often. Starting in my teens, people would say things like that. I was never skinny, so I always thought that if I was going to model, I'd have to lose a lot of weight. I knew at some point in my late teens that plus-size modeling existed. Based on societal pressures, you think when you're in your teens that by next summer you're going to be able to wear a size 4 or 6, or fit into that bikini you thought would look pretty if you lost 50 pounds. It just didn't occur to me as something that was realistic. You don't want to invest in your size-14 body when you feel bad about it as a teen.
Was becoming confident in your body a progression?
There was certainly a natural progression that happened over time. As you become an adult, you realize that you don't have to fit in with your peers. You don't have to look and think like everyone else. Though there certainly was a point at which I realized I was really unhappy in my body and that I had to take control. It was maybe a couple of years after going through that, during college, when I took some weight off and felt strong, beautiful, and in control. I had enough courage to walk into an agency and realize that this body that's a size 12/14 is a good body, it's my own, and I feel good about it.
