Top 25 Joan Smalls Quotes

You should be reflective of the world you live in.

I know I’m representing a group – black, Latin, whatever you want to put me with – and I want to show that they are beautiful the way they are. I think that’s really important for our youth to see.

I just want to continue to break barriers and to show the industry and the world that beauty is diverse, and you don’t have to be a certain stereotype to be beautiful.

I was always being athletic, climbing trees and running after boys, just being trouble. It was always in me.

People might think that because I’m skinny and tall, I’m fragile. But I always knew I wasn’t. And it’s comforting to know that I can throw a proper punch if I have to.

I always believe, as a woman, it’s powerful to be able to pull your own body weight and be able to defend yourself.

I wanted to prove to people it doesn’t matter if you come from a small little island: that you can make it in this industry.

I think it’s nice to know that people in the industry are paying attention to all of the hard work you’ve done throughout the years and rewarding you for it. It reminds you to keep doing it, to keep pushing yourself, and to always remain that way.

I became obsessed watching fashion TV shows when I was a teenager and recognized that I had the height and body frame. I especially became hooked when I saw on ‘E! True Hollywood Story’ how much a model can make and how I can achieve a better living for my family and me.

When you want something so bad and when something great happens, I think it’s instinct that you say, ‘This is gonna be the moment that’s gonna change everything. Everybody is gonna see me a different way.’

I don’t need that much contour.

I’m a little bit of everything. Sometimes people think I’m not Puerto Rican, because my name doesn’t sound Spanish.

I actually like working out. It’s such a stress reliever when you’re just focusing on yourself and not thinking about anything else except the music and your body.

My career has always thrived on hard work and good relationships with people I work with and just continuing grinding.

A career high was when I did a cover for ‘W Magazine’s July issue with Steven Meisel. So few girls shoot with Meisel in their career, and a lot of people had told me I would never achieve that, so it was a dream come true.

I’ve always had a struggle trying to get a hair campaign. It’s mind-boggling.

I still get butterflies when I’m doing a runway show. The music starts, you’re wearing these gorgeous clothes and your nervous about your high heels, if your shoes are going to break, if your going to slip or do something wrong.

My personal style is bipolar. Sometimes I feel like dressing in a boyish leather jacket; other times I want to dress more elegantly. Most of the time it’s what I like to call ‘comfortable chic’: Giuseppe Zanotti flat sandals, Rag & Bone jeans, slouchy Isabel Marant shirts.

I always had crazy, curly hair up in a bun, messy, running up and down, sweaty.

I don’t diet. I’m Puerto Rican! You can never take my rice, pork, and beans away.

I would always hunch over, I was always taller than the boys. I had the extremely skinny legs… I would double up my socks, those ones from Footlocker, to make my legs look thicker.

I adore my two older sisters, Erika and Betsy.

I was always very, very insecure about my height. Even as a 15-year-old I was a foot and a half taller than everyone.

I also work out because I have scoliosis. I have to maintain certain strength in my core.

It always just feels good going back home. It feels like nothing has changed. Seeing my room, the views. It, like, grounds you.