Just recently I was checking my emails in my local grocery store and I received one that stopped me dead in my tracks. When I saw who it was from I quickly opened the email and skimmed through it, heart beating out of my chest waiting to read the words I was looking for. When I found them I proceeded to squeal in a high pitched voice and repeat “OMG, OMG, OMG”. At that moment, I was freaking out in the middle of the grocery store not caring what people might think of me. I didn’t care because body positivity influencer (my biggest social media icon) had just emailed me back agreeing that she would be a guest blogger on my blog, my very first blog post at that.
Who’s my social media icon you ask? Well, it’s no other than Mrs. Sarah Tripp from @sassyredlipstick!!!!!! If you don’t know who she is (shame on you if you don’t, jk! ;), she’s the creator of her own blog, sassyredlipstick.com. She has 361K followers on Instagram and has worked with major brands like aerie, Bite Beauty, saucony, loccitane, DSW, ebay and countless others and she’s been seen in Women’s Health, Shape, Forbes and Good Morning America just to name a few media outlets. It’s safe to say Sarah is slaying (slay, girl slay) the blogger game and I couldn’t be happier for her!
Sarah is a body positive advocate who has inspired not only me, but countless other young women to feel beautiful, confident and sassy in their own skin. I had the opportunity to ask Sarah a few of my most burning questions about the topic of body positivity, dealing with trolls and building an online brand. So, without further ado, please continue reading for my Q&A with @sassyredlipstick, Sarah Tripp.
Photo by: Robbie Tripp
AJ: What does the term “body positivity” mean to you?
ST: Being body positive means loving and accepting yourself no matter your shape or size. It means being at peace with your body, even the parts you’ve been told are too big, too small, too jiggly, etc. Body positivity is synonymous with self-confidence.
AJ: Do you respond to trolls? Why or why not?
ST: It totally depends. Usually I do not, because it’s a waste of time and energy. Most of the troll comments/messages are stupid and I’ve learned to block, delete, and move on without thinking much about it. However, if there is something said that I feel needs to be corrected or that I feel the person isn’t realizing that I’m a real human being with feelings who can reply, then I will respond. I always make sure to do it with kindness and let them know that they are being hurtful and that no one deserves that. A lot of times they back off and sometimes even apologize. There are some people you’re never going to change, but a lot of times these comments/messages are sent from people who don’t think their words are going to be seen or people who are having a bad day. Overall, I just wish social media was more positive and didn’t have such a mean-spirited trolling culture.
AJ: How do you personally stay positive despite reading negative comments from trolls?
ST: It’s all about having confidence in yourself and knowing that those rude words don’t define you at all. I once heard a quote that says, If they don’t know you personally then don’t take it personally. It’s so true. If some random stranger wants to send their poison your way, you don’t need to internalize it. That’s just their sadness and insecurity showing. I know who I am, and those who know me as a person know my character. That’s all that matters.
AJ: Do you ever find it difficult to write about positivity when trolls come out of the woodwork?
ST: Not at all. I would never hide my light for fear of someone being mean about it. For every troll comment I receive, there are a 50 more positive and supportive ladies who needed to hear it. The good will always outweigh the bad, even if sometimes it doesn’t feel like it.
AJ: If you could tell one thing to your younger self about body image what would it be?
ST: Being curvy is beautiful! I never had any role models that looked like me so I didn’t have the perception that a curvy girl could be sexy, confident, and powerful. Now that we have amazing women like Ashley Graham and my girl Iskra Lawrence rocking it in the spotlight, there’s a whole new attitude that women our size can be just as sexy. I would tell my younger self to quit worrying about looking like everyone else and start owning you!
AJ: When did you realize you were a role model for young girls and women?
ST: Wow, that’s a tough question because I still have a hard time processing that; it’s such an honor to be called a role model. I don’t look at myself like a hero or anything, I just try to promote my message of self-love and hope it helps other girls and women feel more confident. If I’m someone’s role model for doing that, then I feel so incredibly lucky and grateful. My mission is to help women of all shapes and sizes love the skin they’re in.
AJ: Who is your biggest inspiration from the fashion world and why?
ST: Definitely Gabrielle “CoCo” Chanel. I’ve been a Chanel enthusiast for years and have read many books on CoCo. She was such a revolutionary in a time where women weren’t expected (or really allowed) to do much of anything, and the brand she created is timeless. My Chanel pieces represent so much to me: hard work, elegance, luxury, and legacy.
AJ: What is the one piece of clothing you would recommend for a curvy girl/women and why?
ST: The ultimate curvy girl uniform is a flattering pair of high-waisted jeans, a cute bodysuit, and a pair of high heels. This outfit accentuates a curvy figure by highlighting the booty, sucking in the tummy while holding tight to the chest, and showing off those beautiful thick thighs. I recommend every curvy girl try it out!
Photo by: Robbie Tripp
AJ: You just recently collaborated with Iskra. What is one thing you can share with us that she taught you about body positivity?
ST: Iskra was my role model for years and I’m so glad to be able to call her my friend now. She still inspires me with how kind, humble, and inclusive she is. It’s rare to find someone so beautiful and successful who is also one of the most grounded people you know. She is an example to me of how I want to be no matter the amount of success I achieve: making others feel loved and just being a light for good in this world.
AJ: Where would you like the body positivity movement to be in the next five years?
ST: I would love to see all the major brands and department stores become size inclusive. It’s 2018 and we need to get rid of this “one size fits all” mentality where the hottest brands only smaller sizes or clothes that would never fit a curvy woman. Also, I think it will be the true mark of change when we see Victoria’s Secret include curvy women in their marketing and their fashion shows. That’s when we’ll know that body positivity and size representation has made it.
AJ: How do you think being curvy influenced your career?
ST: There’s no doubt that it’s a huge aspect of my career! I didn’t start seeing success early on until I started opening up about my ups and downs in my self-love journey. Being curvy is a blessing, it’s something I promote because it’s a positive thing! It’s not a negative thing, not even close. Curvy women are powerful, beautiful, sexy, and strong. I want every girl and women out there to know that being curvy is awesome, not something to be changed!
I thank Sarah for taking the time to answer my questions and for encouraging us to feel empowered in our own skin. I can’t wait to see where Sarah’s career takes her and I’ll be cheering for her along the way.
I also thank you for tuning in to my first ever blog post. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did! Leave a comment below letting me know who your social media icon is and why. To learn more about worldisurunway, click here.
Until next time,
Amy Johnston, xx
Guest Blogger: Sarah Tripp is the creator of sassyredlipstick.com, a body positive, fashion and lifestyle blog. Connect with Sarah on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter and be sure to check out her husband’s book on Amazon, the man behind this viral post.
