Curvy Body Positive Instagram Influencers You Should Follow
As much as you are what you eat, you are also what you consume. Social media has the ability to make or break your spirit with the content it delivers you.
Seeing unattainable and photoshopped bodies can do major harm to your self-esteem, as can consuming negative content like body hating captions and fatphobic attitudes disguised as ‘fitspo’.
INFLUENCERS WE LOVE
- Brooke Lee
- Jessie Hall
- Curvy Sam
- Self Love With Loren
- Riley Hemson
- Sarah Jane
- Mikayla Wain
- Stace McGregs
- Margaret MacPherson
- Taryn Brumfitt
- Kate Wasley
- Ashley Graham
- Non Airbrushed Me
- Allison Kimmy
- Megan Jayne Crabbe
BROOKE LEE
Brooke is a beautiful size 12 model and actress on the sunny Gold Coast. Her beaming smile and positive energy is infectious making her a great influence on women of all shapes and sizes.
Notably, Brooke isn’t afraid to call a filter out for changing the shape of your face and making you ‘Instagram perfect’, often jumping on her stories to expose the filter and what effect it has put on your nose, lips, eyes and skin.
Not shy of a bikini pic, frequently posting her latest swimwear finds and sharing her natural body, without airbrushing or filters.
JESSIE CASSANDRA HALL
Jessie is a confident and joyful plus-size influencer, whos style and attitude is unmatched. Often sharing body positive tips and messages her feed is an overwhelmingly positive space for all.
Jessie is not afraid to flaunt her body in all of its glory, often posting her raw unedited images and sharing positive messages about her body. If you struggle finding outfits that push the envelope but still look amazing on a plus size figure look no further than Jessies account.
CURVY SAM
Sam is a must-follow for anyone looking for a real and authentic best friend type influencer. Sam is vibrant and bubbly, but is also not afraid to tell it like it is and share her real experiences as a plus size woman.
You can often look to Sam for fashion advice with her series of reels where she goes into popular shops like Kmart and Cotton On and styles fun outfits from their range.
As a disability worker Sam is always friendly and approachable and has become one of our favourites when she pops into the office. Her genuine zest for life and determination to make the plus size fashion world more inclusive and stylish.
LOREN BURTON
As her username suggests Loren is all about self-love, her gleaming smile and positive attitude radiates throughout her Instagram. Her positive mantras and body-positive captions make following her page a true experience for the soul.
Her body-positive page is about more than just loving every inch of your body but also how to treat your mind right. Her wellness focus shines with her recommendations of skin oils, meditations, skincare practices and ways to nurture your mental health.
Loren isn’t afraid of going barefaced and showing her followers that skin texture, pores, fine lines and freckles are completely normal and infact something to be embraced. We could all learn something from Loren and her positive outlook on the world.
RILEY HEMSON
Riley, also known as HealthyChick101, has been a long time model at Curvy Swimwear and a body-positive influencer for years. Beautiful inside and out Riley is known for her high fashion approach to plus-size style. Riley is no stranger to flaunting her body, often posing in bikinis and activewear showing off her figure.
As a long time sufferer of Lipodema, Riley often shares her struggles with her audience. Though Riley works out frequently, she focuses on how she feels rather than her weight, making for a more body positive and healthy approach to fitness.
Riley has become a great influence on women of all ages, sizes and shapes with her honest chats about her lifestyle and body-positive attitude.
SARAH JANE
Plus-size model Sarah Jane is known for her hilarious and real approach to body positivity, with reels and posts often talking about her struggles as a plus-size woman.
Her active crusade against societal norms and diet culture is a refreshing change to a typical Instagram feed obsessed with what people are eating and their workout routines.
Sarah often touches on her previous eating disorder and her current love for her body. Her authentic approach to self love is to be admired and we love seeing her refreshing posts on our Instagram Feed.
MIKAYLA WAIN
As a self-confessed size 22 fashion lover, Mikayla is known in the plus-size community as an overwhelmingly positive and authentic influencer. Often posting images in a swimsuit Mikayla isn’t afraid to show some skin and flaunt her body.
As a big influencer in the body-positive space, Mikayla often posts about her struggles with posting photos in certain outfits or her focus on the way her body looks over how she feels. This feels like Mikayla opens a window into her true life and shows that no matter how confident you may look, thoughts like these are normal and experienced by everyone.
STACE MCGREGS
Gorgeous girl Stace McGregs is as lovely on the outside as she is on the inside. Stacey is the girl that makes you laugh, but she wasn’t always like this.
Stacey had grown up with body issues and had entered countless body weight contests, watching and counting every piece of food in order to achieve that perfect body. Over the years she realised that this was not what it took to make her happy and turned her life around and in a complete twist started to post about body positivity on Instagram.
Her Instagram feed is filled with bright bubbly photo’s of her and also her cute Staffy x Sausage dog Rex. We talked earlier about wearing bright colours and Stacey definitely loves colour – did someone say “Hot Pink”.
She’s also taken a stab at being a stand-up comedian but generally she engages her community with body positivity, style tips and a little bit of fun. Stacey has also modelled for lots of great Australian companies like Styling You the Label, Blue Bungalow, Little Party Dress and Capriosca Swimwear.
Margaret MacPherson
The gorgeous Margy. Margaret is a plus size model with Bella Management based in Melbourne. She is also an amazing makeup artist and has started her own company with a microfibre makeup remover that is eco-friendly.
We found one of Margaret’s body positivity quotes from one of her 2017 Instagram posts:
"I'm sure a lot of people can relate with me when I say, as a young girl I idolised and worshiped the women in magazines and on billboards in their lingerie - mainly for their incredible and extremely unattainable bodies. I would kill myself at the gym trying to rid myself of my hips, my pot belly and sadly my bosoms lol...
When I started modelling my main goal was to inspire and show young woman (and myself alike) that we all come in different shapes and sizes and to embrace what we have been given. The second I did my dreams became my reality, I signed my first contract with Playtex (which was my "I can retire happily now" moment). The second I changed my mentality my world opened. Nothing holds you back more than your own insecurities, so make sure you wake up and smash them."
Taryn Brumfitt
Taryn Brumfitt would have to be one of the biggest Australian body positive influencers. As a mum of 3 small children, Taryn identified that we need to stop the body shaming at a very young age, and teach our children to have a body positive attitude.
Her 2016 Embrace documentary is all about inspiring people to embrace their bodies, educating everyone about positive body image, and celebrating the diversity of shape, colour and size. Taryn’s goal is to get as many people to watch her documentary worldwide and help put a stop to body shaming.
Taryn also offers a 4 week course on loving your body. Her mission is to help you reconnect with your sense of joy, freedom and purpose. This course takes you through:
- Understanding “why we hate our body”
- Understanding how body shaming activities hold you back
- Moving past the nasty voice in your head
- Pushing you out of your comfort zone
- Learning how to set boundaries and say no
- Setting yourself up for continued success
If you ever have a chance to go to one of her talks, she is an amazing public speaker. Check out Business Chicks to book tickets.
Kate Wasley
Beautiful Kate Wasley is a Perth based plus sized model, who is also a passionate body positive activist with many achievements under her belt.
Kate is a certified personal trainer, she has done triathlons, modeled for Lorna Jane, and in 2018, she featured in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue.
With her best friend Georgia Gibbs, the two created Instagram @any.body.co. Their goal was to change society’s beauty standards and perception that smaller is better, when in reality, health is the important thing. After overcoming a debilitating eating disorder, Kate knows this first hand.
“I’m excited to show people no matter what your size, you can go to the gym, eat healthy and be fit and do what ever the hell you want; I’m excited to be a part of a movement that focuses on health and not size.”
Ashley Graham
Ashley Graham is a famous American plus-size model with over 10 million followers.
In February, Ashley became a mum to a little boy, Isaac. Congratulations to Ashley and her husband, Justin Ervin, who she married in 2010 after they met at church.
Ashley's career in modelling started in 2001 when she first signed with Wilhelmina Models. She has had an amazing career modelling for Vogue Magazine, Bust Magazine, Harper’s Bazaar, and working with clients like Lane Bryant, Dolce and Gabbana, Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Kors, Nordstrom and Macy’s.
Being one of the top body positivity models, Swimsuits for All, a plus-size retailer of women’s swimsuits, hired Ashley to shoot an advertisement in Sports Illustrated Magazine in 2015 to promote their #curvesinbikinis campaign. Ashley was the first ever plus size model to appear in the pages of the Swimsuit Issue and the campaign was a huge success.
Ashley also released her book, A New Model: What Confidence, Beauty and Power Really Look Like, in 2017. In her biography she delves into her experiences as a model and her push for body positivity.
Non Airbrushed Me
Non Airbrushed Me was created in 2015 by Amber Gwynn. Amber, who is a size 16 curve model with Bella Management, wanted people to accept that beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, skin tones, hair colours, and ethnicities, and that she believed that your flaws should not be hidden but embraced.
She pushed for a positive body image on social media in a unique way – non airbrushed images. The images they post are raw. They show every stretch mark, wrinkle, freckle, and skin tone. They have a strict No Editing Photo Policy which has gained them over 200K followers.
They have a modelling ambassador program, in which you can become a member of their Non Airbrushed Tribe, and receive exclusive invites to events, get personalised coaching and mentoring, and work together with Bella Management to place girls into the modelling industry with the right support.
Allison Kimmy
There are some great positive body image Instagram account in the United States - at the top of the list would be Allison Kimmey.
Allie, as she prefers to be called, is based in Florida, the United States, and is swimwear obsessed. She is all about educating people to self love. Her Instagram is fresh, and shows her passion for body positivity and self care. You can also download her Self Love Journey ebook from her website.
Alison, now a mum of two, grew up with yoyo diets and body dysmorphia, and now is an activist against dieting. Allison is the happiest she has ever been at 8-10 sizes bigger than she was 10 years ago. Her self help tips include writing positive notes to stick on your mirror, like “It’s ok if your body changes now or any time”.
She has also founded @girlphoria, a non profit organisation to empower young girls. She organises work shops and talks, to teach these girls how to gain confidence.
Megan Jayne Crabbe
Megan Jayne Crabbe, the author of Body Positive Power, is all about embracing her curves and celebrating her cellulite after years of dieting. Her mission is to help women to love themselves and their bodies.
She also runs an advice column on The Unedit, where followers can fill in a form, and ask whatever body issue questions they have, such as “How Can I Avoid Getting Sucked Back Into The ‘Bikini Body’ Talk This Summer?"
Megan's advice for building up beach body confidence are:
- Detox from social media
- Wear your swimsuit around the house first, so you get more comfortable with your body
- Ease into going to the beach
- Don’t worry about what people think - focus on what you’re doing rather than how you look doing it
Megan has answered hundreds of great questions from her followers, and her responses and advice are invaluable. If you are after some advice, or have something that you want answered from body positive women like Megan, then head to the Unedit. Scroll through her previous articles, and if you can't find what you're looking for, why not as the bodypositivepanda!
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