- Lisa, let's not dissemble: in the city in which you live and work, in Tomsk, almost every resident knows you. In addition, you have repeatedly said that women from other cities of our vast country constantly write to you, inspired by your example, and ask for advice: how to love yourself and accept who you are. Do you like that kind of attention?
- I'll be honest - I get great energy and pleasure from the media around me now. I am very pleased that women write to me, especially when they are older than me. When they ask me for advice, they ask me why I’m so confident in myself, where I dress, and how I do it at all - to be bright, charismatic. I’m only 25, and when women write to me about 40 years old, with a husband and children, I sincerely wonder why they can have problems. And, on the one hand, I feel awkward and uncomfortable. On the other hand, I am happy to help women with advice. When women compliment me, it's insanely nice. And I am glad that today there is even a certain brand "Elizabeth Sokolova" or Sladkobedrenna (nickname on Instagram).
- How did fashion come about in your life?
- To begin with, I was chubby all my life - except that in the 9th grade I had a period when I lost a lot of weight, because I went in for sports and eat right. Then she stopped and immediately gained weight. I know I have a predisposition to this. Of course, I understand that everything depends on eating behavior, but I am calm about my weight and love myself for who I am. As for fashion - it came a little later, probably at the university, but my mother taught me to do this. She raised me in a certain way, developed in me a passion for jewelry in general - and for decorating herself. I have a large collection of jewelry, semi-precious stones, and I am sure that a woman should decorate herself. It should have a lot of little things, details so that it can be considered: handkerchiefs, straps, bracelets. In a word, my taste was formed in the family. But when someone writes to me and says that now he doesn’t know how to dress beautifully, I reply that today you can learn everything: there are a lot of tips on the Internet, again, you can use the services of stylists.
- And how did you become a plus size model?
- I began to position myself as a plus size model at the university. I was always interested in fashion, I read fashion magazines. And then she gradually began to look at different bloggers, as they were gaining popularity, as were their “lifestyle photos” and food photos. And I realized that in Russia there are no women bloggers with clothing sizes larger than 42, and little by little the idea to occupy this niche began to creep into my head. But I started my blog with photos of food - I always loved to cook. At one time I worked as a cook in one of the chain coffee houses, then I graduated from a culinary school, I even thought - would I suddenly become a chef? But it didn’t work out, which I am extremely happy about. So, I decided to make my blog, I met one good photographer who made me the first cool photos. First I made an account on BlogSpot, then on LJ. So it all started.
- And how did it come to filming?
- It happened when I met Olga Kazeeva, who was a marketer for a large shopping center, - I am grateful to her for everything. I remember that I came as a participant in the contest "The Face of the Fashion Star Shopping Center", I saw a queue of model girls. And in it I stood - 168 cm in height and not at all model parameters. The jury was famous people of the city, photographers, makeup artists. And I asked the question - why I can’t become a model, because I’m the same customer of the shopping center, I also wear fashionable clothes, just bigger. And here is the fact: out of 200 participants, I entered the top 50, then 30. I did not enter the 15 finalists, became 16, but I walked the catwalk, and this was my first major victory. And our fruitful work began with the Smile City shopping center. We worked with the “Women's Season” store for a year, I collaborated with them as a model. A banner with my image hung on the facade of a shopping center. And gradually the media came to me - I became a sort of “crazy” (laughs) chic Tomsk woman. I do not call myself complete - I say that I am gorgeous.
- I can not agree!
- Thank. Being a plus size model is incredibly cool. Among other things, this is also a kind of victory that a girl of appetizing forms advertises clothes. Next was the video project "Evolution 24/7", in which my partner and Nastya Kiryushkina were leading. This year, for the second season in a row, I am advertising clothes for the Elis store, this is a Russian brand. I also have non-commercial filming - just recently one of them took place, with the photographer Dima Kuzmenkov, which caused a lot of feedback.
- This is the same provocative where you starred in your underwear? Incredibly cool project.
- Yes, it's about her. In fact, the project had several goals. Firstly, I decided to try myself in a new role: I have many pictures, where I’m all so fluffy, cozy, homely. And then I wanted to feel like a vamp woman. And the second goal was to show that you need to accept yourself as you are. In fact, before that I saw shooting women of quite appetizing forms in a similar role, but then I decided to try it out for myself and tell the girls as an example: love yourself the way you are. A woman in any weight can be attractive, sexy and chic. The problem is not in the hips - the problem is always in the head. If you accept yourself as anyone, know how to carry yourself correctly - you will be happy.
- Tell me, were there many reviews on this project?
- To be honest, yes. I did not expect that there would be so many, and especially not from friends, but from completely strangers, including absolutely slender girls who liked, reposted photos and wrote, what a fellow I am and generally an example for imitation. I was very pleased! And at the same time there was not a single negative message or review - no one ever writes me or says anything unpleasant to me, this bypasses me. Yes, I don’t know why I’m mad at me: I am a very responsive and kind person, I’m always ready to help, not vindictive. Well, unless I turn around sometimes, that's all. My library nature wakes up in me.
- Once we talked about accepting ourselves, tell us. Many overweight women write to you, ask for advice. What do you think - is there a problem in society that women do not like and do not accept themselves appetizing forms?
- Oooh ... (laughs). It’s hard, to be honest, to live in our society now. Firstly, the problem of obesity and excess weight is getting younger - it starts for many almost from childhood. Secondly, thanks to social networks, girls of about 14 begin to look at different sports divas, phyto-noses, who have no place to go further and give tips to everyone in a row how to lose weight, not taking into account the characteristics of women. Full girls, in turn, feel uncomfortable, begin to actively starve themselves.And there is still a category of overweight women whose overweight came after childbirth. They also do not like themselves and do not accept. And it is this dislike of oneself that is the most important obstacle. If the girls’s mother wasn’t accustomed to dress well and in size, if women of age do not know how to do this themselves, problems begin. Because then just changing a person’s clothes is not enough, he has so many complexes in his head that a stylist or someone who gives advice on transformation should also be a little psychologist to figure out where the legs grow from a problem - from childhood, from family relationships and so on.
- Tell me more about yourself: what do you wear and where do you get clothes?
- Since we live in a society, one way or another, we follow trends. Sneakers, dresses, comfortable clothes - this is normal, because today is such an active life, that otherwise just do not have time. But I try to go out in shoes and at the parade. When they ask me: jeans or skirts, I definitely go for skirts. We are women, and we need to use it, because our feminine, our energy is often associated with our image. I don’t have rules, like a strip fills, white too. If I like something, I'll wear it. The main thing is that the clothes should be in size, emphasize the advantages and hide flaws. I use corrective underwear and I think that this is our assistant. It’s hard to find beautiful underwear. As for clothes, I order them on the Internet, because most plus stores are a nightmare. About such clothes, I say that I’ll only wear it for my grandchildren’s wedding. Even women in their 40s should not wear this. I can sometimes buy a t-shirt or t-shirt in stores like H&M. I also always follow what I advertise because I know that others are looking at me and for my taste someone is also guided.
- You mentioned eating behavior, playing sports and so on a couple of times in a conversation. Probably, readers may ask: if you accept yourself, and indeed - if a woman accepts herself - why would she do all this?
- Woot. This is a key question. If I feel that I am gaining excess weight, and if it does not suit me (and this also happens), then I begin to lose weight. I watched my eating behavior and realized that I, like many others, tend to stick to my problems. I had an argument with a guy - I ate. And in such situations, you need to work on yourself, go for a walk, or just scream where no one sees, get rid of these emotions. If a woman really accepts herself for who she is, then I will always give advice on how to look beautiful and stylish. How to live and not rape yourself with diets. After all, there is only one life: if you want a hamburger, eat it. So I just love cold cola with lemon juice - for me it is a drink of pleasure. Why not treat yourself sometimes? I really accept myself for who I am. But if a girl writes to me that she has 48 clothing sizes and she cannot look at herself, I will definitely advise her to lose weight, because she should like herself. Therefore, I have one piece of advice: learn to accept yourself as you are, but if it doesn’t work, and you still don’t like yourself in the mirror - slimmer.
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Photos from the personal archive of Elizabeth Sokolova, photographers Dmitry Kuzmenkov, Anastasia Belous, Petr Gorezin, Natalya Romanyuk.
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