Tess Holliday Shares Unretouched Photo, Loves That It Isn’t ‘Flattering’

Sabrina Rojas Weiss
Tess Holliday in New York City 2017
Plus-size model Tess Holliday is all about body positivity. (Photo: Getty Images)

Tess Holliday needs no retouching. That’s one thing we can gather from a photo the model posted to Instagram on Thursday. The post also teaches viewers a thing or two about body positivity and what she thinks about anyone’s rules of feminism.

“It’s totally unretouched and I’m sitting in a way that isn’t ‘flattering,’ but that’s why I love it,” Holliday wrote of the photo, taken while she was getting ready to shoot a cover photo for her book. “It’s real.”

@makeupbyjmonroy captured this BTS from my cover shoot yesterday & it's totally unretouched & I'm sitting in a way that isn't "flattering" but that's why I love it. It's real. My gorgeous, supportive husband (who has held my hand the entire time through this book) is laughing behind me & I'm just hanging out in shapewear takin a ????????Wearing makeup doesn't make me less of a feminist, & neither does wearing shapewear. It's all about our choice to wear & do what we want with our bodies. I will keep resisting, with perfect coiffed hair from @hisvintagetouch too ✌????#effyourbeautystandards #NotSoSubtleTess

A post shared by Plus Model • Mom • Feminist???????? (@tessholliday) on May 25, 2017 at 9:25am PDT

Just because the mother of two admires her “real” self doesn’t mean she can’t enjoy how she looks in makeup and shapewear, she says.

“Wearing makeup doesn’t make me less of a feminist and neither does wearing shapewear,” Holliday added. “It’s all about our choice to wear and do what we want with our bodies. I will keep resisting, with perfect coiffed hair from @hisvintagetouch too.”

Not that she doesn’t also look amazing with minimal makeup.

I know I know- I'm smiling but THANK YOU to everyone who has bought my book ????❣️My book isn't just for women, but for anyone that has dealt with body image issues, abuse, bullying, etc. This book is for you!♥️ 'The Not So Subtle Art of Being A Fat Girl' is available for preorder now! Link is in my bio???????????? (& yes I'm doing a book tour!) #NotSoSubtleTess #effyourbeautystandards

A post shared by Plus Model • Mom • Feminist???????? (@tessholliday) on May 22, 2017 at 3:26pm PDT

The other sweet part of Thursday’s post is the acknowledgment of Holliday’s husband, Nick, who she says held her hand while she wrote her upcoming book, The Not So Subtle Art of Being a Fat Girl, which is due out in August. The book is billed as her “passionate plea for modern women, whoever they are … to be comfortable in their own skin.”

It's been SO difficult keeping this secret, but Mama wrote a book & it's coming out soon! ????'The Not So Subtle Art of Being A Fat Girl' is all about discovering how to love your body, love, life, heartbreak and more! Follow me on my journey of loving the skin I'm in ???????????? Available for presale now- link is in my bio! (My book is available worldwide!) Photo/Graphic by @nickhollidayco ???? #NotSoSubtleTess #effyourbeautystandards

A post shared by Plus Model • Mom • Feminist???????? (@tessholliday) on May 17, 2017 at 9:01am PDT

Anyone who is following the body-positive model and her #effyourbeautystandards movement may already be familiar with that plea, and they often thank her for it on Instagram.

“Seeing your posts everyday help me remind myself to love my body where it’s at,” wrote zandrailene. “I’ve gotten bullied my whole life for being a ‘bigger’ girl and it took years for me to overcome that and there are days where I struggle because when I look in the mirror. I hear all those words all over again when I see my body. … But I wanted to say thank you because you have seriously helped me overcome a lot of insecurities about myself and turn them into positive strengths.”

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