Curvy Girls Can Too: Fashion Blogger Gabi Gregg Becomes MTV Talent
MN: But the hair situation is serious in Detroit!
GG: We have some crazy hair. We have some crazy shoes, like gators. We have some crazy church cloths. [Laugh] But in terms of general fashion, New York beats us hands down. [Laugh]
MN: What part of Detroit are you from?
GG: I’m from the East part of the city.
MN: Have you always been plus-size?
GG: In high school, I started school maybe at a size 12, 14. By the time I graduated high school, I was probably a size 16, 18. So I definitely knew how hard it can be, especially when you’re young and trying to fit in. I didn’t know all the resources out there until I got to college and tapped into the online community of plus-size fashion, fat acceptance and body image communities.
MN: The average woman is a size 14, is being plus-size still looked down upon?
GG: It’s an interesting issue, because there are so many people who push ‘love yourself’, like I do. And there are so many people who look down on it and want to end the world because of the obesity epidemic—like we’re all to blame. It’s a highly debated issue right now in America because you’ll get both sides a lot. Either people are passionate about accepting their bodies or ending this ‘crisis.’ What ended up was people hating other people who were fat. People look and think, ‘look at them. How disgusting. How lazy. They’re messing up the health care system.’ And things like that are ridiculous. I personally can’t say if it’s getting better or worse—there are two extremes.
In terms of fashion in some ways we’re becoming more accepted. Obviously we have a very, very, very long way to go. But it’s good.
MN: How did you get involved with Vogue Italia? I didn’t know they had a plus-size section.
GG: Yeah, and they didn’t for a while. American Vogue definitely doesn’t [have a plus-size sections]. But Vogue Italia is more progressive and they decided to launch their new website, which is Vogue. it. They thought of the idea to have two subsections: Vogue Black and Vogue Curvy. Some people say it’s worse, because now we’re segregated. But to them I say: if we didn’t have subsections we wouldn’t be there. I think it’s a step in the right direction. They have different bloggers from all over the world and I said I can do Chicago and we negotiated that.
MN: Where does your confidence come from?
GG: From seeing other girls who were confident that looked like me and seeing other people that promoted the idea of loving yourself. So I’m now happy to be a part of that movement.
