Iskra Lawrenceis refreshingly unfiltered.
In a landscape of imagery that can feel out of reach, Lawrence is the picture of authenticity.
My thighs are great!
“Perfect doesn’t exist,” says Lawrence. “We need to see real women’s bodies.”
she says with a smile.
You dont always need to be this flawless female with amazing skin and done hair.
We need to see real womens bodies.
Of Instagram, Lawrence says, “I saw it as a way to express myself and show that I’m more than a set of measurements.”
People message me saying, Thank you for changing my life, she says, astounded.
She exudes a humble gratitude while talking about her recent successes.
I was already a big fan of fashion, looking atVogue.
Kai Z Feng; Styled By Almudena Guerra
Most of all, she says, I loved the idea of the independence it would give me.
But the modeling industry would soon cause her self-image to plummet.
Once puberty hit, Lawrence says, I was so confused about why my body was curvy.
She was consistently asked to shed pounds, and when she turned 16, her agency dropped her altogether.
Thats when I became obsessed with weight, she says.
My hips were 3612 inches when they were meant to be 34.
On the outside, Lawrence projected confidence: a competitive swimmer, well-liked at school.
But when I looked in the mirror, she says, I hated what I saw.
At one point, she says, All I ate was ham for two weeks.
I lost 2 inches around my waist, exercising like crazy.
I would fall asleep in school.
I was promoting events and handing out flyers.
I contacted brands online.
I did lingerie trade shows, which paid almost nothing, but I loved it, she says.
Along the way Lawrences insecurities multiplied, reinforced at home.
My mom aided me in trying to look a certain way, dressing to appear slimmer, she says.
Now we talk through it, realizing that that only made it worse.
He said my job as a model was just to be a piece of meat, she says.
He never understood what it meant to me.
At her lowest point Lawrence was crying herself to sleep.
I didnt know that I deserved different, she says.
Again, though, she was turned away by the top agenciesthis time for being too small.
And then it clicked: This is crazy.
What if I were the only model at my size?
Surely I would have a monopoly!
I was like, OK, Im different, and thats whats going to make me work.
I know Im intelligent.
She began to actively work toward feeling comfortable in her skin.
Learning about nutrition, cooking for myself: I never wanted to diet again.
She also started looking at exercise as a way to get strong rather than lose weight.
When a personal trainer taught me to squat properly, I felt like a badass!
With her confidence restored, Lawrence was newly invigorated.
Once I convinced myself I could do this, I was able to convince them, she says.
At the same time Lawrence built up her Instagram presence.
I sat myself down and thought: Who is your audience?
If I didnt love myself, I wouldnt be able to have such a wonderful relationship, she says.
Even if I have 30 minutes for a bit of stretching and skipping, that feels good.
As for food, she eats what feels right.
Its an ongoing education, though, Lawrence says.
Are you kidding me?
At some point in my life, that would have been the end of the world.
But now my self-worth isnt defined by it.
Lawrences passion now is to use her experiences to help adolescents battling self-doubt, as she once did.
Shes an ambassador for the National Eating Disorder Association.
And so shes committed to ending the destructive cycle of self-deprecation that she calls theMean Girlseffect.
Say, No, you look really cute todayand I feel good, too!
Its clear Lawrence lives by her own advice.
I never thought I would be here, she says, smiling.
But why not be ambitious and set goals that scare you a little bit?
Im happy with myself.
I respect myself, she adds.
Image 1: Top, $35; Aerie.com.
Sports bra, $19; WeLoveColors.com.
Briefs, $95; TorySport.com.
Earrings, $110; AnotherFeather.com.
Image 2: Blue sports bra, Ultracor, $135; Carbon38.com.
Orange sports bra, $40; Splits59.com.
Custom leggings, Elisabetta Rogiani, $105; Rogiani.com.
Sneakers, $225; TorySport.com.
Image 3: Top, Ivy Park, $30; Net-A-Porter.com.
Bottoms, Kore Swim, $114; KoreWear.com.
Sneakers, $100; Puma.com.
Sweatband, $4; AmericanApparel.net.
Earrings, $110; AnotherFeather.com.
