Tess Munster, Plus-Sized Model, Wants To #EffYourBeautyStandards

Tess Munster is a plus-sized model on a mission – to redefine beauty standards.

At 5ft 5in and size 22, the 29-year-old has just made history after being signed to MiLK Model Management making her the first model of her height and size to be on the books for a major modelling agency.

Also known as Tess Holliday, the Mississippi native has been named one of the top plus-sized models in the world by Vogue Italia.

Tess left school at 17 after relentless bullying about her size but has channeled a childhood of negativity into an enviable modelling career, despite being told she was too short and too big to ever make it.

“Everybody deserves to be happy but for some reason the fact that I happen to be plus size and happy seems to bother people. It’s odd really,” she told The Huffington Post UK.

Her size certainly doesn’t seem to bother her 377,000 followers on Instagram, which is where she was spotted.

With a feed full of shot after shot of stunning images in lingerie, bikinis and retro styles, Tess was snapped up by MiLK in an experience that she has described as “mind-blowing”.

“[It’s] very humbling. I knew it would be big, but it’s far exceeded anything I could have imagined.”

The engaged mum-of-one has begun a campaign of inspiration after starting the hashtag #EffYourBeautyStandards to compliment images of her rocking a bikini on holiday or modelling some seriously sexy lingerie.

“I hope this makes you realize that it's okay to be yourself, even if you happen to exist in a fat body,” she wrote alongside one of her candid snaps.

“I'm sexy, confident & give no f***s. Also, f*** anyone for saying otherwise.”

Her Instagram followers have embraced Tess’ body confident attitude and joined the model in embracing their natural shape and beauty by using the hashtag too.

Irrespective of your size, shape, colour, style, Tess’ mantra is something we can all live by:

“Surround yourself with positive, like-minded people who support you. It’s crucial to your happiness and well-being. Never compare yourself to others and celebrate what makes you, YOU.”

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