Star In A Bra Australia top five interview – Sophie Shaw

I think that’s just about time for a cup of tea! Ahh.

What a pair of stunning role models we’ve heard from so far. The next gal is not different, let’s hear from the delicious Sophie Shaw.

So great to see you back again, Sophie! we learnt a lot about you in your last interview, but for those of you who haven’t seen it yet or for those who want to know even more, could you let us know a little about you?

Hello I’m Sophie Shaw, a 21 year old university student from Melbourne. I’ve been lucky enough to grow up in a very tight knit family with Mum & Dad, and my three beautiful older sisters (5 women – poor dad!), where we’ve lived in Melbourne, Adelaide, Tasmania and Perth at all different stages of my life. I’m a very family-orientated person, my sisters are three of my best friends and my little 2-year-old nephew Benny is the absolute love of my life.

I’m a very independent, driven young woman – one who is very determined to be successful in either television or radio once I graduate. At the same time, I like to consider myself a very positive and lively person who can have a laugh…especially at myself On the weekend you’ll either find me at the footy (AFL), or out with my girlfriends having a dance and a wine (or 5!)

My whole life I have been extremely active with sports and still to this day I am a very competitive netballer – which explains my athletic body type. I can honestly say I don’t think I could play netball the way I do without the shape and build I’ve been given. The positives to big boobs & bum! 

We have to say we’re rather envious of your enviably flat tum and toned pins! What sizes do you usually wear when it comes to lingerie? Were you refitted at the shoot?

Growing up, I thought the day would never come when my boobs stopped growing haha! I reached a 10G and have been wearing that for the past two years. I also wear a 12 down the bottom.

Why did you decide to enter Star in a Bra?

As a big Curvy Kate fan and follower of the Star in a Bra competitions overseas for the past few years, I often wondered when I would gain enough confidence to enter myself. I came very close last year but I let my fear get the better of me. Then after seeing all the beautiful courageous girls that entered in 2011, and then to see Julia and that beautiful smile of hers showcasing this wonderful brand, I was gutted that I had not had a go. I really had a feeling of “I can do that” that made me regret my decision immensely!

2012 also started as a terrible year for me. In February I was sent for scans on a little lump I had found in my left breast that was believed to be just a cyst, and therefore scans were purely precautionary. The lump did in fact end up being a cyst, but it was the tumor at the very back of my breast that was found during this scan that caused a severe headache. As a 21 year old girl I was contemplating life with breast cancer, something I never thought would happen to me. Luckily a biopsy showed the tumor to be benign breast lesion, but it still didn’t make the experience any easier. I had surgery to remove the mass and am now left with a scar. Although I should be grateful that all I ended up with was a scar, it is still something that I look at everyday that reminds me what could have been, and I guess it now gives me the cliche outlook on life to live it while you can as you never know what is around the corner.

So this time around I wasn’t going to let anything stop me! I didn’t want to have that same feeling of regret again – so I bit the bullet and went ahead with it.

I basically just want to help drive and promote this amazing message that Curvy Kate and Star in a Bra provides to women around the world. I really have learnt to love my body – flaws and all – and really embrace what I’ve been given. And I really want to inspire ladies around the world to do the same. I want more girls to feel it’s ok to say, “yes, I feel good and I look great!”

I don’t think anyone in this day and age should be made to feel like they are not good enough and there most certainly shouldn’t be one image that people believe you need to look like. Every girl wants to be ‘thin’ and ‘perfect’, and society makes you feel you should be. But what this world needs to realise like Curvy Kate has is that ‘thin’ is not perfect – there is NO body type that is perfect. Every woman young and old, short tall lean or voluptuous should know that they are individually beautiful in their own way, and I really want to join Curvy Kate in helping women around the world feel like this.

And also – if a brand like Curvy Kate is preventing girls crying their eyes out in change rooms across the country like I did for many years ’cause they are unable to be fitted in a bra that suits them – then I’m on board!

We can’t argue with that! How does it feel to be in the top five? How have your loved ones reacted?

By simply entering myself in the competition I received such a confidence boost and I was really proud of myself for being courageous enough to even put myself forward…then I made the top 5! I really didn’t think I’d get this far, and when I was contacted to tell me I was lucky enough to be a top 5 I just couldn’t wait to let the whole family know. There was definitely a rather large group message sent out that morning I think!

Honestly, I’m so touched that I was voted to be a top 5 contender. It really made me feel like I was able to relate with women around Australia and just to be part of such an inspiring competition with such fantastic people … well it’s just motivated me to do even better!

My family have been absolutely fantastic. They have always supported and loved me for my curvaceous figure, and supported me when I would have a meltdown because I could never find a bra to suit a young big busted girl. Glad those days are long gone!

I initially thought my Dad would find the whole thing a little …uncomfortable perhaps… yet he has been my number 1 supporter getting around me on twitter and telling everyone to vote for me – he is just really proud I’m making a stand for us curvy girls

It’s so good to hear you’ve got your family and friends behind you. How did you feel before and after the shoot?

If you ask my parents they will tell you that growing up as a little girl I always loved being in front of a camera and now at 21 nothing has really changed haha!

No in all seriousness I had very mixed emotions leading up to the shoot. One side of me was jumping out of my skin ’cause I was so excited to get up there, but of corse I had the nerves that came along with not really knowing what to expect. The idea of having your photo taken in your underwear would scare anyone I would think! Yet, once I got to Brisbane and met the other four incredible girls – along with the whole crew for the day – I instantly settled in and was raring to go. The other girls kept laughing because I was so impatient to get out on set that I couldn’t sit still ! It was just a really enjoyable day that none of us wanted to end. We were able to meet, talk and relax as the day progressed and to do it with such a genuinely lovely group of ladies made it that much better.

What were the best and worst parts of the shoot?

Am I allowed to say there wasn’t any bad parts? If I had to choose one, it would be that I was too excited the night before that I hardly slept and ended up shooting all day on 3 1/2 hours sleep. Silly Sophie.

The best part of the day..narrowing it down to one will be impossible so I’ll name off a few.

As I mentioned, meeting and spending the day with Cassie, Mindy, Cherine and Carley was so much fun. We all got along so well, and they were so supportive of me it really made the experience one I’ll never forget. I always love getting my hair and makeup done so I also enjoyed feeling like a superstar being dolled up and pampered all day by the team. Standing there with the fan blowing in my face and camera flashes going off everywhere … it was an experience that I soaked up while I could it was so much fun. What I really really really enjoyed about the day was being able to sit down with 2011s winner Julia who was so encouraging and motivating. She really listened to me, gave me some fantastic advice that I could take in, and she is just such a beautiful girl inside and out it’s no wonder she was able to win last year.

Do you struggle to find clothing and lingerie to fit your curves?

Up until I came across Curvy Kate, I hated bra shopping with an absolute passion. I’d avoid it at all costs because 99.9% of the time it ended in failure and tears. Now that problem is a thing of the past …yay!

Clothes wise I still struggle due to my defined hour-glass figure that I have. Although I’m a size 10/12 up top and bottom, I can get away with wearing a size 6 around my waist. This is why I’m more often than not wearing tight, figure hugging clothes. I find it more flattering on my body type to emphasise my curves rather than try and hide them with baggy, floaty clothes that only make me look bigger and that I certainly don’t feel confident in.

If we had a figure like yours we’d certainly show it off as well! Do you have any favourite Curvy Kate sets?

Without a doubt the Entice set from the Showgirl range hence why I was ecstatic when I arrived to the shoot to find that I got to wear it! As it’s shaped and slightly padded, it provides me with such an uplift that is normally so hard for such large breasts. But it’s able to make me feel young and sexy which is exactly what you want at 21!

I’m also in love with the Emily nude set for your perfect everyday lingerie.

What do you think defines a Curvy Kate girl?

A Curvy Kate girl has the confidence to tell the world she is beautiful, and the ability to influence and inspire other women around the world to do the same.

That’s such a lovely way of putting it. Do you have any advice for people thinking of entering next year?

DO IT! Please don’t have any hesitation in entering. Of corse it’s daunting but it is SO worth it! When I first found out I made top twenty, I had girls contact me to congratulate me on having the courage to do such a thing … some of these girls I hadn’t spoken to in years! It was such a confidence booster than almost immediately any sense of doubt and embarrassment was erased.

On that note, I was recently out on a Saturday night having drinks with some girls when a lady – who later told me she was 29 – approached me and said “You’re Sophie from Star in a Bra aren’t you?” This beautiful lady then sat down and talked to me for five minutes telling me how much I inspired her, and her exact words were “You’ve made me say ‘I can do it’ too.” It was honestly one of the most beautiful and touching conversations that I’ve ever had with someone as she sat there and talked about how she admired me and my body, and how she was definitely entering in the 2013 competition. I was on cloud 9. It was just so lovely to hear a stranger tell me that I had made a positive impact on her life. And that’s exactly why you should enter in 2013 – to make people feel like that too.

What would be the best part of winning?

I’d love to win to become a team member of CK and an ambassador for the message it provides. I want to join Julia, Sophie, Krista and all others on the CK crew in being a voice that promotes this positive body image message across the world. I want to be able to see myself advertising CK lingerie, and be proud of myself and the courage I displayed to get here.

Last but not least, it’s the tricky question that no one likes to be asked – why do you think you should win?

Everyone always leaves the tough question till last don’t they!

I’ve spoken previously about my dedication and drive to be successful in everything that I do and this another one of those things. I’ve always been very strong in my values and fighting for what I believe in, and Curvy Kate’s positive message is no different. I really feel like I have a grasp on what Curvy Kate is all about and I think not only do I have boobs, bum, hips and everything else to make me physically a ‘Curvy Kate’, I believe I have the attitude and personality to go with it. I’m never going to conform to standard ideals of what a woman should be and Curvy Kate will provide me with the opportunity to represent all of that ladies out there who refuse to settle for that either. My big personality and even bigger smile will be a great Star In A Bra 2012 !

In saying that, I’d love any of the other girls to win. Each is so individually beautiful, but with the one thing in common I would be happy to see anyone crowned. Wishing you all the very best of luck. Now lets get voting people!

To vote for your WINNER, head on over to the Curvy Kate Australia Facebook page and click the ‘Vote Now’ tab.