An Interview with Isabel Hendrix - Plus size model and self love advocate

    Isabel Hendrix, fabulous feminist and successful plus sized model living in LA gave me the opportunity to interview her and my mind was blow. Between searching for the next draw dropping statement fashion piece to model and blog about, walking LA beaches and soaking up sun rays, I'm surprised she has the time to talk to little old me! A wardrobe I would die for and the confidence to pull it off, it's no wonder Isabel has the following she has and a career she crafted herself. A self love advocate , this fox stands for no negativity and is so sweet I need a dentist! 



All of these images are from Isabel's Instagram and have been linked back to her website so you too can gorge on the fabulousness of this human being, oh and to also give her the credit she deserves!

  Now lets get down to business, I want to know how you began blogging about your body positive journey?

I began blogging about 5 years ago when I had moved away from home for the first time. I had a hard time making new friends, but one of my best friends from high school, Sonja (http://blackthornxxx.blogspot.de/), had a lookbook.nu account and I thought it seemed fun! I started posting looks on both Lookbook and my own personal blog (iflyastarship.blogspot.com, now isabelhendrix.com). I eventually found some really awesome bloggers who inspired me to step outside of the box and hone in on my own personal fashion. After blogging for a few years I wanted to take my blog to a different place, not only a personal fashion blog, but a fashion blog that inspires people who are uncomfortable in their own bodies, styles, and homes. I want my blog to encourage women to feel awesome about themselves.

 I think you have reached your goal, I'm incredibly inspired by your body positivity and your sense of fashion rocks! Why did you choose to practice body positivity?

Living life enjoying the body that I inhabit is the only way I can live happily. I used to hate my body, and once I began practicing self-love I really couldn't go back. It's exhausting hating yourself, and concentrating on aspects you wish you could change!

I know how exhausting it is, I've only just decided to be kinder to myself and attempt to promote this mind-set! What prompted you to begin to promote self love?

Many women and girls (men too, but I focus on grrrls) have a negative self image, and feel pressured to look or act a certain way. I was able to move past that and I want to help other people with being more comfortable as they are!

Amen sister, wonderful goals! Has self love always been one of your goals?

I don't think I was even aware what self-love was until I was in therapy after high school. 

Therapy is great, it's what's helped me move past a lot of my problems and even begin to consider self love! Why do you believe self love is important?

Life is too short and too precious to get lost in insecurities. You have this life to be YOU, you might as well try to enjoy it!

That sounds such a daunting prospect to many, do you have any advice to help others who are looking to practice self acceptance and being body positive?

I actually have a mini self-love guide (http://www.isabelhendrix.com/2015/02/self-love-valentine.html) which has my tips and tricks to self-love! I think a really quick and easy tip to implement is to get rid of negativity by unfollowing/blocking/unfriending people who make you feel bad about yourself. Refine the content you see daily to be uplifting!

Good advice, there is so much negativity out there it's really hard to filter it these days. Is negativity the hardest thing to deal with when learning to accept oneself?

Hardest thing to deal with is realizing how backwards so many people think, and clearly seeing how detrimental those thoughts are to our mental health! Some folks are uncomfortable with people who are unabashedly themselves, so they say rude or mean things to you or about you to try to bring you down. To me I just see these negative comments as another reason why we SHOULD love ourselves, you know? 

Yes exactly, we should be kind to our self because in the end we can't really depend on others to be kind to us. Can I ask your views of the dieting industry?

It's really messed up. I won't go into all the reasons the dieting industry is problematic - there are so many reasons. It would be like another interview.

It riles up so many of us, we could go on for hours about the negatives of dieting industry! Has loving yourself opened up any opportunities for you?

Yeah, literally every opportunity I have had in the fashion world has been because I am comfortable in myself!

That's awesome, really show that you can achieve things you never dreamed of when you just be yourself! Are there any books, inspirational beings, or articles you can suggest to others regarding self love and acceptance?

My blog!! Haha! Shameless self promotion!! But really, I use my blog and internet presence as a way to help promote creativity as a form of self-love. I don't really have one person or one book or something like that to suggest because I think for each person the road to self acceptance and self love is different. Find what speaks to you, find what helps you, and stick to it! :)

Your blog certainly helps me, is one of my favourites! Do you have a body positive mantra or motto?

Fake it till you make it! It sounds kinda cheesy, but this is what helped me the most. When I felt bad about myself I would repeat in my mind what I hoped I would someday believe.

If it works then it works, cheesy or not! Speaking of cheesy, you have any cheesy positive songs you love?

I seriously love all of RuPaul's songs.. They are all super body positive and full of self-love mantras!! (My faves: Supermodel (You Better Work), Champion, The Beginning, Click Clack (Make Dat Money), Glamazon, Superstar)
I also LOVE listening to Neocamp ( http://neocamp.net/) when I want to feel AWESOME. He is ALL about embracing your individuality and he is one of the most creative minds out there. I think whatever music makes you feel good is probably the best positive music for you! 

  wow, it's weird you mention RUPaul as I have just been introduced to him, I love his stuff! lastly , if you were a superhero whose power was to spread to gift of self love, what would you name yourself and who would you gift self love to first?

I am SO bad at coming up with clever namesssss! I would ask my friend Madeline Pendleton to come up with a name for me, and then I would self-love-ify everyone? All the girls in the world? All the queer boys? All the people who have been or are currently or will be treated poorly by society.