Laura von Holt (a.k.a.) von Hottie

Check out von Hottie! She's pretty much my latest role model. Strutting her stuff on the beach at Coney Island or in the middle of the street somewhere in Manhattan, Laura von Holt -a write and performer based in New York- takes getting comfy with yourself to the next level. Since the von Hottie concept began, it's turned into an underground cult of sorts, so that fans of von Hottie have even gone so far as to track down where she might show up next.

Basically, she puts on a slick 1-piece swimsuit which happens to be a fabulous throwback to mid-century glamour, along with giant pearls and diva-esque shades and then hits the streets of New York with a friend and a camera. The result is a yearly calendar chronicling all the photographs she's stopped to pose for. The best part is that she is not your average model (as in, she's not starving to death) and she's very proud of that. The von Hottie phenomenon has built itself an impressive fan base and continues to encourage women everywhere to get comfortable with their bodies.