About doing What’s Underneath, 62-year-old new-to-modeling Jacky O’Shaughnessy said, “It’s time to take the jacket off of the book and get to the essence. There’s an epidemic of poor body image for women, especially at my age.” You may have seen Jacky in her sexier-than-any-20-something-model American Apparel ads, but what you may not be aware of is the heart-wrenching lifetime of struggle she has had with self-acceptance that finally brought her to where she is today. Six feet tall by high school, Jacky couldn’t find anything that fit her except for men’s L.L. Bean, and it wasn’t an Annie Hall fantasy, she admits. By 23, she was hiding herself in muumuus, and each time she tried to shed the layers, out came the harsh criticisms regarding cellulite, fat ankles or any other number of taunts from men — a very sad commentary on the brainwashing of the ideal of what a beautiful woman is. One boyfriend even told her that she was too old to be seen in public with. We love the moment in Jacky’s video when she decided to finally release herself from the Dr. Kildare rubber gloves and let her drop-dead silver hair reign. “Learning to love myself was very hard; it took intention and practice,” she confesses. And it wasn’t until the actual day of shooting her American Apparel ad, after being discovered by them on the street, that Jacky was finally able to take a giant step into her powerfully gorgeous, status-quo busting shoes. “For the first time, I am good this way,” she states.

Jacky bears witness to our belief that style
Is not about trends,
Is your spirit,
Is knowing who you are,
Is What's Underneath.

What’s Underneath is produced by Elisa, Lily, & Mona
Jacky’s video was edited by Andrea Cruz
Watch other What’s Underneath episodes here and stay tuned for more coming soon!!