After one glance at Ms. Taylor you will forget all about White Diamonds and understand why I had to choose her as this month's FashionPlate!
Introducing...
Hometown: Long Beach, California
Occupation: Actor and Plus-Size Model
- What is one item of clothing you would never part with?An extra wide brown leather belt I got at H&M – it's a size medium but I make it work. I went to half a dozen other H&M's to find a size large but they were all gone. Don't me started on H&M and their lack of larger sizes. It kills me. Kills me! And for the bonus round, it would be black high-waisted capri pants from Pinup Girl Clothing. I wear them with everything! Very flattering for plus ladies.
- What is your biggest fashion splurge ever?
I'm currently into vintage estate jewelry. I've been dropping some major $$$ on building a fabulous collection that I can basically wear every day. My jeweler, www.estatejewelsbygr.com, taught me all about what pieces work with me and how my bodacious bust line makes the best shelf to display jewels that money can buy. He's hilarious! But I've totally gotten into the whole vintage world and recently bought 2 gorgeous 1950's hats in the Hamptons. “Toppers” with a ton of silk flowers. They will kill!
- When do you feel your sexiest?Well, I have a whole nightly routine that involves Shea butter. I steer clear of anything that has mineral oil or alcohol base. So I basically slather my whole body in Shea butter and cuddle up in bed (once I've dried!) to a good book. I'm currently reading “Furious Love” about Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. I sleep in the nude and feel rather sexy in just my Shea butter with my book. And in the morning, I love laying in bed – still hanging onto a wonderful dream – and just being alone with myself. I have found myself saying “I'm sorry” to my body for all of the drama that I heaped on it while I was deep in an eating disorder – so I am very conscious of being grateful and tender with it!
- What is your morning beauty routine?
Hahah! This is already funny because – I'm always running LATE! But it tends to go like this: after lulling in bed for 15 minutes, I hop out, say a quick prayer in front of my altar, rub the rest of the Shea butter into my face and run to the little girls room. Then I check the status of my eye-make up and clean up with MAC wipes – I'm a total MAC make-up fanatic.
When I first started modeling, I thought I could just go to appointments without eating breakfast – just like college, right? Uh, no. I quickly realized I had to eat at least SOMETHING with protein before I head out. So I usually fry up some egg whites with fake bacon (I'm a veg for 20 years) and toss an iced coffee together in a re-used plastic cup (I hate to waste them).
The best part of my morning is picking out what jewelry to wear! Sometimes I do start with the jewels and work the outfit in, but on days that I have auditions, agent meetings, etc – I have a specific outfit I want to wear and I then pick the jewels to go with it. Finally, I make sure my ipod is charged (can't live without it!) and do a mad search for my Metrocard and wallet. If I haven't had to go back up my stairs for an umbrella, then I'm all good to hit the streets!
- 5 things you’d take on a deserted island:
Ipod, MAC Blacktrack eyeliner gel and #263 brush, Shea butter, lavender oil, and Benecio Del Toro.
- Biggest fashionista moment? (i.e. a red carpet event, meeting a style icon, shopping spree, photo shoots, etc.)
Wellllll, I did just have a mega fashion event where I won Outstanding Overall Solo Show at the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity awards ceremony for my solo show, FINDING ELIZABETH TAYLOR. I wore a $27.99 red dress that I got at my favorite plus store in LA (Mode Plus!) with a ton of rhinestone jewelry and some Aldo suede heels – I felt like a million bucks on the red carpet and when giving my acceptance speech. I then took that outfit to Grand Central a few days later and my photographer and I shot it at midnight when all the crowds had died down – it was major!!!
- Everyone has a guilty pleasure, dance anthem that can be cranked up and brighten any mood. What’s yours?
LCD Soundsystem, “Dance Yrself Clean” and the entire “Feed The Animals” album by Girl Talk.
- If you could have a cocktail with any woman, alive or dead, who would she be?
(LOVE this question!) Gin and tonics with Pulitzer-prize winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks – and she is very much alive and well!
- Sadly, the obsession over body image is everywhere these days and being over a size 12 can be hard for many young women to deal with. What advice would you give to these girls?
I can say this with all my heart: when I was dieting and hating myself and praying every night that I would wake up a size 8, I never thought in a million years that I would be making my living as a plus-size model. DON'T HATE YOURSELF. Buy plus size clothes at www.torrid.com and www.asos.com and at Forever 21's plus section. Join the plus size revolution! Our society wants us to all look the same – be a rebel by standing out and being yourself. Each body is beautiful and worthy of respect and love. Start by loving yours. And NO negative body talk! It's toxic.
- To you, “Foxy” means…
When you stop listening to the bullshit and start listening to your heart.
