Deeana Hashimi (aka The Curvy Millennial) is on a mission: to help her fans feel good about their bodies. Her 38k-and-counting followers flock to her TikTok for her fashion tips, outfits of the day, daily hot girl walk and workout routines — and they stay for the relatability. We spoke to her about her must-have closet items, her tips on getting out of a funk and why she wishes she brought a pair of Thigh Society shorts on her most recent trip to Paris.
Where did the inspiration come from to start The Curvy Millennial?
Deeana Hashimi: I launched my TikTok in July of 2021. I live a life that I love, and I wanted to show people that life but in a more raw and organic way than on Instagram. I wanted to show the beautiful moments and also the difficulties. I called it The Curvy Millennial because I’m a multi-dimensional person and being curvy is one part of me. I love being curvy, but also struggled with my physique growing up.
Can you tell me more about what you struggled with?
Bullying at school. I also had cousins who were similar in age to me and relatives would make comments comparing us. I grew up not seeing anyone who looked like me on TV, as it was the Paris Hilton and ’heroin chic’ era.
How did you overcome that?
My dad, who’s also a bigger guy, is very confident, and I always looked to him and the way he handled life. I would share my struggles with him and he would find a way for me to brush it off and not worry about it. He would always take me to the gym to encourage my health. We would work out together and when I worked out, I would feel a lot better about myself.
Since then, do you think our society has become more accepting of different body types?
I was born and raised in the U.S. and growing up, all I ever saw was very thin girls in the media. Now as I’ve gotten older, we’ve had other body types like Kim Kardashian or Jennifer Lopez; women with curvier bodies. It’s nice to have representation — it allows you to feel more comfortable and beautiful. It definitely helped me during my college years and I love that now almost every body type is accepted.
What are your favourite things to post about?
I love try-on hauls, outfits of the day and get ready with me videos. I like to show how clothes fit my body type, and I also love to post gym content and everyday routine videos. At the gym, I do a mix of cardio and weights, the Stairmaster, and the 12/3/30 walking and incline sequence. I initially couldn’t get past one minute but now I can do 10 minutes easily. I also love running, the elliptical, barre and cycling.
What are the most flattering items in your closet as a curvy woman?
I love a good bodysuit in a neutral colour and a good pair of jeans. It can be hard to find the right jeans for curvy women — they can be tight in the thighs and then you have that huge gap in the waist. I used to wear a lot of belts but not anymore. I found and love Joe’s Jeans — they’re great for my body type.
What’s been your experience wearing Thigh Society?
I love Thigh Society! I think Marnie, the CEO, is fabulous. I love to wear them as loungewear or athleisure around the house. I also wear them around my uncle’s when we go swimming because I don’t want to be wearing a small bikini bottom around them [laughs]. You can sleep in them, go camping — they’re the best summer shorts. They’re breathable, comfortable and flattering. I haven’t done this myself, but I know a lot of women wear them under dresses to prevent chafing. I wish I would have brought them with me on this trip I’m on right now because I’m in Paris, wearing dresses and chafing like crazy.
What does a typical day look like for you?
I have a corporate job at Amazon, so in the morning I’ll wake up and make myself a delicious coffee. I have an espresso machine and I’m always looking forward to that. I work 9 to 5 so sometimes I’ll go into the office and sometimes I work from home. I take an hour lunch and during that time I’ll take a long walk to get my steps and after work I go to the gym. I’ll come home and make myself some dinner, then I’ll shoot and edit some content.
@thecurvymillennial #barre #fitness #fyp ♬ Thick Fine Woman (feat. Lil' Ronny Mothaf, Fat Pimp & No Shame) - Chalie Boy
A lot of your content is about confidence and feeling good about yourself. What do you do on days when you don’t feel super confident?
Confidence comes in waves. If you’re not feeling confident or like yourself, you can take a few deep breaths to be kind to yourself. Then eventually you’ll snap out of it and remind yourself that you’re that girl. Moving and listening to music always helps; give yourself a little liveliness. You also need to give yourself a pep talk — you have to be intentional about your mood.
What advice do you have for aspiring content creators?
Stay consistent and don't do what the masses do. Just do what you love and what you enjoy!
