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It’s no secret that fashion is one hell of a merciless industry. I mean, how many times have we heard how unrealistic body image standards and high expectations have pushed girls to the brink of insanity? And although the stigma around plus-size models is fading away, the steps are so tiny, it’s barely visible.

Luckily, more and more women are willing to take matters into their own hands and rewrite fashion industry rules altogether. One plus-size model, Denise Mercedes, is doing just that. The size 14 Dominican model has launched a TikTok challenge titled “Style Not Size” with her friend Maria Castellanos. The two friends of different body types are putting on the same outfits, sharing the snack-sized videos to 1.7M followers, and showing that beauty comes in all shapes and forms. Their videos have now been liked a whopping 30.6M times, proving that healthy and happy women rule the world!

More info: TikTok | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | DeniseMercedes.com

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    #2

    Two-Friends-Same-Clothes

    denisemmercedes Report

    Foxxy (The Original)
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Wow, that curvy girl looks smashing in that dress.

    FurryManiac
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I’d prefer sometimes to be curvy and carry a few extra pounds naturally, than go around looking like the stick that I am.

    Tracey Hirt
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This particular outfit is more flattering on the woman with less hips and bust, but a lot of the other outfits look better on the woman with the curves! Clothing designers need to remember that hardly anyone has the straight-up-and-down body of runway models.

    Debster
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Curves look wowwy wow wow in this one.

    White Rose
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    the girl on the right looks better in the dress.

    Faye Coles
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I don’t like the dress but they both look great.

    Jaybird3939
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I'm a heavy gal and the fat ain't going nowhere. I wish I could look as great as the model does in that dress. So nice and curvy!

    Kim Wheeler Priestley
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This gives me the courage to be more daring.

    miss miss
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Where can I buy these clothes

    Kim Fowler
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Curves? How about using two similar girls in looks, both fair skin, same hair etc or dark skin etc to be fair. Some colors look different with different colors. This is obviously another bias survey. If you are going to do a survey, please do it right.

    Alexander Gaus
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Well, Most of the dresses look great on both, but kinda better on Denise and I don't prefer any body type over another.

    Pavlina G
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I actually like this better on the right.

    Barbara Vandewalle
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Why wear dresses so tight that it is all frowning lines.

    Caprice Percle
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The curvy girl on the right, reminds me of the pin up girls from WWI and WWII. They are both beautiful women!

    John Fowler
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    the bikini definitely looks better on the slimmer girl... but the curvy girl rocks that blue dress :)

    Laira Cruz
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    You're rockin' it, Denise! (the one on the right)

    Maxine McConnell
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That dress was made for the curvy girl.

    Pebblesmax
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Blue blue. Blue beauty twice as nice

    Jada Carmichael
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    i think that she might not be comfortable with wearing a dress because their butt is flat

    Adekemi akande
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The curvy girl is so cute and the other one

    Anna Shamsuddin
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think the curvy one should curl her hair to balance it out. she looks good in this dress though!

    Phyllis Rhyner
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I think you both look great. Love the sparkles.

    Lwy Pug
    Community Member
    5 years ago

    This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

    How to body shame 101

    Aragorn II Elessar
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That’s the precise opposite of the intent of this post.

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    #3

    Two-Friends-Same-Clothes

    denisemmercedes Report

    SoozeeQ
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Why are people downvoting Debster? I think she meant to be complimentary to the curvier girl. She has a gorgeous figure.

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    When Denise was 16 and a petite size 8, she started submitting her pictures to modeling agencies, but her height was too short for industry standards. She kept on posing for the camera as a side hobby until she turned 21 and had gone up to a size 14.

    According to a statement on her website, Denise started putting outfits together and posting her cool photos on social media. She is an avid advocate of body positivity and runs a campaign #becauseitsmybody dedicated to women of all shapes and sizes. She now has collaborated with many fashion design brands and boutiques like Forever21, Target, and JCPenney.

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    #4

    Two-Friends-Same-Clothes

    denisemmercedes Report

    Debster
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yazzzz! Slender gurl needs some shreds too. Love this pic!

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    #6

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    Maul!
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    love the halter tops!!! is it crochet?

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    There’s a huge gap between fashion industry standards and real-life women, who measure a size 16 around the waist on average in America. Moreover, plus-size girls represent 68% of fashion shoppers, according to Glamour, and yet a very small percentage of them actually work in the fashion industry.

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    Only in 2016, Ashley Graham became the first plus-size model on the cover of Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit edition and paved the way for models with curves. But the model herself told CBS Sunday Morning that she doesn’t like the word “plus-size” because it’s “so divisive to women” and puts them into categories.

    #7

    Two-Friends-Same-Clothes

    denisemmercedes Report

    Debster
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Actually gives so curves to slender gal. Cute!

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    Many women find the representation of diverse body types in media more assuring. In fact, this study by Florida State University found that women tend to experience deeper body satisfaction and retain a memory of plus-size models better than that of the thinner ones. It also pointed out that exposure to “unrealistic-sized media models” has a negative effect on the consumer’s “mental and physical health, including experiencing lower body satisfaction.”

    #10

    Two-Friends-Same-Clothes

    denisemmercedes Report

    athornedrose
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    she's crushing so many crop tops, and i just don't have the confidence for it. gorgeous

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    #12

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    Donna Leske
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Perfect summer wear. And for haters, they are COVERED, no cleavage, no crack in the back, skirt long enough. Don't be jealous.

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    #14

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    Pam Olson
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is my favorite - it is a pretty color and it looks great on both of them.

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    #15

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    LoPandas
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Ooooooh, I like this. I may need to go hunting for a bikini like this.

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    #16

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    #17

    Two-Friends-Same-Clothes

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    #20

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    Ola Polowczyk
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    For a moment I thought it had pockets. I'm so disappointed lol

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    #21

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    #23

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    sJm
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This is the first one where I think the outfit suits the slimmer girl better. Else the bigger girl wears everything else heaps better.

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    #27

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    Sandra Simpson
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Personally, I think that this outfit suits slim girl better. No offense to curvy girl.

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    #28

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    Wendy
    Community Member
    Premium
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Curvy Girl nailed that look ♥

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    #30

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    Catlady6000
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The don't look good on either girl, too baggy and too tight

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    #31

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    Gin
    Community Member
    5 years ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sorry, but the buttons shouldn't be tearing apart. It's a beautiful dress, just get a size larger.

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    #32

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    Donna Leske
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That top is ugly, even on these two pretty girls.

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    #33

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    Sue Knerl
    Community Member
    5 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I absolutely hate the torn pants. I prefer to wear out my own.

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