Quirk isn't the name of the game when it comes to the fashion world -- we tend to hear more tales of aesthetic conformity and trend-chasing than unguarded, individual expression. But there are some ladies out there making waves in the modeling industry by embracing what makes them unique: tooth gaps.
It may seem small, but the nuance a gap-toothed smile can bring to a photoshoot is enough to add personality and charm to boot. The French were clearly ahead of the curve when they coined the term les dents du bonheur, meaning "lucky teeth" and referring to the gapped variation. After all, where would Brigitte Bardot, an undeniable sex symbol, be without her distinct, "imperfect" pout?
Below, we've rounded up the models who are refusing to hide their lovely gap-toothed grins -- and still dominating runways and the pages of magazines.
As the daughter of a rock legend, Jagger no doubt had a leg up in the modeling world, but she still faced criticism about her signature look. "There have been some interesting debates about my teeth on Instagram," she told The Edit. "When 12-year-olds tell you to go get braces and then someone answers, 'Don't tell her what to do', that's really sweet. There's this whole idea of perfection [in modeling]." Clearly, she hasn't been deterred, landing campaigns for Rimmel and Macy's and gracing the runways for top brands like Chanel and Marc Jacobs.
2. Lily Aldridge
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The Victoria's Secret Angel knows a thing or two about mass appeal, starring in the retailer's ad campaigns and annual blowout fashion show. But not all of her gigs go as planned, and Aldridge has had to deal with overzealous Photoshoppers retouching her teeth (airbrushing is a problem for many top models). "You know, I have a gap in my teeth and sometimes people take it away," she told HuffPost Live. "But I'm like, 'I love my teeth.' You know, that's me."
The French crooner has fronted campaigns for H&M and Chanel, so she clearly has no need to "fix" her teeth. Luckily, she agrees, telling Harper's Bazaar, "Why would I fix them? I was born with them. I can spit water through them. They're useful!"
5. Lindsey Wixson
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The fashion world fell in love with Wixson's unique look, complete with doe eyes, full lips and a gap tooth that would send an orthodontist into a tizzy. But before she was landing Vogue covers and top fashion campaigns for Yves Saint Laurent and Miu Miu, she was getting teased for her smile. "I was really awkward and I had a gap tooth," she told The Telegraph. "Girls would make fun of me... I had no friends." Obviously, finding friends doesn't seem to be a problem for Wixson now.
6. Lauren Hutton
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When Tyra Banks sent a "Top Model" contestant to surgically widen the gap in her teeth in order to more closely resemble Hutton, we knew the iconic model had left an indelible mark on the industry's quest for perfection. As a young model in the '70s, Hutton used morticians' wax to cover up the gap and please employers like Revlon. Lucky for us, she became a modeling powerhouse and was able to embrace her unconventional smile, gap teeth and all. "It's becoming quite fashionable now, isn't it? Forty-five years later," she joked to Harper's Bazaar.
7. Abbey Lee Kershaw
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Kershaw's smile has been seen on catwalks for Victoria's Secret, Balmain, Valentino and Alexander Wang. If that's not a recipe for an It-girl, then we don't know what is. The Australian model was even dubbed a supermodel by V Magazine back in 2010, proving that gaps in teeth might just be the new beauty mark (ahem, Cindy Crawford).
8. Jessica Hart
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Hart, another Aussie beauty, made a splash stateside when she appeared in the Wall Street Journal proclaiming, "If [clients] don't like my gap, I don't want to work for them." The strategy has worked for her, and she's starred in campaigns for Ferragamo, Rag & Bone and H&M.
9. Ashley Smith
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Fixing her teeth had always been on her mind growing up, but Smith "never actually had all the money in one place to be able to do it." Now that she's landing covers for Elle and Russh and being compared to Lara Stone, it seems she knows the value of having a gap in her teeth. "Now it makes me money!" she told Fashionista.
Sometimes they really are "just like us":
Cindy Crawford
Cindy is the epitome of a Supermodel as the face of the 90s model craze, bringing the role of professional model to new heights. But Cindy has confessed that she was teased by other girls in high school for her modeling career...hmm, jealousy much? (Getty photo)
Lindsey Wixson
The 17-year old model has quickly risen to supermodel stardom due to her gap-toothed smile, full lips and babydoll face. But Lindsey has said, "I was actually always really self-conscious about my gap. In middle school, this group of girls were always trying to beat me up - they called my gap a parking lot... I felt skinny and tall. It was the worst time of my life. But I don't feel like that anymore. Modelling has really helped build my confidence."
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
Believe it or not, the British model-turned-actress, named the Hottest Woman on Earth by Maxim earlier this year, was actually told to lose weight when she first started modeling. What's more, it turns out that Rosie's most famous asset was the very thing that got her teased when she was younger. Rosie told GQ, "I got teased because of my lips...I used to get called 'T*t Lips' -- because I had big lips but no breasts. And then I was called 'Kipper Lips'." In addition to being bullied for her full pout by her classmates, the Victoria's Secret Angel added, "And boys didn't really go out with me." Oh, how much has changed.
Tyra Banks
According to AskMen.com, Tyra Banks revealed that she struggled with bullying as a kid. The supermodel said, "I used to be the freak at school. I was five foot nine and really skinny. I used to get picked on a lot. But now I can get my own back." There was a boy who used to say, "'I do not want that tall, skinny, braces mouth, big forehead girl anywhere near me.' I just broke down." But Tyra got the last laugh after she approached him post-fame saying, "'Antonio? It's me, Tyra, from school!' He was like, 'No way!' So that was nice. I got a little revenge there!" (Getty photo)
Lara Stone
The October GQ cover girl admitted to the mag that she gets pretty shaken up when it comes to all the online haters. The Dutch beauty whose gapped-tooth smile is partly responsible for her rise to fame said, "It hurts when you're having a tough day and someone says, 'She's so f**king ugly I wouldn't let my dog near her...And 500 people 'liked' it!" We would certainly let our dogs near Lara. (Getty photo)
Chanel Iman
Newcomer model Chanel Iman rose to fame in the blink of an eye. At only 16 years old, she's the youngest model to be featured on the cover of Vogue! However things haven't always been so easy for the Victoria's Secret Angel. Chanel's had her fair share of bullying for being super skinny and tall, as most models are. But she's learned ignore the haters, saying, "I've always been judged and bullied for being tall and skinny my whole life. Early on I listened to others and failed to appreciate what God gave me until I at last excepted what an amazing blessing it was to love me for me."
Lily Cole
Supermodel Lily Cole was unsurprisingly bullied for her most well known asset as well, and the very trait that helped boost her career: her red hair. The model-turned-actress has admitted to being teased on the playground, saying, "When I was younger I definitely did face anti-ginger prejudice. As a child all teasing hurts, whether it's because you're fat or a different race or have red hair. I had enough comments from a couple of people to make it a sore point." But, Lily says, "I sympathize with children who are going through it but when they get older and are away from stupid children making comments, most people grow to love their red hair." Okay, let us just say: we love Lily's red hair! (Getty photo)
Crystal Renn
In an interview special with Ford Models, the "plus-size" model has spoken out about her eating disorders and pressure to be thin. Crystal claims she was bullied by the fashion industry to maintain her stick-thin figure. The model has said, "I feel pressure from -- more than anyplace -- from the public, and the media." Crystal is nowhere near "plus-size" these days, as the former plus-size model has lost a considerable amount of weight that she claims was unintentional. If you ask us, Renn looks just right.
Lea T.
As the world's first transgendered supermodel, it's really no surprise that Lea T has taken her fair share of bullying. The model told Oprah, "I was hoping I was gay. I was like, ok, I'm gay, because for my family it's less painful....I wish I could accept my body as a man....I would be a straight guy, having a girlfriend and a family, daughters, married, a normal life, but it's something in your brain." But Lea has embraced her identity -- and so has the fashion world, putting Lea on runways, magazine covers (see above) and ad campaigns.
Kimora Lee Simmons
Long before her reality show career, the Baby Phat empire and her "Simmons" last name, Kimora Lee was a successful runway model. She, too, claims she was bullied by schoolmates for being tall, as she was a whopping five foot ten by the time she was 10 years old. She was also poked fun of for her half-Asian heritage and not fitting the African-American stereotype. She recalls, "All the black kids said, 'She thinks she's white!'" Now Kimora's got enough success to leave all the teasing behind. (Getty photo)
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