I interviewed the gorgeous Sarah Bowles, who is making her mark as a curvy model, as part of my series for Alternative Fashion Fest.....
Photography - Javier Leite. Swimsuit - Change Lingerie.
Photography - Carrigphotos. Styling & Trousers - Wear we Wander. Hair & Make-up - Angie McB. Jacket - Mercury Goes Retrograde. Accessories - Isobella Ru.
Photography - Carrigphotos. Dress and beaded cape - Devilish Designs by Gina. Styling - Wear we Wander. Hair & Makeup - Angie McB.
Please describe yourself and what you do, for people who don't know - what do you most want others to know about you?
I'm a plus size/curvy model based in Cork. I love all aspects of modelling, be it catwalk or photographic, and I want to promote size diversity in fashion. I also work full-time in a fabric shop and I'm a hat/headpiece designer in my spare time. I've recently started a blog called Curvy in Cork City but I'm still finding my feet in the blogging world so I hope people can be patient with me as I get the hang of it! (All advice welcome haha!) I love dancing, music, movies and animals. My British bulldog Lola never ceases to make me laugh, and my family and friends are very important to me.
Many congrats on winning the Irish Pin Ups
Profile Pic competition for October 2015 - how does it feel?
I'm absolutely delighted, and so thankful to everyone that liked my picture and made it possible for me to win the competition. The women involved were all beautiful - I was in very good company. I'm truly honoured to be the face of their page for the month of October as I love what they're promoting. I adore the pin-up style and hope to do more of that particular style of work in the future :)
It's all been happening for you recently - you've also recently signed up with Upfront Model Management! How did this come about, and describe your modelling journey and how it started for you.
As I'm 5'5" I knew I wouldn't be likely to be taken on by an agency in the early days, so I decided to get as much experience as possible and try to build up a portfolio of work. The first fashion show I took part in, I volunteered for. It was for a very special charity in Cork called The Girls Club. They're a cancer support centre run by an amazing team of women whom I admire very much. They were putting on a Curvy Girls Fashion Show bringing plus size boutiques from all over Ireland to show their clothes at the event.
After my first walk down the runway, I was hooked. It was such an adrenalin rush! At the end of the show I knew this was something I had to do more of. So I got involved in more charity fashion shows to gain more experience, and as I did, I realised this was something I needed to do with my life. I had found a passion for modelling. I was very lucky to be signed to V Plus Models in 2014 and had the most amazing year with Vicki and the girls involved in the agency. It was an amazing time, during which I appeared on Ireland AM and The Saturday Night Show. I met and got to work with some amazingly talented and beautiful individuals. I'm now with Upfront Model Management and looking forward to working with them very much. Keep an eye on my Facebook modelling page for more updates!! :)
Like me, you love the fashions of the 1950s, and you also love charity shops, just like me! Tell us about some of your best finds.
I just adore the fashion of the 50s because to me it was the ultimate celebration of a woman's shape. It was all about accentuating the natural curves we all have. I have a wardrobe full of fit and flare style dresses, as well as some beautiful fitted pencil dresses reminiscent of the era.
One of my favourite shops has to be Devilish Designs by Gina in Cork. She stocks retro inspired clothing from amazing brands like Lindy Bop and Pin-up Couture. My best investment piece ever was the black "Monica" dress from Pin-up Couture that I got in Gina's. It has built-in support and the ruching is really flattering. You just can't go wrong with a good black dress and this has to be my all time favourite.
Charity shops are full of hidden gems just waiting to be discovered. One of my best finds to date has to be a beautiful vintage black handbag I picked up for just €5 which will never go out of fashion. My mum is also great at finding me bits in charity shops. She got me a fab black and white striped pleated skirt (also vintage) for €5, which I adore, and I recently picked up an amazing pink 80s style peplum jacket (which I cannot wait to wear!!) for just €10. I love to dig through rails of clothes and find unique pieces that I can work into my wardrobe.
There seem to be more opportunities for curvy models in recent years. Do you think things will continue to get better for curvy models?
Yes I definitely think the world of fashion is very slowly but surely including more curvy models. (Did you see the pictures of Ashley Graham at NY Fashion Week recently?! Amazing!!) I think the industry is beginning to accept that we all want to see diversity on the catwalks. We want to see people we can relate to, modelling the clothes we'd like to wear, and seeing what they look like realistically. Modelling shouldn't just be open to women or men of a certain height, size, or shape. It doesn't show clothes to their full potential, in my opinion, so it makes sense to diversify.
You've described in your blog, how, 10 years ago, you were working in a retail outlet for a well-known plus-size fashion chain, and the images of the beautiful models in their advertising campaigns inspired you. Tell us a little more about that, and how it started you on your path to where you are today.
The images depicted beautiful women who looked happy and confident, despite being bigger than your "normal" woman. They were models like Candice Huffine and Crystal Renn, two of the worlds most famous plus size models at the time. It made me wonder why more retailers weren't using more models like them. They were women that you could relate to, that represented a more realistic body type and size. I've never been slim, and to be honest I don't think it would ever suit me to be, so to see women not far from the size I was, looking so beautiful and confident and happy - that's what I wanted to be. It took me a while after that though, to properly pursue modelling, but I'll always remember those pictures and how they made me feel a little less inadequate at the time.
What do you advise people who, for whatever reason, feel they are "not good enough" because their body shape is not what has traditionally been celebrated in the mainstream? How would you try to inspire them to reach for the stars?
We're all different shapes and sizes naturally, so we need to try our best to accept that. Our body shape, size or weight does not define us in any way. Yes, the models in the magazines are beautiful, but there are many forms of beauty, and as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Try to appreciate the bits of yourself you like, and learn to love them if you can. Hold your head up high and be confident. We all have bad days where we're not so happy with how we look in the mirror, but we need to appreciate our bodies for what they do for us, and see we're not just our reflection. There is beauty far beyond physical appearance!
Do you think most women or men have to wait until we become little older to finally accept ourselves as we are, or do you think younger people are finally catching onto the body positive message?
I definitely think being a little older helps, because you come to realise that having the "perfect" body or look won't get you where you want to be in life. Teens are becoming more confident, but they are also the worst critics of themselves and others. We need to be teaching them about being happy in themselves by promoting healthy body image, and raising their self esteem. It's so difficult being a teenager - there's so much pressurei on them in all aspects of their lives. Wisdom is definitely something that comes with age, so we need to impart some of our wisdom on them to hopefully change their mindset when it comes to body image.
You did a photo shoot for the Naked issue of Stellar Magazine, and were interviewed about it for Full Frontal on RTE. What was that experience like?
It was nerve racking and daunting, to say the least, but it was also an amazing and very liberating experience. The crew on the day couldn't have been nicer, and the photographer and her assistant (both women) were so lovely - they put me at ease straight away. I decided to do it in a bid to make women see that you don't have to be any particular size to feel confident in your own skin. I was really happy with the final image too, and if I made even one woman feel better in her skin, then I achieved what I set out to do!
What do you think the Alternative Fashion Fest will bring to the Irish people, and what would you like to see it achieve?
I hope the Alternative Fashion Fest will highlight that diversity in fashion is most definitely on the rise in Ireland. It's fantastic that it will be giving a platform to designers, retailers and models of all types from around Ireland, and bringing all these like minded people together. I'm sure it will be a fantastic event and I'm really looking forward to it!!!
Finally, and I shall be asking everyone featured in this series this question, what are your hopes for the future?
I'd like to continue modelling and blogging, and eventually have my own millinery business. I want to continue to represent curvy ladies on the catwalks and hopefully inspire others to be happy and confident in their own skin. It's an uphill battle but it's getting less steep!! :)
