Model Charli Howard

If you’ve flicked through the fashion pages of Harper’s Bazaar, Glamour or Cosmo lately, chances are you just might recognise Charli Howard’s face. Regardless, these pictures alone should show you that the model gives good face. What you may not know is that Howard is also something of a pioneer. Without intending to, she’s quickly become the face of a campaign pushing for real change when it comes to body shaming in the fashion industry.

It all started when, after being dropped from her former modelling agency, she fired back with a brave open letter on Facebook. “Here’s a big FUCK YOU to my (now ex) model agency, for saying that at 5”8 tall and a UK size 6-8 (naturally), I’m ‘too big’ and ‘out of shape’ to work in the fashion industry,” she wrote. “I refuse to feel ashamed and upset on a daily basis for not meeting your ridiculous, unobtainable beauty standards… In case you hadn’t realised, I am a woman. I am human,” she continued. “I cannot miraculously shave my hip bones down, just to fit into a sample size piece of clothing or to meet ‘agency standards’. And anyway, let’s face the facts: When I was 7 and a half stone, I still wasn’t thin enough for you… Until (and if) an agency wishes to represent me for myself, my body & the WOMAN I’ve become, give me a call. Until then, I’m off to Nandos.”


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She’s the walking embodiment of the type of women I was determined to feature on this site. For some reason, despite the prominence of kick ass women doing incredibly things right now, we seem to be living in an odd, unsettling culture where they’re all eerily absent from the public eye. It can feel as if, beyond the likes of big names like Sheryl Sandberg on one side of spectrum and #GirlBoss Sophia Amoruso on the other, the landscape for powerful, dynamic women celebrated in the media is a barren one. As we’ve all grown more powerful, it seems that the wider culture is pumping out images intended to put us back in our place.

The best thing about Charli? There’s no fluff. There’s no beating around the bush. She leans into the hard-hitting questions I ask about body image and her own internal struggles with it. In fact, it’s those areas that she speaks most openly and at length. In her mind, it’s being honest with those issues and working through them that has led to where she is now: happy, healthy and more inspired than ever before. And more than anything, she’s acutely aware that sharing her story has the power to encourage more of us to do the same.

Right now she splits her time between London and New York and, despite still modelling full time, her big focus right now is letting women know that our self-worth can never be restricted to a clothing size. Here she talks speaking her mind, learning how to love yourself, Glossier beauty products, learning how to apply make-up by Alex Box and why in-between sized models need better representation.


Model Charli HowardIt wasn’t until I was 21 that I was ‘discovered’ properly. My friend had decided to set up his own scouting business and sent my Facebook pictures off to the big London agencies without me knowing. I was standing at a bus stop when he called me and told me agencies wanted to see me. I remember thinking, “I’ll never get signed”. But, weirdly, I did. I absolutely love modelling and will always be grateful to him for doing that. I had no idea what I wanted to do as a career and that terrified me. I’d also been working in a pub when I was about 15 (underage – I know) and a few men would come in and say, “You should become a model”. I genuinely thought they were weird old men perving on me and would laugh it off. Modelling wasn’t something that happened to girls like me. Then over a school summer holiday, I was scouted a few times around London. That’s when I began to think, hmm, maybe I could try this out. Everyone seemed to know what they wanted to do and I didn’t. I felt under a lot of pressure to go down the university route, as around that time, it was just what people did. All the jobs I was interested in, like TV presenting, didn’t need a degree, yet you were just expected to get one. I still believe university wasn’t right for me, but went to the London College of Fashion to study Pattern-Cutting.

I wrote my open letter to my ex-agency not because I was trying to be honest, but more out of disappointment, anger and frustration. It was posted on Facebook, so it was designed to be seen by my friends, and with friends you should feel you can be as open as possible. Opening up on there was me standing my ground. The fact it went viral was another matter. I genuinely don’t know why it gained so much traction. I just think it’s because it came from the heart. I think people – women especially – could sense my frustration, and perhaps they’d felt similar pressures over their bodies by the media, so could relate. I’ve had hundreds upon hundreds of messages from people saying how I’ve helped them feel more confident in themselves; how they no longer feel they need to be thin to be beautiful. That’s a pretty powerful reaction and makes me quite emotional.

Professionally speaking, the most powerful reaction was having Muse [Models] sign me afterwards. It taught me that having an opinion could be a good thing; not only as a model, but as a human too. You have a voice, so what’s the point in staying quiet if you think something is wrong? I do think the industry is changing in terms of diversity, but a lot of agencies see models as clothes horses, and not much else. The fact I can speak my mind and have a clear, honest relationship with my agent is what I love most. I think modelling is such a dream job to most girls that they can’t possibly risk letting it go. What they don’t realise is the more they speak up, the more the pressures of the fashion industry can change, making their lives easier in the process. I know that my career could’ve ended there and then in that letter, and I’ve been exceptionally fortunate it didn’t. But I also understand why many people wouldn’t want to jeopardise their chances.

Initially I was a bit sceptical about getting involved in StyleLikeU’s ‘What’s Underneath Project” to talk about body shaming. Laying my feelings out for the world to see wasn’t that appealing to me. But I watched the other videos they’d done and felt like it was time to show the world how far I’d grown as a person. I’m so glad I did it now; the response has been fantastic. As a teenager, I had insecurities like everyone else. I had no boobs and was nicknamed ‘PG Tits’ by a boy I worked with after the tea bags (I actually find that hilarious now!). I think you gain confidence with age and experience. You learn not to let people walk over you or treat you badly, and that comes with time, especially as a woman. The moment you begin to love yourself and believe in yourself is magical.

I feel my most confident when people praise me on my abilities or my work. I love my job and push myself with it, so when people recognise my efforts, that boosts my confidence tremendously. Sometimes I still need to kick myself and tell myself to believe in myself more. I think as a woman, we’re programmed to feel a bit insecure sometimes. There’s a societal pressure there but also an internal one. The pressure to be perfect in all aspects of our lives can all get a bit too much for us. It’s just about reminding yourself that you have something special to offer the world and that you’re put on this planet for a reason.


Opening up was me standing my ground. The fact it went viral was another matter. I genuinely don’t know why it gained so much traction. I think people – women especially – could sense my frustration, and perhaps they’d felt similar pressures over their bodies by the media, so could relate. I’ve had hundreds of messages from people saying how I’ve helped them feel more confident in themselves; how they no longer feel they need to be thin to be beautiful. That’s a pretty powerful reaction and makes me quite emotional.


If I could give any advice about learning to love and accept yourself, firstly, rather than chasing a standard idea of beauty – whether that’s losing or gaining weight, changing your make-up, wearing clothes that you think will make you look better – start loving the person you are. You’re unique; you’re not designed to look like anyone else. There will always be someone wishing they were you, so why not aim to be the best version of yourself, rather than changing yourself? Secondly, stop worrying about what other people say or think about you. Part of my confidence issues stemmed from listening too much to other people’s opinions and wanting to please them, and surrounding myself with negative people. The moment you get rid of toxic people, you start loving yourself more. Trust me on that one. Finally, I know it’s easy for me to say this when modelling is my job, but you need to try and not put too much emphasis on beauty or looks. They fade; a nice personality doesn’t. You have so much more to offer the world than your image, a dress size or a number on a scale. Believe in your abilities. Once you realise your other strengths, you’ll realise how great you are and how much you have to offer.

I never intended to be the face of this ongoing debate in the industry. The idea of being a role model is terrifying, but it’s also a challenge I’m willing to take on. I didn’t expect to go down this path, but I feel this whole experience is fate and part of my ‘story’. If I can make one girl feel better about herself, then I know I’m doing something right. I love writing and I love modelling, so now I’d love to combine my two favourite passions and go down the presenting route. I’m fascinated by people and their stories. I love hearing about people’s life experiences. I can be quite nosey like that. I also really want to continue teaching girls body-positivity and about loving themselves: it upsets me when I see girls who don’t. I’m all about Girl Power! I just really feel that with the support I have from Muse, I can do anything, and that’s a lovely feeling to have. Anything’s possible when you surround yourself with positive people that support you, agents included. I feel very, very lucky.


Model Charli HowardSKINCARE

My skin is really sensitive, so I try to use the simplest of products and not overdo it. I cleanse using Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Water, which is perfume-free and non-irritable, then moisturise using Simple’s Replenishing Daily Moisturiser. My dermatologist told me to always wear moisturiser with SPF in it, so I try and make sure I buy products with that in. When it comes to my body, if I can be bothered, I’ll rub Palmer’s Cocoa Butter over my body when I get out of the shower. I use Bioderma to cleanse in the morning and then also to remove make-up at night. If my skin is a bit dry, I’ll tone them with Nip & Fab Glycolic Pads. I don’t over complicate my skin care routine because I’ll irritate my skin otherwise. I go red really easily if I rub it too much! Around this time when the weather starts to change I up my SPF game massively to protect my skin. Come winter, Air-conditioning and radiators dry my skin out, so I’ll use a richer moisturiser if needed.

MAKE-UP

I genuinely love make-up and the way it makes me feel. I’ve always been interested in it, and when you’re interested in something, you tend to get a knack for it. After a lot of begging, my mum bought me some blue eyeshadow for Christmas when I was about 10, and then my Nan took me to buy my first “grown-up” make-up products when I was 14. I absolutely cherished them – I was so proud I owned proper make-up! There’s something very therapeutic about applying make-up for me; I’m not sure why. It’s equally as nice having it put on me, but having someone brush me usually sends me to sleep!

Alex Box taught me how to apply make-up using just your hands and fingers. Your hands somehow manage to slot into the crevasses of your face and bone structure in a way brushes can’t. A ring finger, for example, is great for applying concealer and pressing make-up on delicate areas like the eye; the boney part underneath your thumb on your palm is great for pressing contour under the cheekbone. The index finger is good for applying foundation, as it’s a bit stronger. It’s a really clever method.

I wore a lot of make-up growing up because I liked experimenting with it and the transformation process. Nowadays, I much prefer looking as natural as possible. Modelling’s taught me to embrace my natural features, rather than hiding them, so I focus on emphasising my best bits now. I’ll try anything and love looking at the newest beauty trends, but I do tend to keep my make-up as simple and natural as possible with a feline eye.

I wear a tinted moisturiser during the day – my favourite being Rodial’s Skin Tint in Capri. I’ll dab on a bit of concealer if I need it and then a simple, non-clumpy mascara (Lancôme do the best ones!). Finally, I’ll sort my eyebrows out and put a bit of blush on the cheeks. If I’m going out somewhere or need a bit of a confidence boost, I’ll wear a red lip or cat-flick eyeliner. My eyebrows are naturally very thick, so I tweeze them when I need to and then shape them up using a clear eyebrow gel. It genuinely makes such a difference to my face! I used to have them threaded and waxed, but thin eyebrows just don’t suit me at all. I constantly looked surprised!


NAILS & HAIR

My nails are actually very strong, so I do them myself. I LOVE nail art, though. I was an avid fan of WAH Nails when it first opened in London and dropped money there like there was no tomorrow. My absolute favourite shade is OPI’s ‘Barefoot in Barcelona’, which reminds me of colours my mum would wear in the 90s, but Ciaté do a dupe I also love called ‘Pocket Money’. I do love reds, as well. There’s something very sexy about red nail polish.

I wash my hair every couple of days. I’ve actually started reverse-shampooing, where I’ll condition it, then shampoo it, and then condition it again. My hair is back-combed, sprayed and straightened so often that it needs looking after, and that seems to keep it in good condition. I don’t put anything on my hair when I get out of the shower, but my mum swears by coconut oil, so maybe I should try that. I tend to let my hair air dry, rather than blasting it with a hairdryer. That’s kept it in better condition. If my hair needs a bit more TLC, I’ll use my Kérastase hair mask, which makes it so soft and glossy. In the summer, I spray Bumble & Bumble’s Sea Salt spray to get beach-waves.

I prefer having my hair long, but I’ve had it short as well. I’ve also dyed it every colour under the rainbow. I had it dip-dyed pink once when that first became popular, but a man at a train station told me I looked like a sci-fi character, so that put me off! I also went through a stage of bleaching it, which made me look a bit like a serial killer, but in a cool way. I’d quite like to do that again. When it comes to changing my hair for a job, I’m up for trying anything once. If they wanted to shave it all off, I might have to think about it! I do quite like my natural colour, though. My mum is a redhead so I have quite a bit of red in my hair. At the end of the day, the great thing about hair is that it always grows back.


Model Charli Howard


GENERAL BEAUTY

Right now Glossier’s products are getting me excited – they’re great. They’re like a mixture of skincare and make-up all in one, so you get that ‘real’, lived-in, natural sort-of look. Their Milky Jelly cleanser is amazing, as is their concealer, tinted moisturiser and Boy Brow. I love their packaging and best of all, you get stickers with your products! When it comes to my desert island products, Elizabeth Arden’s 8 Hour Cream, Avene Thermal Water Spray, Avene SPF 50 sun cream (because I’m so pale that I’ll burn if I’m on a desert island), Illamasqua Clear Lash Gel for my eyebrows and my favourite perfume, Philosykos by Diptyque are all on my list!

I’m always on the hunt for under the radar niche brands. There are a few beauty sellers on Etsy selling bespoke, handmade cosmetics you won’t find anywhere else. There’s one seller called Bitter Lace Beauty who sells handmade, powdered highlighters. She makes one highlighter called Prism that is rainbow-coloured (great for festivals!) and they’re selling out so fast. I also love MDM Flow, a 90s, hip-hop inspired lipstick brand started by Florence Adepoju. She graduated from the London College of Fashion and literally started making lipsticks at home. Now they’re being sold at places like Nasty Gal and featured in Italian Vogue. I get so inspired by all these young women starting their own brands!


Model Charli HowardHEALTH & WELLNESS

I’ve become absolutely obsessed with Pure Barre classes in New York, which is a mixture of ballet, Pilates, yoga and strength training. My body’s never looked better and I’ve noticed a big difference in my posture and general well-being. I’m signed up to a gym in London, but it gets a bit repetitive. Wherever I travel, I bring my trainers with me and go running. It helps clear my mind more than anything else.

I think that agencies should definitely keep an eye on their models, but it’s not just model agencies that hold the responsibility. It’s up to ALL sectors of the industry – the pattern-cutters, the stylists, the booking directors, the photographers – to come together and check whether a model is OK or not. Usually it’s pretty evident whether someone is ill or starving themselves, but I think thinness has become so normalised in fashion, that some people don’t know what’s unhealthy or not anymore.

I definitely think there’s a bunch of models who are misrepresented. They’re what I like to call the “in-betweeners” – girls who don’t fit into the straight box, but are too thin for the curvy box. Usually, they’re encouraged to fit one category or the other, but never truly encouraged to be their ‘real’ size. It’s difficult because plus-size models are often referred to as the ‘real women’ of the modelling industry, which isn’t true. All women are real. But there seems to be a huge divide between straight sizes and plus sizes. There is an in-between market that isn’t really being addressed, with stunning girls who don’t get a look-in because their measurements aren’t right either way. So for me, it’d be nice to see beautiful girls of ‘in-between’ sizes represented – the US 6, 8, 10s – rather than changing them to fit industry standards or beauty ideals. I do think some agents are tapping into that market (like mine!) which is exciting, but a lot of agencies represent in-between girls who are already established, or come from famous families. It’s about realising that a dress size doesn’t necessarily make someone model material – it’s that certain ‘thing’ that makes them special, or their unique beauty. It’s really not a difficult concept, is it?

I switch off by FaceTiming my friends and family, going to the park, sewing, writing and baking. Being creative is so relaxing for me. Modelling can be a lonely profession, but it’s also a great way of getting to know yourself. I now know and trust myself better than ever before.