A curvier influencer has hit back at a troll who accused her of dressing without class after she posted a video of her dancing in a tiny thong bikini.
Felicity Hayward, 34, from London, has modeled for major high street brands including MAC, PrettyLittleThing, TK Maxx, Accessorize, Ann Summers and River Island and has built a huge following thanks to her wit, sass and outspoken take on the fashion industry. industry .
She posted to Instagram to share with her 288,000 followers and added a photo of her wearing a silver thong bikini with her arm around a friend having fun on a recent vacation in the Dominican Republic.
It was immediately followed by another grab-and-go photo from someone who had commented on her previous video, writing, “Be tall and beautiful, but please dress with class!!!!”
Clapping back at the criticism in her post’s caption, Felicity wrote, “I’m aware that when I post my body I’ll be cheated, I’m used to it.
London’s Felicity Hayward (right) shared a recent holiday snap that showed her enjoying a day at the beach, but a troll suggested she didn’t have a ‘lesson’ because she was wearing a thong bikini
Ms. Hayward is a model and influencer who has modeled for major well-known brands including MAC, PrettyLittleThing, TK Maxx, Accessorize, Ann Summers and River Island
A troll felt the need to comment on Felicity’s body and holiday snap, but the model quickly flipped back
“But what really bugs me is the fact that if a smaller body were to wear a tiny bikini, they would be told to ‘dress classy’ or is it just the fact that it’s just a bigger body.”
On the fashion system and society, she continued: ‘Especially in the fashion industry, smaller frames have been seen as “art and haute couture” for so long when a lot of skin is shown, but when it’s a bigger body, it’s seen as sexual, pornographic and cheap.
“Every body, especially on vacation, deserves to have some sun, fun, and wear what they feel comfortable with.”
Felicity further revealed that she had another reason to bare her body, and not just because she wanted to.
She wrote: “To be 100% transparent I’m wearing a tiny bikini not only because it’s the first time in ages I’ve found one that fits me well (thanks @wearewewear) but also because I’m suffering of eczema. there are eruptions all year round and I was desperate for some sun exposure to help clear it up.”
She ended the post by turning the corner on behalf of all women, adding, “Just let women’s bodies and their choices out of your mouth.”
Body-positive campaigner Felicity, who is a TEDx speaker and presenter of Channel 4’s Naked Beach, was praised by followers for taking a stand, with one commenting ‘what a joyless little person’ the commentator must be.
One of her followers wrote, “I shall never understand why one man’s body is another man’s business.”
‘Truth! larger bodies trigger for most. nice words,” said another fan of Felicity.
Another added: “No matter what we do, what we wear, what we say, there will always be people who hate us.
Why do people think they have the right to be so mean? You’re doing your darling, you’re gorgeous and you can wear whatever you want. If they don’t like it, they can p*ss off. Forever my inspo, beautiful inside and out. I love you,” another person wrote.
Felicity has previously opened up about the judgmental bias she faced based on her body early in her career.
She recalled how people used to mistake her for a cleaner and ask her to “get them a cup of tea” during her early photo shoots.
Felicity, who has worked with high street retailers ASOS, River Island and Missguided over the years, said she wasn’t often recognized as a model on set early in her career.
Speaking to ITV News, she revealed: “I remember when I was a model for the first time and arrived on set and someone asked me to get them a cup of tea and asked me to clean the bins and I thought, “Oh, I’m here for a job babes”.’
Felicity’s fans were quick to defend her with words of encouragement and vilify the troll for their criticism
Felicity says she faced judgmental bias based on her body early in her career, and remembered people on set thinking she was a cleaner and not the model
Felicity has been modeling for seven years and has starred in campaigns for brands such as Mac Cosmetics and The Body Shop.
When asked if her body positivity “isn’t helping the obesity problem,” she argued that if a person wants to live a healthy life, they must first “love” themselves.
She said, “If anyone ever wants to make a change in their life, they will never be able to do it from a dark place.
“So you have to love yourself before you make any progress, if you choose to.”