“I like things that accentuate my curves rather than hiding them,” says model Teodora Cordial with gusto that lets you know she means it.
When asked how she lets her curves be the main character, Cordial shares, “I like bottoms that are high-waisted. I like halter tops because they support my chest. And, of course, colors also play a big role.” During her Allure Philippines shoot, she points to the blue bikini as an example of a color that makes her feel confident in her skin. Green, another favorite, has a similar effect.
But being a model doesn’t mean she feels confident every day. When those days hit, she is quick to give herself grace. She recognizes that confidence isn’t something that remains constant. “Confidence is something that really radiates from the inside out,” she explains. “Whenever I feel confident, I think that reflects onto the way I look as well.”
Dookie Ducay
For her, that means learning to embrace her body every single day, regardless of her stretch marks or days she feels bloated.
And as a mother to a three-year-old son, those stretch marks serve as Cordial’s reminders of the changes her body has gone through. “At first, I feel like most moms like me, we go through the process of disliking our new body,” she shares. “But over the years, I came to really understand and appreciate this body that gave birth and gave life to my son.”
But when insecurity creeps in, how does one quell that uneasy feeling? Cordial keeps it simple: “I try to just focus on the fact that I’m much more than that. I’m much more than my insecurities,” she says.
And on days when doubts come knocking harder, she goes for an unabashedly joyful pep talk: “I’m a hot mom. I’m a model, so I’ll be fine.”
On curves
Dookie Ducay
Women have always been wary of bloating, muffin tops, and other concerns like stretch marks. But for Cordial, she’d rather accentuate her curves than hide them. In moments where insecurities strike, she reminds herself to give herself more grace, and as a mom, she has since learned to see her body in a softer light. “I now understand and appreciate this body that gave birth, because this body has a story to tell now,” says Cordial.
Glow state
Dookie Ducay
If you still think makeup is designed to heavily conceal, makeup artist Jigs Mayuga insists that the skin should breathe. He suggests using the Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation, especially if you have oily skin. To bring out the glow of the face, he applied the Dior Backstage Glow Face Palette in 001 on the high part of the cheekbones. And the key to a base that’s not cakey, Mayuga says, is to avoid applying the product too heavily. Use a brush to diffuse the product at the back of your hand, and only powder your T-zone.
Art direction and beauty direction by Nicole Almero and Sacha Mancera. Photography by Dookie Ducay, assisted by Byron De Guzman, Sean Francisco, and Lou Fajardo. Makeup by Jigs Mayuga. Hair by Jan Edrosolan. Styling by Gee Jocson, assisted by Yen Noche. Modeled by Teodora Cordial, and Kahlea Belonia. Shot on location at The Westin Manila.
Frequently Asked Questions
Teodora Cordial is a Filipina curvy model and mother to a three-year-old son, featured in an Allure Philippines editorial about embracing her curves, stretch marks, and post-motherhood body.
Cordial favors high-waisted bottoms and halter tops that support her chest, and leans on color—blue and green in particular — to feel confident in her skin.
Like many new mothers, Cordial initially disliked her changed body. Over time she came to appreciate it as the body that gave birth to her son — one with a story.
She gives herself grace, reminding herself she is more than her insecurities. Confidence, she says, radiates from the inside out and shows in how she looks.
Makeup artist Jigs Mayuga recommends Estée Lauder Double Wear Foundation for oily skin, diffused lightly with a brush, powder on the T-zone only, then Dior Backstage Glow on the cheekbones.
