I Was Told I Wasn’t Model Material

Lexi Stout, 26

Model

There’s something to be said about a woman unafraid to tackle the super skinny, Barbie doll modeling industry, especially when she doesn’t meet its ridiculous body standards. For Lexi Stout, a nannying job evolved into an unexpected career when she decided to shoot with a novice photographer and liked what she saw. After being rejected by agencies and even told “we’ll talk when you get boobs,” when trying to book subsequent gigs, Stout has since spent her time crusading for a day when ‘plus-sized models’ will be referred to simply as ‘models.’

Never in a million years did I think I'd be a model. It was one day a friend and I shot together. He was a rookie photographer and I was there to smile for him. When I got the photos back I was surprised and thought, "hmm maybe I can do this?" I was bored with my nanny career and wanted to try something new so I submitted my photos to a few agencies. I heard back from a couple and was signed the next week. My greatest achievement was being featured in StyleWatch magazine in a bathing suit.

I feel like I should say the whole "too big to be a model" thing but I'm not going that route.

I'm signed fit with my agency, I've never been signed print with them. When in conversation about a contract, I was told "we'll talk when you get boobs." After a conversation about me getting a boob job - a conversation started by me, not them. After that I decided not to get a boob job because an agency should sign me for the way I am.

I have some limitations because of my height. I'm 5'7" and it's "best" to be somewhere closer to 5'9".

There's so much going on in the plus size industry right now and I think my biggest pet peeve is that most of the time I'm considered a "plus size model" or a "curve model". I would love to be called a model. I really don't think it needs to be put into words, it's pretty self explanatory.

Take chances. Do something you're scared to do. What's the worst that can happen?