Over the last six months Ashley Stewart (AS) has been on a quest to find Ashley Stewart 2018 – and on Saturday, 15 September she will be named.

#FindingAshleyStewart is an event the brand created for their customers who have been supporting AS for over 20 years. In partnership with local businesses, churches, sororities, influencers, and judges – AS has provided an opportunity for some of the most amazing women to come out and compete for a chance to represent the brand for one year!

The event was birthed from the numerous requests on social media and mail expressing desires to be the face of the brand or the chance to model as an ambassador for AS. This is the second year for the occasion, and they are excited for many more years to come.

I recently had the privilege to learn more about two phenomenal women within the AS family.

Tamara Ivey is the Marketing Specialist and Style Expert for AS, in addition to being a wife and mother to many. Ms. Ivey is implementing the best advice she was ever given. Which is, “your career is what you make it!”

Ms. Ivey is driven to support the “curvy girl” community simply because, “…it is strong, confident and loves to look good too! She’s tired of being overlooked and having to shop in the back of the store that doesn’t cater to her measurements. She deserves a company that supports her and builds a platform that she can align herself with. One of the biggest challenges in the fashion industry is the lack of proper representation of people of all sizes and shapes in most of the marketing. Seeing myself represented in a company’s marketing speaks to me as a consumer.”

Tamara is fun, resilient, and a lover of all things positive. Which is evident in her desires for the AS consumer, whom she loving calls—”our Girl.” I asked her to share the main thing she’d like to instill in the women she encounters and she replied, “I would like to instill passion. This is something you must have, especially if you are serious about your craft.”

She wants to be remembered for her positivity and being a driving force in her community and where she is from. “Both the city of Brooklyn and AS have underdog stories, and I want to be a part of putting both on the map for greatness and the pleasures they both bring to women like myself.”

If she could, she would tell the 12-year-old her, “…Tamara, keep going girl. Never let anyone tell you “NO” especially if it’s pertaining to something that you know belongs to you! Work hard, never be ashamed of yourself, pick you head up, and walk tall! You have a bright future ahead of you—don’t stop!”

She is definitely listening to her own advice. In the very near future she will be working with Ashley Stewart 2018, working on Ashley Stewart 2019, and mixing in some personal time celebrating her heritage at the Trinidad Carnival in 2019.  Her plan—”…living my life with no regrets!”

Theresa Larsen Royals was named the first Ashley Stewart in 2017. She describes herself as, “…a woman of intelligence, style, elegance, resilience, grace, humility, and beauty—inside and out—that just happens to be packaged in a curvaceous body.”

Her mother often told her, “To thine own self be true.” She admits, “It was only recently that I understood the meaning. If I could not be true to myself, accept myself with every flaw and fault and truly love myself—then how could anyone else? Because of knowing this, I can now embrace my imperfectly perfect me.”

Theresa’s support and encouragement for the “curvy girl” community is inspiring and worthy of emulating. And her reasoning for undergirding the community speaks volumes, “…curvy girls are so underrepresented in mass media, it’s easy for women—especially young girls—to become discouraged with their physique. This may lead to low self-esteem and even depression. These are the many reasons that drive my passion for supporting my fellow curvy divas. I find that encouraging each other through social media platforms, events, and in-person gives me personal fulfillment.”

Being the Ashley Stewart 2017 winner has opened a lot of doors for Theresa, “I am looking forward to continuing the curvy movement and to speaking with women of all ages about being confident in their curves. The universe is the limit!”

She wants to impart the importance of knowing your self-worth to the women she encounters, “Don’t limit yourself because you do not fit into the so called ‘normal’ body type. Your self-worth is not tied to that number on the scale or on the tag in your dress. Know that when you walk into a room YOU command the attention of everyone in there because you exude confidence.”

Although Theresa sees the acknowledgment the plus-size community is starting to receive from the fashion industry, she realizes many top fashion designers still aren’t embracing the “stylish curvy diva.” “Unfortunately, they have pigeon-holed us into designs that do not flatter our dimensions. It’s great that Ashley Stewart is a leading retailer that has provided great pieces that accentuate and flatter our bodies!”

The advice Theresa would give her younger self is something I believe we all should consider applying, “No matter the size of your clothing, you are intelligent, talented and beautiful inside and out. You will have trials and tribulations, especially because of your size, but only you can limit yourself. You have royalty and pride coursing through your veins—now believe in you, stay positive, be encouraged and conquer the world!”

The first Ashley Stewart winner would love to remembered as such, but she also desires to be known for more, “…being an ambassador for revolution…whether it is within the curvy movement, empowering young women to embrace their self-worth or working with other professionals to better women’s health physically and mentally—I continue to strive to make a positive change.”

Behind #FindingAshleyStewart I see a push for empowerment and self-love regardless of size. In addition to a chance to celebrate limitless beauty. I am grateful for the opportunity to hear and share the positivity that resides within these two women, and the zeal of the brand AS they represent.

Thank you Tamara and Theresa—and thank you AS. I am inspired by your example.

Until the next time, be you and most importantly – love you.

Being uniquely you is being uniquely beautiful.

– B.B. 💋

Attribution: Photos provided by Ashley Stewart, Inc.