Plus Size, Curvy, 67%- interview with JJ Malone

Posted on January 24, 2017 by Gigi in interview Comments Off

With Ashley Graham being the first plus-sized model to be on the cover of Sports Illustrated, Maxim and British Vogue, perhaps we will see more plus-sized beauties on glossy covers. 67 percent of the women in the US are plus-sized, however even with Ms. Graham, there is such a small representation in the media of curvy women. It is better than what it used to be, but considering the numbers it is not even close to representing the 67% of women out there. Never mind many designers do not even make clothing above a size 12, leaving a large percentage of women with limited choices.

So when plus-sized model JJ Malone contacted me about doing an underwater session, I was ecstatic. She shared with me that another underwater photographer she contacted told her that they did not do “plus sized” models. I have never thought about turning a client away based on their size. matter of fact, so many clients will postpone their session due to wanting to “lose weight”- my advice is document your life today, where you are this given moment, let me do my job and pose your beautifully.

So after JJ braved the cold water on a day that my pool heater decided to act up we did an interview and here’s what she shared with me about the LA plus modeling world.

Gigi- How long have you been modeling?

JJ- 4 years

Gigi- How did you get into modeling?

JJ- I have my Masters degree, and I am a family therapist. So one day I noticed a Lane Bryant ad, and I thought, I would like to do that. At the time my self esteem was low, and I did not feel pretty. So I did my research on how to get into modeling, and I started going on calls, and learning everything I could about the industry.

Gigi- What is the term that you prefer? Plus size, Curvy or just model?

JJ-I prefer plus size model I don’t have any problem with being called plus-sized.

Gigi- Do you think the fashion industry is still afraid to embrace inclusivity with non traditional models?

JJ- Well doors have been opened to a certain degree, however there are limitations compared to straight sized models. There have been shows where hair and makeup did not do the plus sized models, or problems with getting paid for shows little discrepancies on occasion..

Gigi – What is the LA model scene like for plus sized models?

JJ- I am part of a network of LA plus sized models, where we get together and support one another.

Gigi- After Ashley Graham’s Sports Illustrated cover, have things become easier? Since there are more “name” faces i.e. Precious Lee, Jordyn Woods to name a few, has it opened more doors?

JJ – Actually yes and no, there are a lot more models going out for the same jobs, and every plus sized girl is assuming she can now be a model regardless of her experience.

Gigi- Any advice on body positivity in this size “0” obsessed society we live in? Especially for the young girls? I know you have a young daughter.

JJ – I’m a therapist, so I deal with clients that have horrible self esteem . I try to instill the message of “don’t compare yourself to images that are not even real” “Accept your flaws” . I ask my daughter “Do you feel beautiful?”

It is important to validate our young girls so they can mature into confidant women, secure in their own skin.

Gigi- What advice would you give to up and coming non-traditional models?

JJ- Be nice. Do your research. Be accommodating, know your craft, be able to do your own face and hair, be prepared- own your beauty, be confident and develop a good reputation, the modeling world is small .

You can follow JJ on IG@jjmaloneplus

How do you feel about your body? Do you ascribe to a certain “weight” or else? Do you let weight gain interfere with your life? Did you grow up in a family that was supportive of the physical you and made you feel good about yourself? Please share…

XOXO,

GIGI

ON Bodies and Other Things

Posted on October 13, 2014 by Gigi in Beauty, Well-Being Comments Off

Breaking the 55 speed limit, has its bumps in the road- not that I’m obsessed with my body, but yes I do want to be fit and healthy and if a side benefit is a toned physique I’ll take that. So I’m on top of my workout game, which is keeping me sore on most days. Working out in a high intensity class where you are the eldest in the room will take a toll on you, but I’m doing it. I just want to keep the middle age spread at a distance, I don’t want to come face to face with it, at least not at this point, I still like body conscious clothes and want to rock them for a bit more.

So as I’m limping around this weekend, I came across this photography project called 4th trimester bodies, which is a collection of images of women and their small babies showcasing their bodies. The images are so real and raw, these mothers and their post birth soft bodies are beautiful. I started thinking about the standard of “body beauty” that women are judged by and who sets that. Like why am working my butt off to have flat abs, some sort of waist and a tight ass…all of which may be mission impossible anyway.

In my own business, I photograph a lot of women and most no matter what size or age they are will immediately zoom in on their bodies and ask if something can be tweaked with a little photoshop. I remember when I was younger, a lot younger in my 20’s I thought I was the “bomb”, now I get 20 something year-old gorgeous girls that want images photoshopped, but I guess we are living in a world where celebrities, such as Kim Kardashian, and Bey are photoshopping instagram pics, so everyone has a warped sense of reality.

Then there are the diets, the juice cleanse, paleo diet, atkins, master cleanse, gluten free, HCG 500 calorie and countless others, all of which work if you follow them, it is when you go back to eating “normal” that all the weight returns sometimes even more than what you started with and now a jacked metabolism where you look at a cookie and gain weight. I personally love good food to much, which is my problem, and could never stick with any plan long term, especially the low calorie ones, where the weight comes off so fast and the consequence is a sunken in face, not good for my age demographic. So the trade off fat butt and full face or skinny butt and sunken face…I chose the first one.

So friends as difficult as it is, lets work toward acceptance and stop the self loathing–cause at the end of the day there is always going to be some one thinner, younger, tighter body etc. just be the best version of you. So I will work on loving my golden age body, and the bumps and lumps that I have earned over the half century it has been on the planet. I’ll do my workouts for my overall well being, BTW nothing feels better than a good sweaty workout- and I’ll take any cosmetic gains as well.

Happy Monday

Xoxo Gigi

Gigi @ 55

Gigi’s Meanderings around the Web #15

“I LOOK FAT IN THAT PICTURE”

Posted on July 3, 2014 by Gigi in photography Comments Off

I love photographing women. Initially I thought I would settle into shooting family portraits and maybe an occasional wedding. Starting a new venture at my age I knew I had to create a balance between my business and my personal life. I sort of have an addictive personality, once I latch on to something I live eat sleep with it nonstop. I was taking classes at school and online, so one day I stumbled upon a class with Sue Bryce and I fell in love with her work and her philosophy on photographing women and I was hooked.

Working

I have always been a magazine addict as far back as I can remember, tearing pages out and filling binders up with my favorite glossy images of models, interiors, food, places I wanted to go etc. So fast forward, while at school I connected with Elsy my partner and we formed PS Couture, we both were interested in doing editorial fashion inspired style shoots for our clients. The past 9 months have been incredible, I cannot begin to express the joy I experience when I am looking through my lens and I connect with a client.

I have learned so much about my “species”. Ladies we are controlled by this thing called “body image”, including moi. Perhaps it comes from seeing all these altered images in the media, or perhaps that aunt who always told you “hmmmmm do you need that extra roll?” or in my case my great aunt had my mom get me a girdle when I was 10…or maybe you had a friend who was a size “0” and when you were out together you felt as if you could be mistaken for her bodyguard.

When I look at proofs from my own sessions, the monkey brain zooms into to what I feel are my “problem” areas ie. “does the butt look to big?” “hmmm what about my midsection?” “Arms?” “Hair?” or lately a new one “Do I look Old?” After I tear myself apart mentally of course, I become happy and glad that I did the session and happy that moment of moi is documented.

We have shot over 70 ladies this past year, from 16 to 80, size “0” to double digits, straight to curvy, and the one thing we heard over and over is “I want to lose some weight before my shoot” or “If only I could lose ten pounds before my session”. Yes I too am guilty of this, and I know that with good posing and proper camera angle everyone can look gorgeous, but I still wanted to drop a few before my shoot.

GIGI

Yes there is photoshop and you can alter someone unrecognizable, but our aesthetic is more authentic so that a woman still looks like herself. I love finding beauty in everyone and we all have something that makes us special. I came across this article the other day that I found fascinating about photoshop and how this unaltered image was sent all over the world to photoshop artists and they were told to make her “beautiful”. Check out the link at the bottom.

These are a few of my favorites from some of our shoots, there are so many–

Elsy

Molly

camille

Zuko

Jacqueline

Stephanie

At My Age…

Posted on September 19, 2013 by Gigi in Aging, Beauty, Fitness, Well-Being 2 Comments

I’m going to be honest here. We live is a youth obsessed society, everywhere you look there are images of celebrities in the news, on the TV, FB etc., whether an update on Bey’s comings and goings or some Kardashian story, we are bombarded by these images.

Celebs in the news

BEY

Our “norm” of what a person looks like is an overly photoshopped picture that leaves a little remnant of what the person actually looks like in person. Digital images once uploaded and magnified expose any sensitive areas you may have or shall I say did not know you had…

Madonna Before and After

Most days I feel like I am holding on pretty good, considering I’m 5’4″ and 54. I inherited my father’s hair color gene, just a sprinkling of grey strands, which allows me to color my hair about every 5-6 months and wearing a curly “do” hides a multitude of sins.

Photographer Gigi

The body however, is something that needs constant monitoring. No more of the magically tight 20’s, or the taunt 30’s or the firm fine 40’s this is the “betta find your a$$ in a gym 50’s” or else ease on down the middle age spread road. Is there anything really wrong with that? Passing on the baton and settling comfortably in to a pair of spanx and a good bra? No. Not at all-but of course there are other benefits to working out other than the “I don’t like the body that I glanced at in the mirror” reason.

Spanx

And don’t throw in the dreaded “M” work…That blanky-blank will jack a body up until you outsmart it…My theory is that menopause has a timer that tries to tell the world in subtle ways that this body is no longer available for reproducing. Let’s try and plump it up just enough to take away that youthful hourglass figure, just enough so somebody may slip and call you “Ma’am”.

menopause

My car is a 2007 model, which is old by California standards, the moment the service light comes on I am at the dealer, never ever missing an appointment, that is how you have to be with these bodies, diligent. I have to do yoga or I risk stiffening up like the tin man, strength training-a must do especially since I was diagnosed with osteoporosis a few years back. Cardio, cardio and more cardio if you want to have some memory of a waistline, and finally the most important one of all-drumroll THE DIET!

Gigi yoga

You have to fine tune what you put in your body and know what works for you. I’m not here to preach the vegan diet, vs raw vegan or vegetarian sermon, because even those can wreck havoc on a body if not followed properly ie. we all have met the obese vegetarian who lives on macaroni and cheese and pizza. The only rule I want to share is “GRREN UP” Saturate your body with as many anti-oxidants as you can stand, from fresh organic produce-you will notice the benefits inside and out especially in your skin. Everyday I have at least one big glass of fresh green juice.

Green Goddess Juice

Of course there are skin care advances and procedures available, but I want to do everything I can holistically before I investigate those options. I know I owe a lot to my diet and protecting myself from our beloved sun.

botox filler injections

So Gigi’s advice to all my pretties:

20’s Have fun, but set up a foundation of being active

Gigi @ 25

30’s “twerk” the diet if you had bad habits in the 20’s, especially if you are starting to have babies

Wedding Day july 23, 1989 1 week before 30

40’s if you don’ get your shit together here, this is like the last hooray-lots can happen in this era

Gigi @ 40

50’s you can still be FAB, but you have to do the work No get our of jail card here, you will go direct to “fifty and frumpy”

50’s Gigi

60’s and beyond KEEP it MOVING and watch the diet, it is a lifetime commintment

The good thing is our bodies are truly amazing, with a lot of effort and hard work you can still get results and reverse the aging clock. Will you ever look 22 again? No, but you can be a damn good looking 50 something year old

So start today by making good choices or bumping it up a notch if you already have a good routine. I’m always trying to do something, whether it is trying a new workout or training for an event, anything to keep my butt moving instead of drooping…

So let’s toast with a green juice and move your body today!

Xoxo,

GIGI

body image

Plus Size, Curvy, 67%- interview with JJ Malone

ON Bodies and Other Things

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“I LOOK FAT IN THAT PICTURE”

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