Meet Hippy Potter: The 25-year-old body-positive influencer shattering model standards
There are a few questions in life that seem to always leave us stumped, resulting in us obsessively rehearsing our answers or even delivering clichΓ©s in an attempt to save face. Common examples that come to mind are the textbook, βWhere do you see yourself in five years?β or even something as simple as βHow are you feeling?β Thereβs one question, however, that takes a bit more thought, as it often molds the first impression someone has of you: βHow would you describe yourself?β
When I posed this question to 24-year-old Black, queer, plus-size influencer Thaddeus Coates, he didnβt even hesitate before delivering an unexpected but visceral response: βI like to describe myself as 100 percent pure sunshine.β
Seconds after divulging one of the most original and self-aware responses to a question that is often answered robotically, the Gen Z social media phenom beefed up his intro, adding that heβs βvery bright, very vibrant, good vibes and a great time." Coates also made it a point to highlight his passions surrounding the themes of body acceptance, Blackness, queerness and body positivity β and his insightful words that followed proved that these passions run deep.
A post shared by Hippy (@hippypotterworld) on Jun 5, 2020 at 2:05pm PDT
Thaddeus Coates is known for his effervescent social media presence and retro-meets-futuristic aesthetic. While thereβs a high chance youβve seen him before, itβs likely you know him by his online persona β an empire heβs built under the moniker Hippy Potter, a name that has made him a widespread Instagram sensation. Weβre talking 57,000 followers and counting.
So, why Hippy Potter? Flashing an infectious smile, verified with his signature gap, he says: βI was in history class in grade 11 and I was sitting with my friends and I wanted to change my name on Instagram to something cool and I was obsessed with Harry Potter at the time.β
After adding that everything about the franchiseβs ethereal universe was βjust so magical,β he says that he could deeply relate to its title character and namesake Harry Potter.
βSo, I went with Hippy Potter. βHippyβ was directly from the Tumblr era,β he adds.
With this niche brand, Coates has gradually built a following that now spans over 65,000 supporters across all of his social media accounts. These fans look to him as a voice pushing a new era of change in body acceptance. Coates is passionate about body acceptance including the male perspective, which is often overlooked and disregarded in the current movement.
At just 24, Coates boasts a fully-realized outlook on outward image, perception and body acceptance, one that he describes as βquite beautiful.β
βI feel like my journey is ever-changing and ever-growing,β he says before adding, βI just kind of fell in love with myself.β
Standing 6-foot-6, this confident advocate says that though he is known for being the poster child for βlove the skin youβre in,β this level of comfortability has been and continues to be a journey that heβs had to work on to maintain.
βI felt like growing into myself and being comfortable in my height and my stature and still being able to feel like Iβm able to express the full range of my personality is something Iβm always actively practicing,β he says.
Throughout this sometimes wavering sense of belonging, Coates holds a steady belief that he is nothing short of worthy. Verbalizing this self-affirmation, he tells me, βI love who I am and I love how I am and I love how I walk and I love how I talkβ β all things he says he βhad to fall in love withβ before he could expect anyone else to.
This outlook, that he dubs βa duality that Iβve managed to blend seamlessly,β has led Coates to push for plus-size male representation in commercial fashion by simply existing. Throughout his burgeoning career as a model, the already-accomplished figure has appeared as the leading face in campaigns for the likes of American Eagle, Target and several more recognizable brands. And, above all, heβs proudly celebrated his identity as a Black, queer plus-size man while doing so.
While mentioning that he deliberately chooses to βput emphasis on me being a Black, plus, queer model,β Coates critiques the outdated heteronormative and white-centric images of men in the modeling space. He stressed that this βmodel imageβ needs to change and is the reason why he so boldly flaunts his queerness, Blackness and size for all to see.
βI just feel like thatβs a realm we donβt discuss,β he says of this deliberate choice to wear his layered identities on his sleeve. βIβm a very big guy, but Iβm not going to hesitate to express how happy something makes me feel.β
As one of very few recognizable plus-size male commercial models in the Gen Z space, Coates emphasized the importance of taking your faith into your own hands as opposed to waiting for when others are ready to receive you. For Coates, that meant landing his first major campaign with American Eagle on his own β without the backing of an agency.
βI did American Eagle by myself and then I signed to Bridge [modeling agency] in 2018,β he says. βI did American Eagle again two times after that, and then I did Target for the first time.β
I can FINALLY tell you guy the SECRET news! Iβm apart of @americaneagleβs newest campaign #AEJeans (Denim Series) pic.twitter.com/cFrpuLgGmm
β Thaddeus π« (@ItsHippyPotter) July 26, 2018
His drive and fervor for providing authentic male plus-size representation, he says, is motivated by shifting the narrative that men who donβt fit the conventional βfit and muscularβ model mold arenβt worthy of being seen on public platforms.
βMen are left out of the conversation because I feel like people donβt expect men to talk about how they feel,β he says. βI feel like itβs society. Itβs always a βman upβ kind of thing.β
Coates says this archaic perspective that βmale silence equals powerβ sets the fashion industry back and causes men with promise to shy away from reaching their true potential.
βFrom such a young age, men are taught to view self-worth and self-vulnerability in such weird ways,β he says. βItβs really important for us to understand that there are layers. Itβs not all just one monolith. There are many stories and they can all exist.β
This theory has been proven and intensely studied with research from Harvard Medical School showing that boys are, in fact, said to be more emotionally expressive than girls, even from infancy.
A related study, conducted by Dr. June Gruber and Dr. Jessica Borelli and published by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, further outlined that a shift in boysβ expression of emotions happens when social messages on what is βright or wrongβ come into play. This antiquated take, the study states, βmight very well have a longer-term impact on their emotional development.β
βBoys grow up in a world inhabited by a narrower range of emotions,β Dr. Gruber and Dr. Borelli write.
This luckily wasnβt the case for Coates, who says that a sense of emotional pride was instilled in him from childhood, thanks to his fatherβs transparent and affectionate parenting style. The influencer adds that this approach helped him realize in his times of self-doubt that itβs completely warranted for him to be exactly who he is at all times.
βMy father was really pivotal in me feeling like I can be big and goofy, and big and joyous and big and fun,β he says. βI think itβs really important for us to show boys and men that itβs OK to cry and itβs OK to smile.β
Coates adds, βOnce we view vulnerability as a tool of power instead of weakness, then thatβs the key to try to start a whole new conversation.β
In addition to showcasing his passion for size-inclusivity through modeling, Coates directly reflects these images and motifs through visual artistry and graphic design. In fact, he has built a collection of artwork that showcases plus-size men in ways that he believes they deserve to be seen. On his Instagram page @hippypotterworld, Coates brings those images to his audience to further shake up the narrative around men like him.
βArt has been something that Iβve always been deeply connected with and art is what I was doing primarily before [modeling],β he says. βMore recently, Iβve thought to put more of myself into my art, and that would be the narrative of body positivity and diversity because I havenβt seen that a lot in art.β
Coates only recalls seeing caricature-like images of plus-size men in visual media. These depictions of βdopey bigness,β he says, not only misrepresent him and men like him but are also downright offensive and insulting. Determined to change this stereotype, Coates created his own lane in an effort to push the needle forward.
βI want a husky male lead thatβs smart and funny and thatβs the leader of the story instead of the comic relief,β he says.
Self-acceptance can be reached in a myriad of ways, with arguably one of the most common being self-expression through clothes and fashion. Itβs an industry that Coates has become quite familiar with given his already extensive rΓ©sumΓ© in clothing campaigns. So, how does the sunshine king keep his drip on 100? Itβs simple: He frequents a few retailers that offer affordable, yet fashionable, options for men who just happen to be plus-size, thus not sacrificing comfort and fit for flare and luxury.
βAsos is a go-to,β he begins while detailing fashion suggestions for plus-size men. βYou have to buy the chinos. The chinos are true-to-size.β
He warns, though, that while the chinos are the real deal, βsome of the other stuff is wonky, so youβve got to be careful.β He reassures, though, that βIf you want a good pant, go to Asos.β
ASOS Design Plus Slim Chinos in Black, $24 (Orig. $32)
Three other brands he says are fully worth the investment are American Eagle (his go-to cargo pant brand), Wrangler and Lee, which he specifies βhas a thread that really stretches around your thighs.β Lastly, for sweats, he says the two holy grails for all body types are Nike and Champion.
Lee's Men's Extreme Motion Straight Fit Tapered Leg Jeans (Big & Tall), $60
Buy Now at Lee Jeans
Nike Sportswear Tech Fleece (Up To 4XL Tall), $130
Buy Now at Nike
Champion Big & Tall Fleece Joggers With Taping (Up to 6XL), $36 (Orig. $48)
Though these brands have size-inclusive options, accessible clothing options for plus-size men β as well as adequate representations of plus-size male images in the fashion and modeling spaces β have yet to reach respectable levels in the industry. However, Coates stresses that this instability in supply and demand should not be the sole factor in determining oneβs self-worth. Instead, he offers a bit of advice that seems a bit healthier: embrace the journey.
βBody acceptance means being honest with yourself and giving yourself amnesty and room to grow,β he said.
A post shared by Thaddeus Coates (@hippypotter) on Jul 10, 2020 at 6:40am PDT
Using the analogy of watering a plant to describe this personal journey, he added, βYour plant isnβt automatically going to be this beautiful, luscious plant. Itβs also enjoying the process of it getting there and knowing that each stage is important and every stage is valuable.β
Concluding this necessary take that can be universally applied, the 24-year-old size-inclusive icon-in-the-making says, βEvery size that you are is important β and your mental [state] should be just as strong as that.β
And for those who believe (whether they say it or not) that plus-size individuals arenβt deserving of being seen, Coates had one thing to say: βBig guys can be fly, too. Clothes should make you feel cool and sleek. Everybody should be able to feel like that. Everybody deserves to feel like that.β
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