'We want people to be proud of their body shape'

By Beth Ford KVAL News Published: May 25, 2012 at 7:15 PM PDT Last Updated: May 26, 2012 at 7:46 PM PDT
'We want people to be proud of their body shape' »Play Video
In this May 23, 2012, photo, models Danielle White of Albany, Ore., left, and Tiffany Schmidt, of Corvallis, Ore., walk through Central Park in Corvallis. Both of them qualified to enter the national “Star in a Bra” model-search contest sponsored by the Curvy Kate lingerie company. And both are among the 30 finalists in the contest _ and the only ones from the Northwest. Curvy Kate, a British company, is seeking models from the United States to market its line of lingerie and swimwear, which is for women who wear at least a D cup brassiere. (AP Photo/The Corvallis Gazette-Times, Amanda Cowan)

ALBANY, Ore. -- You could call Danielle White and Tiffany Schmidt bosom buddies.

"It's been crazy that this is actually happening," said Schmidt, 21.

"The past two weeks, we've been like ... vibrating, shaking, you'd think we were all on coffee all the time!" said White, 24.

These days, it's hard for the pair to keep their excitement under wraps; they're in the running for the "Star in a Bra" contest through lingerie designer Curvy Kate. The designer is on the hunt for full-busted women to serve as the company's models.

White and Schmidt said they thought it would be fun to enter, so they had their own modeling session and they made the top 30. If one of them wins the big contest, they could see their face in print as a model for Curvy Kate.

The two met swing dancing at Oregon State University.

They said dancing gives them the confidence to pose in their underwear for the world to see, and they said the contest is much more than skin-deep.

"Basically, we want people to be proud of their body shape," said White.

"I see this as an opportunity to kind of get rid of the stereotype that's out there for models," said Schmidt. "We've gotten such positive feedback from people, people saying that they admire us, admire how much we've put out there and it's been amazing having such feedback."

It's about embracing your body -- embodying confidence -- no matter what you look like.

"I want to be more confident, show other people you shouldn't be ashamed of what you look like," said White.

Top ten finalists will be officially announced May 30, and those ten will be flown to New York City for a fashion shoot. Then, web votes will pick the ultimate "Star in a Bra."