Lauren Carter grew up feeling like something else — someone else.
Carter, a Federal Way High School graduate, spent her formative years never feeling comfortable in her own skin. But her out-of-place feeling has led to an opportunity for her to shine in her own skin as a plus-sized model.
After encouragement from a friend, Carter entered a modeling competition for plus-size brand Torrid to be its next spokesmodel.
Over 10,000 women entered, and Carter is currently a finalist with three other women. Torrid will name the next model to lead its brand in December, with the decision being announced to the public in January 2017.
Carter went through the usual Federal Way pipeline growing up: She moved to the city from her hometown of San Diego in fourth grade, attended Panther Lake Elementary, went on to Illahee Middle School, and finished at Federal Way High School.
“I loved my time there,” Carter said. “I did everything from high school basketball to cheerleading throughout the years.”
When it came to athletics, Carter was everywhere — you couldn’t miss her. When she wasn’t on the court for Federal Way she was cheering for friends playing other sports.
Carter and her former Eagles basketball teammate Rita Gray met their freshman year. Gray said the two immediately hit it off during basketball season and became close friends. The team remains close, and everyone gets together when schedules permit. Carter was even a bridesmaid in Gray’s wedding a few months back.
Gray said that Carter, while never the best athlete on the team, was its obvious, vocal leader.
“Lauren was always the tallest player on the team and often the tallest on the court,” Gray said. “While she wasn’t the fastest or most skilled, she was always a leader and the voice in the locker room that we always needed.”
A strong corps of friends, a sense of belonging, family — it was exactly what Carter needed. She grew up in a single-parent household, raised by her mother after her father deserted the family amid a severe addiction to alcohol.
Growing up, Carter, who is bi-racial, said she had a very hard time as a teenager figuring out who she was from an appearance standpoint. Being uprooted from southern California to Federal Way in her elementary school years was hard on both her and her discovery process.
“During that time, kids can be kind of mean,” Carter said. “I was always picked on. I was tall for my age; I’m 6-feet tall now and I’ve always been a bigger girl. I’d walk into my classroom and I didn’t know anybody; no family up here.
“Kids just kind of laughed at me because I was this tall girl walking up into this classroom. I was always searching for something, a style that would stand out, make me feel comfortable. A lot of times I failed — there are a lot of scary pictures of hairstyles, makeup and clothes that were crazy.”
Becoming an adult and having the freedom to make choices is supposed to be an exciting time. For Carter, it was another hurdle she’d have to clear.
After learning her father’s whereabouts in San Diego, Carter opted to attend community college in the city, in part with the hopes of striking up a renewed relationship with her dad.
She enrolled in classes and earned a spot on the basketball team. But six months into her new life, she received news that changed everything.
“Within six months I found out I was pregnant at the age of 18,” she said. “I packed up all my stuff and moved back home to have my daughter and be in Seattle with my mom so I could finish my degree.”
Instead of enjoying the beach life as a communications scholar with the opportunity to continue her basketball career, Carter found herself 19 years old, with a baby, and working at Red Robin in Auburn. For months she drove back and forth between community college and the burger joint.
Carter finally caught a break when she got the packet in the mail she’d been waiting for: her acceptance letter to the University of Washington at its Tacoma location, where she went on to graduate with a bachelors degree in Communication.
Right on cue, however, Carter was blind-sided with another round of shocking news: Her father was diagnosed with cancer. The news came a few months after Carter’s aunt died of breast cancer.
“When my aunt died from breast cancer, I remember having a feeling of regret that I couldn’t be there enough for everyone,” Carter recalled. “Because of school, because of raising my kid.”
Within a month, Carter had packed her daughter and her belongings into her tiny Dodge Neon and headed down Interstate 5 for San Diego for a second time.
The circumstances weren’t ideal, but life in San Diego, take two, proved to be on the up and up. Carter discovered passions for photography, graphics and video editing. It led to local opportunities in event planning.
Through relationships she built in the industry, friends and colleagues started asking if she was interested in modeling.
“They were like, ‘Why don’t you do modeling?'” Carter said. “I never really visualized myself walking that path because I’ve always loved everything behind the scenes. It’s the grind of being a mom and going to school — the glamorous life never seemed to fit for me.”
And the conversation ended there.
A year later though, Carter’s friend and former Red Robin co-worker Jodilin Bright tagged Carter in a Facebook post for a Torrid model search.
Carter said she was initially put off by the idea, but she decided to make the drive from San Diego to Los Angeles out of curiosity. She did an interview, but got a call back a month later informing her she’d been cut.
The initial pass inspired Carter to keep going.
She continued in her beachfront waitressing job, working nights and weekends, then received a call from a local YMCA for a job offer in the marketing department.
“All of our friends were a bit intimidated by kids, and Lauren innately was drawn to every kid she encountered,” Gray said. “When she became pregnant at [18], I was completely confident that she would endure parenthood with positivity and grace.
“When she started working at the YMCA, I knew it was something she would be successful with because she is passionate about helping kids, especially about helping kids see their self-worth.”
With the new gig, Carter had her nights and weekends back. The chance to further explore the world of modeling took over and filled her with a renewed passion and interest.
Carter connected with a local publication, called “The G.O.O.D.S. Magazine,” and staff there helped Carter participate in some runway events and photoshoots.
Carter said it was modeling for free throughout the city, but she didn’t mind.
“It resulted in good things,” she said. “It culminated with the Torrid model search coming up again this year.”
This time around, Carter had a sizable portfolio, a modeling resume, and a renewed sense of drive.
“I think it took awhile for her to come into her own and to love her body the way she does now,” Gray said. “She has always shopped at Torrid and she had recently started modeling in fashion shows in San Diego, so when the Torrid search presented itself it was a no-brainer that she would enter.”
When Carter arrived at the casting call, as luck would have it, the casting director was the same one who met Carter during her tryout the year before.
“He remembered me,” Carter said. “They were all saying they were thrilled I came back.”
Torrid officials were so thrilled to see Carter they took photos and interviewed her on the spot. Less than 24 hours later, they called her for a second interview.
After a month of silence, the brand informed Carter she not only made it to the competition stage, but she was ranked inside the top 10, which is chosen by Torrid’s head designer.
Carter was over the moon. The problem? She was sworn to secrecy, unable to tell a soul per her signed agreement.
After more waiting, Torrid finally flew Carter back to Los Angeles for an official photo shoot and fashion show.
“I still couldn’t tell anyone,” Carter said. “They still hadn’t released the top 10 in September. They just announced it.”
What they didn’t announce was that Torrid also eliminated six of the top 10, and Carter quickly found out she made it to the top four.
Almost there. Sort of. Not really. But kind of.
The final four now go to a public vote at torrid.com, on Facebook and on Twitter. Each of the four models ran their own social media campaign.
Oct. 21 is the final day to vote.
So, on top of raising a young daughter and working her normal 40-hour work week, Carter found herself in charge of promoting her own public vote.
“We have photos, hashtags, people can vote online,” Carter said. “It’s been so crazy, and pretty exciting since this is the first time Torrid’s done a public vote for their brand.”
Though it seems like a stressful time, Gray said it’s a situation ideal for Carter.
“Everything in Lauren’s life is exciting, and she does everything with confidence and an optimistic attitude,” Gray said. “So I know no matter what happens, she’ll make the best of the situation.”
Carter makes her final trip to Los Angeles in December for the filming of the winning model. The public will learn Torrid’s decision in January.
Carter said it’s an exciting time to be a plus-sized woman — when she grew up there was no Torrid, and support for plus-sized girls was non-existent. Now, Carter’s thrilled for her daughter’s generation because brands like Torrid are available and affordable.
“Girls like my daughter, who is also plus-size, now have a place to fit in with Torrid,” Carter said. “They don’t have to struggle for years to find who they are like I had to.”
Carter said she thought her life was over when her doctor told her she was pregnant at 18. Now she credits having a baby at a young age with helping her find her identity and become the person she is today.
Gray said Carter going from an uncertain identity to potentially becoming the face of a national brand and a role model to girls was no accident.
“Lauren is a leader,” Gray said. “She was one on the basketball court. She was a leader in college, at the restaurant, you name it. It’s who she is. Having her daughter at 19 really solidified that, and if there is one person that should help mentor and represent young, plus-size girls, it’s Lauren.”
It took Carter years to be comfortable with who she was and who she could become. Now, in the coming months, she has the opportunity to be named the face of inspiration for a well-known plus-size brand.
To an 18-year-old girl walking the halls of Federal Way High School today, struggling to figure out her identity, Carter said she’d want to say that answers, even though it may not seem like it, are right there.
“Never quit, and have faith,” she said. “Keep your head up. Because sometimes when you don’t see the next chapter in your life it doesn’t mean it’s not there.
“If you’re in that dark place where you feel there’s no hope, it’s OK. I was there too. Just know that’s the moment you push forward harder because it’s only building you to be the person you’re meant to be.”