Star In A Bra USA top ten interview – Krista Cousins
Written by Becky Mount on Jun 22, 2012We’re onto our sixth interview now – we’re speeding through! So without further ado, lets hear what the gorgeous Krista Cousins has to say…
Good morning Krista! We’re sure you know what to do by now – tell our readers all about you!
I’m Krista, I’m a 24 year old nanny and plan to study and obtain a M.S in Speech-Language Pathology in the near future to help those with communication disorders. Although I was born in NYC, I grew up in the south, Georgia specifically but returned to NYC because I am truly a big city girl at heart with even bigger dreams! I am also a bit of an oxymoron! I am super silly and love to let my inner kid out often yet I still am very serious about many issues and representation of women is one of them.
You can take the girl out of the city but not the other way around then? I bet you felt right at home at the shoot. What sizes do you normally wear when it comes to lingerie?
I wish I could give a definite answer so I’ll say I’m in between a medium and large bottom size. For my bra size, I thought I was a 36/34F but apparently not!
Sounds like someone got refitted at the photo shoot..!
Yes I was refitted! I was wearing a 34/36 F before the shoot and unfortunately in all the glamorous confusion I didn’t have time to set my new size to memory, I guess I have to email Curvy Kate and ask them myself so I get to shopping ASAP.
I believe they refitted you as a 32G, which is quite a jump! Is fitting in America generally a bit dire then?
It’s not accepting at all! Most stores are department stores that don’t carry my size and then there are specialty stores that do carry my size but they are few and far between. Why is it that my bra size has to be made a “ speciality”? I dream of the day I can just walk into a store, find a cute bra that FITS without having to make an appointment or offer up my first born as payment.
Sounds ruthless! I’m going to stop complaining about the British high street! Do you have any favourite Curvy Kate sets?
Entice, Entice, Entice! I love the showgirl collection and the Entice set is beyond gorgeous, it’s so very classic “Come hither to my boudoir” and I bet when wearing it, it would be impossible to feel unsexy.
Isn’t it just so stunning? I can’t wait to finally own it, it feels like I’ve been waiting forever! Were you a Curvy Kate fan before the competition?
Honestly, being in the U.S I did not even know Curvy Kate existed! However, once I was given the opportunity to read up on the brand and what they stood for it was impossible for me NOT to be a fan. Beyond their gorgeous lingerie, I have seen them only say positive messages about women’s bodies and encourage women to be themselves and love themselves no matter what. It’s not often that I find such a positive message from a business which is why, no matter what happens in the contest I am still a Curvy Kate fan!
That’s nice to hear! So how did you find out about the contest?
A friend of mine posted about the contest to an online community that I’m a part of and encouraged everyone to enter and I simply cannot thank her enough for it!
Give her a huge thanks from me as well! What made you decide to enter?
I entered the competition without even thinking, I read about the contest and was very impressed after looking at the past winners and I thought to myself “maybe that could be me. Maybe this is my chance to get my voice heard” My boyfriend helped me take my pictures, even though I was very nervous submitting bikini pictures of myself to the world wide web!
Trust me, those nerves don’t ever go away completely! How does it feel now you’re a part of the first ever US competition?
LIKE WINNING A MILLION DOLLARS! Actually it feels incredible. Before this contest I was still self conscious but trying to really get to the point of confidence where I can really set a good example for others. I’ll always remember that the night that the top 30 voting ending I wrote myself a tiny note on a yellow post it that said “Krista, even if you don’t make the top ten you made the top 30, you received tons of votes from strangers and friends who thought you had the guts. Please don’t forget this after. You are so beautiful” Incredibly cheesy I know but it really stuck with me that yes I am beautiful. There is no longer any doubt because there are brands like Cuvry Kate who are not only acknowledging but praising us girls with the big ol’ curves!
That’s not cheesy, that’s brilliant – more women need to have that confidence and self belief. How have your loved ones reacted?
At first very hesitant. Some of my relatives felt the contest was not legitimate, some of my relatives did not feel comfortable with me exposing myself literally and emotionally to the public but in the end they have been very supportive in fact it helped me get closer to many of my loved ones as they have been proud of my and helping my every step of the way, I would not be here without them.
That’s great to hear, although I completely understand why they’d be a little bit dubious. How did you feel before and after the shoot?
Before the shoot I was very nervous, being that I was the last girl of both days of shooting. I was worried that by then everyone would have been tired and just wanting to get it over with, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth. After the shoot I was on cloud nine. I looked and felt beautiful and actually sat on a bench awhile just appreciating my life and what it had to offer because it was definitely one of the best days of my life.
With Laura and Hannah there, there would be no chance of it being quiet! What were the best and worst parts? Hopefully nothing too bad…
Well the worst part was the time crunch! Since I was the last girl on the last day, I unfortunately did not meet any of the six girls who shot the day before and even then I wasn’t able to properly meet the other three girls on my own day. I wish we all could have had a big party and talk about how the contest changed our lives for the better. The best part, aside from the delicious cookies, was the fan blowing wind in my hair. I know that is an odd aspect to focus on but I’ve spent my whole life growing up seeing beautiful women on tv with wind gusting through their hair like they’re goddesses and well I guess I’m a goddess now!
I always wish we could fit everyone in one day and just hang out afterwards but there are quite literally not enough hours in the day! Are you proud of your shape and size?
A thousand times yes! I wish it had always been this way but the past few years, especially with supportive friends and family nay saying anything negative I had to say about myself, I have come to accept and be proud of my shape, it is very womanly and after all I’m a grown woman!
That’s awesome. Do you struggle to find lingerie and clothing for your curves?
I struggle so much that it is stressful. Once my boobs grew past a DD it was definitely impossible to find anything in my size in real department stores, while specialty stores would have my size, they also would have only a handful which also would have cost me what felt like an arm and a leg. I ended having to scour the internet and simply spend an eternity wondering if the lingerie or clothing would fit me and even then had poor results. It is truly a burden and I wish there were more stores that catered to bodies shaped like mine.
Here’s hoping this will change soon enough. For you, what makes a Curvy Kate girl?
A Curvy Kate girl is someone who is beautiful inside and out. She is proud of herself and her shape and knows that she isn’t just a person anymore but a symbol of a positive body image and awareness.
What would be the best part about winning?
It would be thrilling to join the ranks of Lizzie Haines, Sophia Morgan and Julia McLean and the other Curvy Kate models who are all very beautiful women who represent being curvy and loving it. Here I go being cheesy again but it would be very emotional if I could end up being the first Star in the Bra winner of color, American media is so very monochromatic when it comes to representation and it is rare to see both a women with curves and of color and if I win I could be both and hopefully help just by having people who are self conscious see how far I came and that they are just as beautiful.
Do you have any advice for anyone who’s considering entering? Maybe some words of wisdom?
Don’t hesitate, don’t think, just do it! Even the women who did not make the top 30 were still proud of themselves. Although this is technically a contest and competition it is ultimately much more than that, all the entrants have been so positive and supportive of one another. Many women felt beautiful and proud just having their picture taken knowing that for once they would not be scrutinized for their shape but rather loved, appreciated, and praised for it.
You’ve all been great contestants, and so positive about one another. Just one last question and don’t hate me for it – it’s the mean one! Why do you think people should vote for you?
All the women in the top 10 are gorgeous and quite lovely but I think people should vote for me because I’m loud and proud! As a representative of Curvy Kate I would make it a top priority not to just be a model that is forgotten the next year but I would use my year as the first U.S. winner to try to reach out to American women who are ashamed of their bodies. As I said in my last interview “The time for a beautiful, busty, body revolution is now and I am very prepared to lead us all to victory.”
Good luck Krista!
To vote for Krista, head to her page on the Curvy Kate USA Facebook application for Star In A Bra. Whilst you’re at it, why not become a fan of the Curvy Kate USA Facebook page to keep up to date with the competition and the brand?
Next up we hear from Michaela Duerson!
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