Conflicted feelings are what Stefany Hernández often experiences when reflecting on the past six months and the pounds she has shed along the way.
Three years ago, when she started her page @wanderingstefany on Instagram and TikTok, it was because she loves to travel, yes, but primarily to encourage plus-size women to dress nicely and look good.
“I feel that the plus-size community has not yet received all the love it deserves. There are influencers who share fashion and all, but there’s still a lot lacking. Plus-size fashions are not attractive, and it’s difficult to find what little there is. Plus-size people want to dress like people with average sizes. They don’t want to wear dresses that look like pajamas; that’s not fashion,” says Stefany.
One reason this young woman of Salvadoran descent remains active on social media, as well as with the LatinxTravelClub project, of which she is the COO, is because she knows how challenging it is to find beautiful clothing in larger sizes.
“There are so many women who have helped me and women I have helped that sometimes I feel that by losing weight, I am abandoning them”
In her posts, Stefany Hernandez often wears tight dresses, low-cut blouses and tops, fitted skirts, and even swimsuits. She does it without paying much attention to measurements or the judgments of others. She feels confident and sexy doing so, but more importantly, she feels that she is a good example for other women who are not as comfortable with their bodies.
“We have to feel good at every stage and recognize that they are just that—stages. It’s important to love oneself regardless of weight and dress as one wishes,” comments Stefany.
Another message she often uses as reinforcement for women who have just given birth is: “You have the power to change how you look and improve your health.”
It is from this work of empowerment and self-love that Stefany Hernandez has been dealing with mixed emotions every time she loses another pound.
“There are so many women who have helped me and women I have helped that sometimes I feel that by losing weight, I am abandoning them,” she confesses. “Of course, today I can wear high-fashion brands that I always liked and couldn’t wear before, so now I feel happy, but at the same time, I feel sad because I am nostalgic about leaving that stage.”
But Stefany Hernandez does not completely leave it behind. It’s enough to see the fashion events and parties she organizes.
“In these, I always include ‘plus-size’ people so they can see how beautiful they are and that they can also dress well and feel good at the same time,” she assures.
Stefany’s Journey: “My only interest is to have more energy and feel better.” (1 of 3)
Stefany Hernandez’s Journey (2 of 3) “I didn’t do it to lose weight; it wasn’t for vanity.”
