Welcome to Creators on the Rise, where we find and profile breakout creators who are in the midst of extraordinary growth. Today’s installment is brought to you by VidSummit.
When Leah Ryder got her first office job in 2020, she knew exactly what she was most excited about: getting up every day and figuring out what she wanted to wear.
Fashion was “just something I always loved,” she says, and during the eight years she worked retail pre-2020, she’d take snapshots of her outfits of the day and share them with friends. But things changed with her new job. She began taking quick videos of her outfits and decided to post them to TikTok, which was beginning to surge in popularity.
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“There was literally a video that I, every day, either in the bathroom at my office or before I left my house, just took a three-second clip of my outfit,” she says. “There was no aesthetic to it. It was very random. I put some music over it.”
She posted it, and it shot to 200,000 views.
“It’s not like it went mega viral, but for someone with 300 followers, that was the first thing that introduced people to me,” she says. And, once people found her and stuck around to see more of her videos, she realized “there was a desire for outfits of someone of my body size, and that people were really craving plus-size fashion.”
Just like how her office job had changed this, so did this realization. Ryder suddenly understood “I can capitalize on this and actually bring people content that I didn’t even know they would want this badly.”
Now, a couple years later, Ryder is a full-time content creator making plus-size fashion and lifestyle content across TikTok (where she has nearly 880,000 followers) and Instagram (150K). Being able to build an audience of plus-size fashion enthusiasts and help them feel “as confident and beautiful as possible” has become her career, and she couldn’t be happier.
Check out our chat with her below.
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This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Tubefilter: Hello hello! Pretend somebody’s reading or watching this, and they’ve never seen your stuff. Tell me about you and where you’re from and how you got into social media.
Leah Ryder: My name’s Leah Ryder. I am originally from Rhode Island. That’s where I grew up. I moved away after college to West Virginia, and now I live in North Carolina, so a little bit of bouncing around as far as that goes. In Rhode Island, I went to Johnson and Wales University. I studied fashion merchandising there, always, always loved fashion. I worked in retail all throughout, or not all throughout high school, but from the end of high school to 2020. I was there for just over eight years. That’s basically when social media started for me. I was always sharing my outfits on social media, but it was just my friends and family seeing it.
That’s just something I always loved, though. When I worked in retail, I’d always share my work outfits and things like that. Then in 2020, I got my first office job and I was super excited actually for office fashion because I had never had an office job. Those videos of me just taking little clips of my office outfits are some of the first things that gained traction on my page. It was really organic. I wasn’t expecting literally a single thing to come of it. I was just sharing it for fun like I always did, expecting my 10 friends and family members to see it. I’m really fortunate that it gained traction and people cared.
Tubefilter: Do you remember the first video that took off?
Leah Ryder: There was literally a video that I, every day, either in the bathroom at my office or before I left my house, just took a three-second clip of my outfit. There was no aesthetic to it. It was very random. I put some music over it. That was the first video that, I don’t know, I think it had maybe 200,000 views. It’s not like it went mega viral, but for someone with 300 followers, that was the first thing that introduced people to me. That was the first video.
Once I realized that there was a desire for outfits of someone of my body size, and that people were really craving plus-size fashion, that’s when I was shifted my mindset and said I can capitalize on this and actually bring people content that I didn’t even know they would want this badly.
Tubefilter: Very cool. Is this your full-time thing now?
Leah Ryder: Yes, I went full-time with it a year and a half ago. Which is so crazy. I remember for a long time, everyone would ask me, are you going to take social media full-time? I would always say, oh, my gosh, there’s no way that would be possible. I can’t ever imagine that getting to that magnitude. It’s been about a year and a half of full-time now. I’m super, super grateful.
Tubefilter: What was the trigger point for you to go full-time?
Leah Ryder: I had a big personal life event happen. That really made me reapproach my mindset to everything, honestly. I decided that I was so tired. I was working in an office full time on my. On my lunch breaks, I was going up to the rooftop of the office and shooting content or emailing back brands. I was waking up at 4:30 or 5:00 AM every morning to shoot content. I was running myself ragged.
Then this event happened and I decided to just start living a life that I was really happy with and leap. Around the same time is when I was able to get signed on with management. I felt like that was almost a little bit of a cushion, like I was going to have support from people who were familiar with the industry more so than me, and I was really going to have that backbone. Those happened at the same time. I took the plunge and everything shifted for the better once I did dedicate it to be my full-time job.
@leah_ryderThe reality of New York Fashion Week ♬ Monkeys Spinning Monkeys – Kevin MacLeod & Kevin The Monkey
Tubefilter: I cannot tell you how many creators I talk to, especially people who unexpectedly went viral during the pandemic and haven’t been in this industry before, and they don’t have support. I still speak to people who are like, oh, yes, my partner doesn’t really understand YouTube, my parents think that what I do is a waste of time. I’m really glad that you were able to find management and find people who are able to support you.
Leah Ryder: It’s so important. Especially even just when it comes to getting paid fairly. Personally, I had no idea what I was supposed to be getting paid. It was such a quick introduction into the industry for me, and an industry that I hadn’t been spending years trying to get into. I always wanted to be in fashion, but I never even had social media on my radar because it seems so unfeasible. I didn’t have any knowledge or background on what I should be getting paid. That’s one thing, when you get management, of course they know, and I feel like you just get represented more fairly.
Tubefilter: Absolutely. I do notice you seem like you are scoring a fair amount of brand partnerships and deals with plus-size fashion brands. I was curious about what your experience has been in that in that sector? Do you remember your first partnership and how things evolved?
Leah Ryder: I do remember my first partnership. My first partnership was with an online boutique called Impressions Boutique. I actually love this whole thing. I love this story, because I was a customer of theirs for years and years and years, and always tagging them. Again, I wasn’t doing social media, it was just something–I just tagged them as a customer. When they were launching their TikTok, they did this gift card competition thing where you could share a video in their stuff. I just randomly put a little video together, I won the gift card.
I felt like that was when they started seeing my TikTok. My account was still really, really growing. It was at the beginning stages. I guess after that, they started keeping an eye on my socials. They ended up being my first partnership. I remember when they reached out, they said, we know you’ve been a loyal customer for years, we love that you love the brand. I’ve been working with them ever since. That was over two years ago. I just love them. I’ve always loved them because at any size that I’ve ever been, they’ve had things for me. That always feels really good.
Tubefilter: I wanted to ask about your photography skills. I feel like, especially for some plus-size people, it takes time to learn how to pose like proudly. But you have such confidence in your poses.
Leah Ryder: Thank you. I think the biggest thing is, listen, I’m just a very happy person. I’m just very thankful to do what I do. I never am like, “Oh, shooting content, I’m just used to it.” You know what I mean? I’m always like, This is so cool. I think and I hope that my happiness and my excitement to do what I do comes through in what I’m doing. I think it’s just organic to who I am. You’ll notice if you go through my feed, I’m never trying to be serious. That’s just not me. I’m always going to be probably this big smile and giggly because that’s just who I am.
I guess that’s overall just really important to stay true to who you are, and you’re going to connect with the people who like you for you. As far as photography and stuff, my husband actually helps me now with, if we’re out and about, he’ll help me with outfit photos and whatnot. It’s been fun to focus on that too, because obviously my page started with video content, but I really like doing some photography as well with it.
Tubefilter: What’s your production schedule? TikTok’s your main platform, right?
Leah Ryder: Yes, TikTok’s my main platform. I usually film, three days a week is typically my goal. I’ll batch film. I’ll plan the week before what I want to film the following week. There’s obviously a lot of different ways people can approach TikTok. Some people film everything that they do during the day, like the lifestyle creators. They’re really filming everything that they’re doing. Sometimes I’ll have something spontaneous happen where I’ll just pull out my phone and film it.
Because I know a lot of people are following me for specific outfit ideas or maybe whatever it might be, teacher outfits, office outfits, an Aerie haul, free people– whatever it might be. Because of that, I typically plan it out because I’ll place some orders according to what people are asking for, and then film that following week, edit on those other days, and yes, try to allow myself days where I’m not filming at all. That seems to be important to me because I used to not do that, and it was easier to feel a little bit spread thin.
@leah_ryder Had to do it right for @Tyler Glidden first ever Taylor Swift concert! #erastour #erastourcincinnati ♬ But I cant Calm Down im going to The Eras Tour – paige (willow remix)
Tubefilter: I’m curious how things have been going for you on Instagram. I feel like lots of creators are struggling with it but you seem to have great engagement.
Leah Ryder: Thank you. My Instagram’s been doing really well, actually. I’m not sure what’s happening. [laughs] I’m okay with it though. [laughs] I have been trying to build up my Instagram a little bit more just because brands are more comfortable working with you on Instagram. That’s just a fact, because there’s more time as an app. There’s more research. There’s more data of what they get. I really love for my TikTok to be where you might get to know me better. Longer, chattier videos. Then I obviously still mix in all my try-ons and outfit ideas.
Those longer videos where I’m just sitting, it’s like we’re on FaceTime. Then Instagram, typically those shorter videos or photos are doing better. Anyways, I think overall, obviously we know that reels are where it’s at. Instagram does not want to push photos. I still post them if it’s something I’m excited about. I just went to New York and my husband and I took some photos, so I did a carousel post of those.
I just really liked the photos so I wanted to post them. I’ve always tried to stay true to that, just posting things that make me happy, and obviously having strategy behind it too as far as making sure I am posting Reels and posting consistently, and things like that, it is really important if you want your account to grow. If you don’t like what you’re posting or you’re not happy about what you’re posting, then the fun of it goes away. I always have tried to continue just posting things that make me happy even if photos aren’t what Instagram’s pushing at the moment.
Tubefilter: Which is a shame.
Leah Ryder: I know.
Tubefilter: Are you doing anything for Fashion Week?
Leah Ryder: I haven’t finalized everything yet, but I’m actually going with my friend, Deanna, and then my other friend, Gracie, we’re going to be staying together and just going to a couple different events together. I know we’re definitely going to Sherri Hill. We’re going to do something with Ramy Brook. There’s a couple of different things on the agenda. Klassy Network, one of my favorite brands that’s small business, woman-owned, and just amazing. One of my favorite brands. I know they’re doing an event. Just trying to make the most of it. Have fun time with my friends, but also network, connect with different brands. It’s always that balance at fashion week of fun and work.
Tubefilter: Do you have any cool projects you’re working on? Any plans or goals for the future?
Leah Ryder: I always have a lot of goals. I have things in my head. I’ve always said one day I’d love to write a book. That’s something that’s been on my heart for years. I don’t know when that will happen, but I hope one day. I just did an earring collection with a small business that I love, Hair Candy by Han, a couple of months ago. That launched this year and that was exciting. Other than that, I’m just loving working with my brand partners that I’ve worked with already. Having those renewals and connections, just building and continuing. That’s really what’s making me happy right now. Then we’ll see what the future holds. You really never know. Things change so quickly in this industry.
Tubefilter: That’s true. That’s absolutely true in this industry. What’s been your favorite part of being on social media?
Leah Ryder: Definitely the people. Not only the friends I’ve made, the friends I’ve made in the space are incredible, and I never expected to have best friends come out of this, but I cannot tell you how much it means to me when someone comes up to me and says they watch my videos, or DMs me and says they watch my videos and they bought their first swimsuit because of me, or they wore an outfit outside of their comfort zone because of me and they felt really pretty. It’s so unbelievably rewarding and something so outside the scope of what I ever thought would happen.
I used to really struggle with my confidence and my body image back in the day. To know that not only I have come to a really good place with myself, but I’m also helping other people, it’s genuinely insane to me and it just makes me so happy. No matter how I’m feeling about other things in the space, like on a certain day if I’m just putting pressure on myself or feeling frustrated, or whatever, if I feel like things aren’t going my way or whatever, I think about that and the connections I’ve made with people all around the world, literally, and I’m just mind-blown and I never want to stop just because of that. I know how lucky I am to do this and I never want to take it for granted.
@leah_ryder Replying to @amber ♬ original sound – Leah
Tubefilter: To wrap up, I’d love to hear for you about why you’re so passionate about making this space and talking to these brands who actually embrace plus-size people.
Leah Ryder: I love that question. Like I touched on, I used to really struggle with my body. I went through a really dark time with my self-esteem and confidence. It was awful. I wish I would have had people to look at me and tell me the things that I hope I’m putting out onto my space now. I eventually switched my mindset because at the time when I was really insecure and really struggling with my body, I was putting all of my value as a person on my body and just on how I looked. I eventually switched gears to put value on who I am as a person, which I think is so much more important.
There’s that quote, “Your weight is the least interesting thing about you,” or “Your size is the least interesting thing about you,” and it’s so true. I learned to love myself and just who I am. Then eventually, I feel like I was able to reconnect with my love for fashion. Like I said, I always loved fashion. That’s why I went to school for it, but when you’re really insecure and you’re feeling really down, and you’re being so hard on yourself, it’s hard to put on an outfit and be like, yes, I look good. Once I started to re-love myself and fall back in love with fashion, it just all flow together.
Now, like I said, the fact that I get to connect with people and make them feel good is so insane to me. I just want to make the most of it. I want to make as many people feel confident and beautiful as possible. If you go to my page, you see that it says style is not a size. It’s so true. I know my content caters to plus sizes, but at any size you’re welcome in my space and hopefully can get something out of it that makes you feel good.
That’s really my goal always, is to just make people feel good, make people feel confident, and encourage you to wear what you love. Because it’s like life is too short and your weight is the least interesting thing about you. To get hung up on that and let it limit yourself, it’s just not worth it. I think because I was there, that’s why I’m so passionate about where I’m at now and spreading that.
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