Tracie being awarded the Female Pioneer Award at the Virginia Fashion Awards.
You were awarded the Female Pioneer Award at the Virginia Fashion Awards, Congratulations!!! Please tell us about he event and why this award is so important to you.
Set photos from “The Fire that Sweeps the Pine”
What do you wish you would have known at the age of 13?
What kinds of pressures do you see the girls in your life facing these days?
A lot of the same pressures we faced at their age, but on steroids! LOL Girls are learning to sacrifice their innocence a lot sooner than we did. In my generations, girls were losing their virginity at 16, sometimes 15 (which wasn’t approved of, but accepted.) Today, girls are experimenting so much earlier. I think the youngest I’ve encountered was 12! Drugs will always be around, but I don’t think they are as predominant in this generation as they were in mine. There is a lot more support and knowledge out there on this subject. Last but surely not least is bullying. My generation called it teasing. I was a victim of it and it definitely had a hand in shaping me into who I am today and how I handle things. I recently wrote a blog on this topic, it was very therapeutic to see it out there and to know that my words may have helped someone. Bullying is a frightful way to see just how powerful words are. Again, it’s about self acceptance, if we are secure in who we are, there is not room for others to knock us down.
What can we as mothers and mentors do to better address these issues?
First, keep the lines of communication open. One of the biggest things I’ve noticed is that my kids just want someone to talk to, without having to worry about being judged. The worst attitude to take with them is an “I told you so”…I hear that a lot from the moms when referring to specific issues. Second, spend more time with your kids! In today’s world we are moving faster, getting busier, and generally falling completely out of touch with the younger generations. The less we participate, the less influence we have, results in the less our opinion matters. Kids want to be talked to, not talked at.
Set photos from “The Fire that Sweeps the Pine”
Did your mother teach you about real beauty?
My moms generation was taught to never leave the house without lipstick on…my mentality at 13/14 years of age was to basically leave the house with the goal of not drawing attention at all. I developed very early, grade 3 I believe, and I always stood out. Not knowing what I had to work with, not accepting myself, affected my outlook on day-to-day life. I embraced and lost myself in sports and was perfectly fine with being tagged as a ‘jock’. It was low maintenance, I was respected amongst the guys and I wasn’t talked about or compared too. I didn’t have to be the cheerleader or the skinny girl, I had to live up to the jock tag and that worked really well for me. Until I was about 16/17 years of age when catching the eye of a certain guy started to make me focus on my appearance more and my mom was there ready and waiting for the opportunity to take me shopping and share the joys of being girly.
Who is your role model or hero and why?
I don’t think I have just one role model. For me, I try to take the best of everyone I meet or love and adapt that into my personality and way of living life. Whether it’s being as honest as I can to a friend or taking the bull by the horn to move a business idea forward. All of me is made up of little bits of everyone I know, good and bad…Heroes…WOW that’s such a big word for someone to live up to. To start, my dad is one of my ‘heroes’ for his perseverance and strength, my mom for her unconditional love and devotion to her kids and now grand kids. One of my long time and closest friends, Trish, whose world crashed around her a couple of years ago and instead of curling into a ball and letting it consume her, she stood up and controlled the situation to the point of success. My husband, who has sacrificed his family time and watching his babies grow up so he can serve and protect this country. Again, there is a hero in everyone who is in my life…each one for a different reason.
What is the best advice you have ever been given?
Hm…I guess that depends on what part of my life the advice was for. Being married with kids, I get advice all of the time…where business is concerned, “What you look like might get you in the door, but it’s what you know that will keep you there.” This is a mantra of mine, I teach it to my kids/students and I try to live it. Where work is concerned: “You aren’t successful when you book a job, you are successful when you get re booked for the same job.” That’s one of my favorites. Ooh, ,the one piece of advice I got very early on in my career, it was given after I had book a series of big jobs in a very short period of time and I will admit that my head got a bit inflated…my agent at the time sat me down and said “Who do you think you are? Do you not realize that there are 10 other girls standing behind you and waiting for you to fall so they can step up and take your place?” That statement has stayed with me all of these years and has helped me to keep me grounded because it’s very true and has motivated me to try to stay one step ahead of the competition.
Tracie with a few of the girls she mentors.
These are really great questions!!! You guys are making me really think here…As a mom, I have proud moments frequently, could be when my six-year-old hits a home run or brings home a piece of artwork that is beyond his age. Or when my baby got potty trained! LOL When my husband make Chief in the US Navy, I was very proud. As a model, I’m very proud of my body of work. I’m proud of the clients and models I’ve worked with, I’m proud of the runways I’ve walked, and I’m proud that I’m still around. LOL
On a day off, what would your perfect day consist of?
When my husband is home and my kids are in school, that’s the perfect day. I get some quality time before and after school with my kids and during the day, when my husband and I are alone, we have our own time to do whatever we want. Sit in the quiet, shop, have lunch…my perfect day is balanced between all the men in my life.
Linda Evangelista. She has always been my favorite model and motivator. Linda is one of those models that can transform herself into almost any look and sell it. She’s been a blond, brunette, and red head and she rocks each look as if she’s looked like that her whole life. To me, Linda was the model who taught me about diversity and branding. She was the one model who never conformed to just one look, she took chances and made them work for her, when other models of her generation remained safe.
Favorite Jeans?
Victoria’s Secret. I have an hourglass figures, long legs and a high waist. It’s VERY hard for me to find jeans that fit my curves properly and flatter me to my standards. The only jeans have found, so far, are from Victoria’s Secret.
Tracie’s husband on deployment.
What is your go-to outfit?
Anything neutral. I don’t do a lot of color in my clothes, only my accessories. This way, no matter what is dirty, I always have my favorite things to wear…LOL…Right now, my favorite outfit is: Nude colored leggings, white tunic tank top, and a long, cowl neck camel colored sweater with leopard flats or tall brown riding boots.
Craigslist, my husband and I are remodeling our house and you can find some great stuff for sale. It’s like going to a garage sale from your couch! LOL Alloy.com, this site is great for all ages. They carry junior sizes 0-25 I believe and have pant lengths to 37″. Hips and Curves is becoming one of my new favorites. They offer really unique pieces and their models are realistic and flattering. I love to window show on the net, so I tend to jump from site to site…just depends a lot on what I’m looking for.
Photographed by Marco DiFlorio
You have been married for seven years. What do you believe is the key to a happy marriage or relationship?
Love, compromise, trust, respect, and sacrifice. I lived a life for so many years involved in only me. I traveled the world by myself, only had to get myself up, and I just had myself to shop for. Now, I have a family, mortgage, school fees, etc. It’s not all about me. I’ve had to set my own priorities aside on occasion to help my husband achieve a goal, but he has had to do the same in order to keep the balance. My husband is currently deployed for 9 months. Honestly, trust and respect are huge components to our marriage right now. He is doing his job, not only protecting us, but providing for us. It’s my job as his partner to do what needs to be done back home. It’s not easy, and there are days, trust me when I want to quit. I think him, our love, four kids, our home, and our future and know this isn’t permanent. It’s a compromise on both sides. You do what you have to do, just as you would for anyone you loved who needed you.
What do you love about motherhood?
I think that should read ‘love and hate’ LOL…as I mentioned my husband is deployed. So I am a single parent until he returns. Some days are harder than others. I love that everyday I wake up to little Scotts running around my house, giving me hugs and kisses. That last sentence can also go in the other directions…waking up to literally little Scotts RUNNING around…I love the uniqueness of my children. They are these future leaders in my care. God entrusted me to raise these children and it’s AWESOME to see who they are each morning when they wake up. As they learn it’s like seeing multiple personalities emerge. There have been days where I wold like to change my name…and sometimes I tell the kids my name isn’t MOM anymore and that they need to call me Jen. It’s funny to watch their faces twist up…*snicker*…
Photograph by Marco Di Florio
I have modeled since the age of 5. I was studying to be an RCMP (Canadian Mounted Police) officer in school. Modeling offered me an opportunity before law did and so I decided to take it. I figured I was only a failure if I didn’t try. I guess I made the right decision…
What are you thankful for?
How big do you want this article to be….? Haha. I’m thankful for my family. I’m thankful for the opportunities they gave me growing up that put me in the right direction. I’m thankful for my career. If it wasn’t for modeling, I wouldn’t have anything that I have in my life. I met my husband in Sydney, Australia while I was down there modeling. Had I not gone down there, fate may not have stepped in and I wouldn’t have my beautiful children. I’m thankful for the privilege of being a model. I’ve traveled the world, lived life most people couldn’t even dream of, and now I have a husband, children, and stability. I truly believe I have had the best of both worlds. I could really go on and on…everything in my life has been brought to me because of the choices I have made and the guidance I’ve been given, I’m thankful for every person that has come into my life because good or bad, they have changed my life and been a valuable part of where I am now.
What are you excited about right now?
I’m excited about the future. Recently my career has been moving me away from the traditional print work side of modeling and has been opening up the doors to film, television, and spokes modeling. I mentioned earlier that I have been cast in a film. This film will be submitted to film festivals and also to the Academy. It just premiered this week. I know I’ve done a lot in my lifetime, but there are some days I wake up and just have this feeling that I haven’t even scratched the surface yet of what is in store for my life. That’s what I’m excited about…tomorrow.
Tracie Stern ~
www.understudies.us
International Plus Size Model
http://www.factorwomen.com/Chicago.aspx
Recipient of the Female Icon Award Virginia Fashion Awards 2010
*Thank you, Tracie!