Candice Huffine on why curvy women are over having to explain their bodies: 'Now dress her, dammit'

Curvy women continue to emerge at the forefront of fashion, as brands and retailers are focusing more on consumer wants and needs — for more inclusive sizes, affordable luxury, and, of course, pieces that will make them feel confident. However, a part of the movement that still needs work is the misconception that health and wellness are tied to a specific body type.

For renowned model Candice Huffine, it’s a perspective that she has difficulty understanding, as a plus-size woman who lives a fit lifestyle. And sitting on the Build stage to discuss the size-inclusive retailer 11 Honoré, she explains how people are realizing that they don’t need to justify their size or their exercise.

“We’ve been blasted for years with like, ‘two weeks, lose 14 pounds,’ ‘here’s your 30-day plan to get in the bikini.’ And people are frankly over it,” Huffine says. “Just like they’re over being told that this one woman is an ideal portrayal of beauty and this is the only size you should be to be fashionable.”

Huffine believes that there’s a current movement that will allow people to say, “I’m strong and I’m healthy and I feel great for me, and these are the things I do for me. And look, my body is where it is,” instead of pushing to change their body to fit other standards. A big part of that is working out for yourself, rather than for anybody else.

“Last year I ran two marathons and a couple dozen half marathons. I ran 700 miles by the end of the year,” she says. “But I stayed the exact same size.”

Huffine says it’s the perfect example of why the fashion industry needs to let go of its exclusion of certain sizes.

“This woman is healthy, she’s perfect for herself, this is exactly where she’s supposed to be. Now dress her, dammit.”

Read more from Yahoo Lifestyle:

? Fat and fit: These women are redefining what fitness looks like
? Jordyn Woods thinks body positivity is misunderstood: ‘We’re kind of still stuck in our old ways’
? Ashley Graham takes down ‘loser’ troll who called her a ‘fat model’

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for nonstop inspiration delivered fresh to your feed, every day.