Patty Fantasia 10-03-10

By Patty Fantasia
Photo credit: Patty Fantasia

SwimsuitsForAll.com Model Search Winner Is Finding 16 to be Very, Very Sweet

It was Project Curve Appeal’s Glam Day on October 2^nd at the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas and the perfect place for a chat with SwimsuitsForAll.com Model Search Winner Jamie Bruce. The tall, Oregon native married her high school sweetheart, became mother of two children and gave up her dreams of modeling when she went from a size 6 to a 16. However, Facebook and the emerging market for Plus Sized Models changed all this.

It’s only been a few months since Jamie found Curve Appeal on Facebook and changed her life. “I actually just joined in July,” she said admitting that prior to this she was unaware that organizations like this even existed. Now, she’s a spokes model for the organization as one of the Faces of Curve Appeal based in Los Angeles. As part of this new role, Jamie was on hand for the weekend event in Las Vegas participating in photo shoots and on the runway during fashion shows. While we talked she also spoke with a few of the vendors on hand for the event including Stripper 101, a local company located in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood, which gave pole dancing lessons to attendees and Divas In Defense, a Los Angeles and Atlanta based company aimed at teaching women to empower and protect themselves with the assistance of self defense programs and firearms and weapons training.

Jamie oozes self esteem, so it’s a bit surprising listening to her speak about losing her confidence and giving up her dreams of modeling because of her weight gain. She began to hate clothes shopping because she couldn’t find outfits that fit properly or they were too old fashioned. Instead she wore baggy clothes and avoided having her picture taken. That attitude changed once she discovered the possibilities for Plus Sized Models on Facebook. She began sending out photos and landed a gig with Torrid.com, an online plus size fashion site. After that she decided to enter the SwimsuitsForAll.com Model Search, which was held at Cool Blue Talent in August. About 30 girls showed up to try out. SwimsuitsForAll.com Fashion Brand Ambassador Pat Swift was taken with Jamie the moment she walked in, watching her walk and taking a look at her portfolio. The swimsuit company began in 2004 and partnered with Club Z cover ups for this event. Pat asked Jamie to stay on and do a fitting for the photo shoot. The Plus Size Model received three swimsuits and cover ups during the session, but didn’t find out she was the winner of the search until she had returned home. Jamie smiles when talking about this turn of events considering she was always uncomfortable wearing bathing suits before because they didn’t fit right. “I would never take a picture in a swimsuit either,” she commented. However, the SwimsuitsForAll.com piece gave her curves in all the right places. “It held my body right,” she explained.

So now after five years as a stay at home Mom, Jamie is embarking on a new adventure, one that she’s finding filled with excitement and adjustments including being apart from her husband while she pursues these new career goals. At first he was nervous about his wife’s modeling, but he’s become very supportive cheering her on during the fashion show the night before. They’ve been together for eight years and married for six of them and now while Matt manages a tire store in Boise, Idaho, Jamie is spending time in Los Angeles at her mother’s home realizing her dreams. She admits she’d like to see her daughter try her hand at modeling one day and is enjoying her role at helping other women raise their self esteem and learn to appreciate themselves regardless of their size. “My goal is to really get my name out there and help them with their confidence,” she said enthusiastically. Jamie is already scheduled to participate in Full Figure Fashion Week in L.A. being held from October 28^th through the 31^st and has plans to return to Las Vegas in February for another Curve Appeal Event. At this point it can be said that Jamie is finding that 16 can indeed be very, very sweet.