'Tight and sexy': 'Curviest model ever' Hunter McGrady refuses to cover up on wedding day

The “curviest model ever” to be featured in Sports Illustrated’s ‘Swimsuit Issue’ has broken yet another barrier by becoming the first plus-size bride to cover US wedding magazine The Knot.

But Hunter McGrady is just getting started. The 26-year-old - who said ‘I do’ to her now-husband Brian Keys in June this year - has fought for years to be represented within an industry that favours straight-size women, and still says there’s a lot of work to be done.

Repping plus-size women

In an exclusive interview with Yahoo Lifestyle US, the blonde beauty said she saw her cover shoot as an opportunity to start an honest conversation.

“I really wanted to allow people in to say, ‘Listen, these are the struggles of dress shopping. This is what I went through. This is why wedding planning was either hard or easy for me, whatever it is.’ And just being a plus-size woman getting married,” Hunter said.

One of the biggest pieces of advice the blushing bride offered up to other curvy gals when looking for ‘the dress’ was to ignore everyone’s advice.

“Everyone always told me my whole life, ‘You’re a bigger girl, don’t wear anything skintight, we don’t want to show off those curves. Don’t wear anything covered up to here because it doesn’t look great on your bust,’” she explained.

“So naturally, I’m like, well give me the tightest, sexiest dress for my ceremony and then give me a high neck for my reception. I was like, I’m gonna go against the grain because I love those two things.”

When Hunter couldn’t find a gown that she loved, she had a custom one made by bridal boutique Watters that hugged every gorgeous curve.

“I still can’t just go down to Soho or Fifth Avenue and shop. That doesn’t exist for me,” she continued. “But yet, 70 percent of America is a size 14 or above.”

Hunter on Victoria’s Secret

And while progress is being made to embrace body positivity on the runway, Hunter is not surprised that the exclusive Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show is rumoured to not be taking place this year.

“There’s women who are literally desperately saying, ‘Please, please, please get bigger sizes, showcase trans women,’” she said of the feedback facing the lingerie brand.

But instead of being fixated on what’s wrong with brands like Victoria’s Secret, Hunter stays focused on those who are doing right by women of all shapes and sizes - namely, Savage X Fenty by singer Rihanna.

“I mean, they had every woman on the runway and it was blasted around the world because people were like, ‘Wow. This is what I want to see,’” she noted.

“Support people who are doing it right. I think we’ll get there though, I’m very optimistic.”

Additional reporting by Kerry Justich.

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