Swimsuit Season is here and we are more excited than ever about showing off our curves in this season’s hottest swimwear from City Chic.
City Chic is an internationally recognized brand that is known for its sexy silhouettes and incredible fit. City Chic is now offering additional fashion options under the “CC World of Curves” umbrella which operates Avenue, Hips & Curves, Evans & Cloudwalkers.
This month models Gess & Cheyenne are featured in some of our very favorite swimwear styles we are sure you will LOVE.
Get To Know Gess…
Gess Pugh is a plus-size model based in New York City. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Anthropology from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and used her degree to serve impoverished, and working-class, communities in metro Atlanta. Gess’ love for fashion and desire to see more representation of plus-size, Black women in fashion & media, prompted her to move to New York 2 years ago.
What is something most people don’t know about you?
I’m a history and art lover! Learning about the greats of the past like Langston Hughes, Eartha Kitt, James Baldwin, etc. really fuels my desire to create beautiful, meaningful things. They had such a beautiful way of merging their art with activism for the betterment of their communities and I hope to do the same with my work.
Swim season is here, what are you most excited about?
Feeling the sun on my skin, the sand underneath my feet, and making memories with friends on the beach; we love taking the ferry to Rockaway!
What would you tell your 13-year-old self:
Lean into your intuition, you have more power than you give yourself credit for. Learn to be adaptable, and embrace the flow of life; things will not look the way you imagined, and that’s okay because you will have found joy, purpose, and deep fulfillment.
Representation in media and marketing matters. How would you like the plus-size industry to create change in the near future?
I’d love to see more editorial, artsy, and luxurious imagery in the plus-size industry. I’ve realized in my own life that there’s so much that I didn’t know was possible because I had never seen it before, so I think it’s important to show people around the world that plus-size folks are aesthetically pleasing, aspirational, luxurious, etc. I think plus-size people have been treated as a monolith, and I’d like to challenge that narrative. We have style, we like beautiful things, we enjoy the same activities as thin people, and unfortunately, our media doesn’t reflect that.
Self-confidence is a journey… can you share your confidence journey with us?
It has been one riddled with ups and downs! Growing up, I developed very early and was one of the very few people of color, and so I always felt different or like I was too much/not enough. Those feelings of inadequacy followed me all the way through college and caused me to shrink myself and hide in order to “blend in.” I chose relationships that weren’t healthy for me because I didn’t think plus-size women were deserving of love or beauty. It wasn’t until I started blogging and saw women that looked like me living in their full potential that I realized that I didn’t have to spend my life hating myself, that a life where I am celebrated is within reach.
It took me a while to really embody confidence, but I took it one step at a time — wearing a crop top for the first time, ditching the jacket to show my arms, putting on a bikini at the beach, etc. At first, it was terrifying, and truth be told it still can be because you are going against what the majority of people think, but it has gotten easier over time. My thought is confidence is like a muscle and the more you work it, the stronger it becomes.
More recently, I’ve learned to rest in the fact that I am enough and I don’t have to prove my beauty, worth, etc. to anyone. Our existence is proof enough and so now I move through the world as though I have the right to be here, the right to take up space…. because it couldn’t be more true.
Get To Know Cheyenne…
27-year-old Cheyenne refers to herself as an advocate and model. Through her work as a model, she uses her platform to advocate for women of all shapes, sizes, and ethnicities.
What is something most people don’t know about you?
I actually started off BEHIND the camera before I was a model. I was a creative director and worked on photo shoots for various models.
One year after emailing back-and-forth anonymously with Bicoastal Model Management and booking their models, they found out who I was and asked me to sign as a model. She never knew I was the face behind the email. Life is funny, I guess when something is meant to be it always finds a way.
What are your favorite summer swim season trends:
Right now I’m super in love with the neon-colored eyeliner and color block swimsuits. I absolutely love to play with colors and be bold. Especially after this recent shoot with PLUS Model Mag, I’m OBSESSED.
What would you tell your 13-year-old self:
Live your life and don’t worry about what people think. I wasted so much time and energy when I was younger worrying about things that really didn’t matter. It stops you from living and becoming who you are meant to be. You have to find that confidence to trust yourself and know that you are all the acceptance you need.
Representation in media and marketing matters. How would you like the plus-size industry to create change in the near future?
I want to see real bodies! I want to see stretch marks, I want to see cellulite, I want to see wrinkles, I want to see acne, etc. I remember the first time I noticed I had stretch marks. I was scared and genuinely thought something was wrong with me because I never saw real skin in the media. It made me feel ashamed when in reality it was perfectly normal. I’m so thankful for the plus-size community and social media because it has become an outlet for people to see that, see something real. The industry is catching on, I know it takes time to see such change.
Self-confidence is a journey… can you share your confidence journey with us?
It sure is a journey and it’s never-ending. I feel like people think you just decide to be confident and that’s it, but no, it’s something you have to be intentional about every day and practice every day. Even at my most confident, of course, there are times where I feel insecure or I’m doubting myself… I’m human. I allow myself space to feel and then I move forward. The key is to not let it consume you, time is too precious.
[divider]MODELS[/divider]Gess
instagram.com/gessflyy
facebook.com/gessiqua
For Bookings:
btwnmgmt.com
stetts.com
Cheyenne
instagram.com/thecheyennelee
Facebook
For Bookings:
bicoastalmgmt.com
Styling: Meaghan O’Connor
instagram.com/mocstyling
instagram.com/meaghanpoconnor
Hair & Makeup Artist: Christian Briceno
instagram.com/christianbricenomua
christianbriceno.com
Photography: LucasPictures
lucaspicturesnyc.com
instagram.com/lucaspicturesnyc
Creative Director: Madeline Jones
instagram.com/plusjones
facebook.com/MadelineFJones
plus-model-mag.com/maddys-blog
Sponsored by City Chic – CC World of Curves
Swimsuits available at CityChicOnline.com
Follow on Social Media:
instagram.com/citychicusa
facebook.com/citychicusa