This is amazing. Style expert and plus size fashionista Marcy Guevara, host of ‘Big Girl in a Skinny World’ and Marie Claire host & contributor, is right her on our QG WD blog with an exclusive Q&A interview! Marcy has been busta-girl busy with filming and personal appearances (not to mention vlogging, blogging and everything curvy girl thing in between) but she was grandly gracious enough to take time to lend her clever insight and rich experiences to our humble little Q&A – we’re thrilled to share with you! Take a sec and read up on all Miss Marcy has to say, and then follow her, tweet her and stay in touch – this powerhouse curvy chick is making things happen!
QG) Marcy, tell the QG Weekly Dish readers how you found your passion for fashion?
MG) I think it stems back to playing Barbies and being in dance class! I was always decking out my Barbies and would play for HOURS!!! As an only child they were the perfect companions for me and had an enviable wardrobe. I also danced my whole life growing up, so makeup and hair were a part of my life from a young age. I even remember not performing in one recital because I thought the costume was too ugly! (What a brat!)
QG) “Big Girl in a Skinny World” on Youtube how did that come to be?
MG) When Hearst received money from Youtube to start a channel, they were most excited about bringing Marie Claire’s popular column “Big Girl in a Skinny World”, written by Nicolette Mason, to life! Their search for a plus-size host brought them to me and the rest is history! I love being a part of the Marie Claire brand and providing content that is educating, entertaining and empowering! Check out videos from Nicolette and I on www.youtube.com/hellostyle
QG) What was it like being the plus size girl on the VH1 show, “You’re Cut Off?” Did your pop of stardom come from that do you think?
MG) I like to think that “You’re Cut Off” was the first in my “fifteen minutes”, though I hope to create a sustainable career doing what I love and using the platform that is TV (and now the internet). Though it wasn’t until we started airing that I realized it, I loved being the only plus-sized girl on the show. I got so many tweets and emails asking where I shopped and seeing that girls love seeing someone like them on TV. People need role models and I hope that I can be that person that inspires someone to wear a bold color or rock sequins because “they saw that big girl on TV do it”.
QG) Fans love you on The Marcy Minute and HelloStyle – share with us what that has been like?
MG) This is where I truly feel I belong. I love seeing comments, answering questions and helping people achieve more confidence and sophistication in their style. Developing your personal style is a process and it is a dream come true to help people cultivate theirs. I am so fortunate to have the support of the readers and viewers and hope that I can continue to serve them for a long time to come. QG fans can check out our shows here: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC85F7A889299D8A9&feature=plcp
QG) Do you have any new plans for The Marcy Minute?
MG) The Marcy Minute has definitely been neglected!!! With all the blogging, tweeting, Facebooking, Instagramming, Tumbling and beyond it can be difficult to prioritize where to invest!!! As I continue to travel and experience new things I hope to add more videos and I also have a closet series that I plan on shooting this summer as I overhaul the closets of friends, clients and anyone who’s willing!
QG) We understand you are very passionate about mentoring young women; please share with the QG WD readers what that means to you?
MG) I think it is incredibly important to invest in those who will come after us. Young women today are faced with so many obstacles, challenges and temptations to feed into this negative body image and impossible-to-attiain beauty. It is my hope that they would learn to love the “skin they’re in” and grow into the beautiful, confident women they are meant to be.
QG) Society is accepting the curvy girl more and more everyday, but there is still a great deal of discrimination and hurtful stuff going on. How have you been affected by this?
MG) It’s so funny you asked about “You’re Cut Off” and then this question. I would say the two things I heard (via Twitter) were: I love your clothes! and You’re fat. It was so weird. Certain viewers didn’t like me simply because I wasn’t thin. Not because I was a bitch, or mean, or drunk, but fat. I really had never experienced that. With wanting a career in media I have always been prepared to take criticism and have learned not to take it personally, all that matters to me is that any girl who isn’t a perfect size two can look at me and see someone who is rocking it out, strutting her stuff and living a great, big, wonderful life.
QG) What do you tell women who feel negative about their bodies? How did you find acceptance with your own curvy, sexy shape?
MG) I am a big fan of doing what makes you feel good. For some that may be throwing on a pair of Spanx, for others it might be working out everyday, my confidence comes from daily choices I make that make me feel good. I like to eat, but I want to be healthy, I like working out, but only in a group setting. I know what I like and I know how I feel when I do that. Confidence for me comes from within. Knowing I took care of my body by taking a long walk and eating a healthy breakfast. Being willing to take risks no matter my size, experimenting with new colors, patterns, whatever! It is about being comfortable in your own skin and accepting yourself where you’re at. (It also helps to find someone who loves your curves as much as you do!) 
QG) You must have so many offers now, what are your plans for the rest of 2012? Any little secrets you can dish about here for us?
MG) BGSW has been such a blessing for me and has really put me on the full figured map. I am very excited to continue consulting brands, styling clients and helping people organize their dysfunctional wardrobes. I recently started doing videos for CocoPerez.com (Perez Hilton’s fashion brand.) I am also looking forward to more #BGSW and hopefully start shooting a second season very soon! I also do style seminars and live event hosting (for contact info please visit my website www.marcyguevara.com) I am grateful for new opportunities and welcome any that may be in the cards!
QG) Favorite fashion item? Favorite foodie fix? Favorite place to travel is?
MG) 1. Favorite Fashion Item: My Stuart Weitzman Neon Strapy Heels
2. Favorite Foodie Fix: PIZZA!!!! (so cliche but it is my favorite food)
3. Favorite Place to travel: wherever my heart is. (this year it’s been Germany, but my love comes home very soon) I absolutely love Hawaii and would love to visit Greece someday.
QG) We know you love your life and you are so positive and inspiring, but if you weren’t Marcy Minute, what would you be doing instead?
MG) I always played teacher as a kid and even now I think about teaching communications or broadcast. I will always be a teacher, right now it’s on Youtube about style, in five years who knows where or how or what kind of technology we will have! I love to teach and if I wasn’t pursuing this, I would be cutting out cute little animals and flowers for my classroom walls!
Just too delicious and we’re so grateful to Marcy for this beautiful interview! If you’re not already a HUGE fan of “Big Girl in a Skinny World’ or you have checked out Marcy’s other fabulous sites, blog and style programming, pop on over to The Marcy Minute (http://themarcyminute.tumblr.com) and see what this dynamic and perfectly precious curvy style icon is up to! Marcy Guevara Official Website.
Lisa Pool Content Manager
About Our Content Manager; Lisa Pool is the creative consultant for QG and acts as the lead contributing writer and Content Manager for the Queen Grace Weekly Dish. Lisa owns the branding agency, cc101 Productions. As someone who thrives on current trends and events, Lisa and her guest bloggers bring to the QG WD contemporary posts on topics important to our QG community. Follow Lisa on Facebook at; Creative Consulting cc101 and on Twitter @cc101production - Lisa also writes for MindBodyGreen, Divine Caroline, Conscious Divas, The Examiner and Redbook Magazine. About our blog; Marina Zelner created the Queen Grace brand as a high-fashion company that designs exclusively for the contemporary full-figured woman. Every one of our distinct collections celebrates her freedom, confidence and inner beauty. The QG Weekly Dish blog is an extension of this vision. The QGWD will share posts by our staff, contributing writers, guest bloggers and popular industry feeds from time to time. Follow us on Facebook at; Queen Grace Collection and on Twitter @QGCollection
The Queen Grace Collection brand was launched in 2010 by stylist Marina Zelner. Marina created Queen Grace as a high-fashion company that designs exclusively for the contemporary full-figured woman. Every one of our distinct collections celebrates her freedom, confidence and inner beauty.
