Merideth Morgan
In the past couple of years our social landscape and conversations about body neutrality has really widened. Women are finally seeing images of the many different types of figures we have, and are finally given the privilege to unabashedly celebrate their frames, regardless of the size. And my friend Merideth Morgan is certainly one of the women that comes to mind, in regards to reframing this conversation. She’s a model, stylist, content creator, and overall hustler. She’s currently under contract with the lingerie brand Adore Me, and can be found on offering hauls, workouts, and more motivation and inspiration on her instagram and blog.
She currently boasts over 14K followers on insta, but Merideth’s rise wasn’t meteoric. It was slow, full of bumps, and took plenty of time—around 10 years in fact! She began her journey as a blogger, and after working a string of fashion jobs, realized that working for people just wasn’t her steeze. She promised herself that she would never again work for anyone, and whether it was driving uber, or other odd jobs, she was gonna make her freelance dream a reality. She eventually found a niche for herself in the midsize modeling and community, after years of facing backlash in the plus size community for, well, not being plus enough. Now, she’s successfully bridging the gap between straight and plus size, and acting as a mirror for the average bad ass woman. Her vulnerability, authenticity, and silliness is infectious, and I can’t wait for you to discover what I’ve known since I met her—she’s fucking amazing.
This interview has been edited for brevity and clarity.
1.) What inspires you to do what you do professionally?
I had a hard time finding my place on social media because growing up and having my body be sexualized, and I didn’t want [what I do] to be for the male gaze and for women only. At the end of the day, “my why,” is women. It’s inspiring women, it’s inspiring them to love themselves and love the skin that they’re in.
2.) What person has had the biggest influence on your life and why?
I’ve never really had a person in my life who has supported me and pushed me. I know it sounds narcissistic but myself. I never questioned my passion. I’ve always been really tight with God, and I’ve always leaned into my passion and purpose. But what it comes down to, and how I’ve gotten to the place I’m at now is me. I haven’t given up, I haven’t quit. Especially in the first couple of years of being a freelancer, I rode some really high highs and really low lows.
3.) How do you practice balance in your life?
The first year or two of being on my own, I had no balance. I just knew I had to feed myself, and survive, and pay my rent. But now, it’s about what I put in my body, and moving my body. And when my body tells me I’m tired I rest. Before I was never listening to my body.
4.) How do you use your inherited gifts, platform, and or particular privilege to give back?
I think what I do in general in terms of inspiring women gives back. It’s not like me going out and volunteering, but creating content in a way that makes women’s lives better, to me, is giving back.
5.) What person living or dead would you like to sit down for a meal with?
I would love to meet Michelle Obama, and if she could bring her husband that would be great as well! She just seems so amazing in so many different ways. I would love to chat with her. And Oprah as well. I would love to talk business with Oprah, and then just grab a coffee with Michelle and talk about life.
6.) What’s your ideal cocktail, wine, or drink?
I’m not a big drinker. I used to go ham but I don’t like how it makes me feel anymore but, I love a good glass of champagne, and I also really love good tequila, like it’s gotta be good shit.
7.) What’s your biggest vice?
It used to be shopping! But now that I’m starting to think about the bigger picture and investing, and saving way more, those sort of spending habits have subsided.
8.) Name one thing you’d like to be kinder to yourself about?
I have some things on my body that I’m pretty self conscious about that I don’t talk about. For instance my upper lip. I always overline it with lip liner, and it’s not that I think juicy lips are in or anything, but it’s just a personal preference. I’m working with this MedSpa and I’m probably gonna get my lip done, but I’ve been hesitant to talk about it on social media because I’m always like love yourself for who you are, but I also want to be transparent!
9.) What’s your biggest insecurity?
I think now it’s my lip, it really bothers me. Before I don’t think I realized it, but now that I’m laser focused on it I think [the insecurity] has grown.
10.) What outstanding goal do you have that you’ve yet to accomplish?
Specifically as women we’re not really taught about money, and I really want to be an investor I want to set up my future. I think as women we have a lot of work to do on that end. I’m single and I feel very late to that game in that sense because I wish I would've learned about this sooner. Had I invested in my 20s I would have been less stressed as an entrepreneur.