Model Hunter McGrady knows the importance of proper clothing selection. The rising star walked the iHeartRadio Music Awards red carpet in an outfit that could’ve come straight out of Christian Grey’s red room. Although the ensemble stood out not just for its risqué factors, but for the designers behind the pieces. She wore Chromat and Prabal Gurung for Lane Bryant with Fashion to Figure, all body positive brands that design clothes for curvy women.
McGrady, who recently shot for the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue, opened up about the importance of feeling sexy — and of clothes that make that possible for curvy women. “I just threw on what I wanted to wear. I feel like a lot of people try to put curvy girls in this category of ‘you can’t wear this. You can only wear this,’” she told Yahoo Style. “I kind of said, ‘You know what? I’m just going to wear what I want. And so I threw it on, and here I am. I feel supersexy in it!”
Supersexy is an understatement. The outfit, consisting of a sheer pencil skirt that covers up a cut-out bustier and garter belt, was more than 50 Shades of Grey — it was like 100 Shades of Black.
As the curviest model ever featured in Sports Illustrated, McGrady has plenty to say about how our culture perceives flaws. “It’s something that’s always been in my heart and something that I’ve been so proud of. I struggled with a lot of insecurity when I was younger. I mean I still do. Of course I’m only human,” she said.
She continued, “I just want women out there to know that you are beautiful in the skin that you’re in. And what people deem flaws are not flaws. Everyone has these things, whether it be stretch marks, cellulite, acne, whatever it is.” Translation: Whatever you’re most insecure about, work hard to embrace it (and maybe you’ll also end up in Sports Illustrated.)