Iskra Lawrence is probably one of the most sought-after women in the fashion industry today. Sheâs not only beautiful and smart, she is also an advocate of body positivity in a cut-throat industry that values looks more than anything and an activist of sorts.
Speaking with GQ, Iskra Lawrence gives men a few tips on how to compliment their partners better.
1. Focus On Qualities, Not Just Looks
Itâs nice for women to hear compliments, but sometimes it wears thin when youâre saying the same things over and over.
According to Iskra, âI guess itâs just being affectionate which is quite important for someone like me, knowing that they want to be around you, they want to touch you they want to be affectionate, it makes me feel loved and valued.â
She added, âThereâs a million and one ways to tell your partner that they are special and different from anyone else in this world and you know that, youâre around them all the time.
âIf you love the way that they laugh, tell them that. Give the person the opportunity to dress-up and go out and celebrate your relationship; not just on Valentine’s dayor not just on those days when it feels compulsory. Do something spontaneous, think outside the box a little bit.”
2. Take The Pressure Away
The model said that men and women both have body image issues. However, itâs different for women because theyâre constantly being criticized.
âWhen I have articles written about me, they will still mention my thighs and my body â they would never do that about a man. Itâs just so deeply ingrained in our society,â she said. âEven if a guy brings a new girlfriend home or tells his family heâs got a new girlfriend, theyâre going to ask what she looks like, but a girl can have a new boyfriend and theyâll say, “oh what does he do?”.
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Lawrence said that itâs important for women to take the pressure of looking perfect away from their partnersâ shoulders.
âSo the whole ingrain in our society and unfortunately, itâs hindered so many females because when we have insecurities, it holds us back. It holds us back from trying new things, from going out and experiencing the world. Even in relationships that will hold you back from making decisions. So I definitely think the more we can talk about that and support each other and take the pressure away from just how we look, it will benefit everybody.”
3. Be Vulnerable
Thanks to toxic masculinity ingrained in men since childhood, itâs often hard to express feelings.
According to Lawrence, women love it when men are sensitive to their partnersâ feelings. So the best way to compliment them? Think about them and let them know that you are!
âIt can just be something simple like, ‘youâre awesomeâ or âyou made me smile todayâ and they can pop-up on your phone. Imagine if your partner’s struggling at work and you know they didnât get the promotion, you can put a little note in their phone and say, âIâm thinking of you, donât forget how brilliant you are.â Or it could be a post-it note… Think about the special little things because they mean more than anything.â
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She added, âJust check-in with how that personâs feeling. We often say, âhey have a good dayâ but no one ever really asks how youâre feeling. I know thatâs much harder for men to do but try and encourage each other to be there and talk about those things and really open out because vulnerability is strength.”
