Kate Upton's Secret to Overcoming Body Insecurity

byElana Fishman



Kate Upton
Kate Upton

Kate Upton is that rare breed of supermodel who, in just a few short years, has become a household name well outside of the fashion industry. She's covered two of Sports Illustrated's world-famous Swimsuit Issues (and even posed in zero gravity for the mag!), appeared in big-name glossies like Vogue Italia, Vanity Fair and CR Fashion Book and even graced the silver screen in last year's rom-com The Other Woman-all before turning 22. Most recently, Upton snagged a huge gig as Express' new brand ambassador-making her the retailer's first celebrity campaign face in over a decade.


Yesterday, I had the chance to not only preview Upton's very first campaign for Express-the first image from which you can check out above!-but also chat one-on-one with the supermodel about her swimsuit shopping tips, all-time favorite jeans, dorky dance moves and tried-and-true advice for overcoming self-consciousness. Read on!

Lucky: Your new Express campaign is all about denim. What's your personal favorite way to style a pair of jeans?

Kate Upton: With a cute t-shirt and a bright lip.

Do you remember the first pair of jeans you ever owned?
I don't, actually! I rode horses growing up, and so I've been wearing jeans ever since I can remember. I was also the third child in my family, so I got lots of hand-me-downs!

See Also: Kate Middleton and Victoria Beckham Nail Wimbledon Style


Any denim disasters you can recall? Botched DIYs, jeans that fit terribly...?
I had one pair of completely destroyed jeans-they actually started out naturally distressed, but I basically wore them to pieces. Every time they ripped a little more, I just thought that made them cooler. It got to the point where people were like, "You have to get rid of those!"

Do you still have them? Oh, yeah. And I still wear them!

You obviously know how to wear a bikini like none other. Any tried-and-true tips for finding a great suit for summer?
I think it's so important to have a swimsuit with ties on the sides [Editor's note: We told you so!], so you can adjust them to fit you perfectly. I think buying a size smaller offers you more support and comfort, too.

Really? I wouldn't have guessed.
Yes. Buying a swimsuit that's too big is a huge mistake-my sisters do that all the time. They think it makes them look skinnier, but it's just not a good look.

You're obviously gorgeous, but you've encountered your fair share of body-shamers over the past few years. How have you overcome that type of criticism? Have you ever felt insecure with any part of your body?
I think every person has insecurities while growing up-even now, I have them myself. But it's about overcoming them and not letting them take over your life. Real confidence is about getting through those insecurities-not never being insecure, because every woman is at some point or another.

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