Karlie Kloss was insecure about her body as a teenager.

The Victoria's Secret Angel isn't shy about showing off her toned figure in the lingerie brand's televised catwalk shows nowadays, but admits she used to be insecure about her looks when she was growing up.

She said: ''It was tough being the tall, gangly girl at school. It made me incredibly insecure. But since I've become a model, I've learnt to appreciate my figure. Really, it's not always so great. I always felt like Bambi.''

Karlie - who is the face of high profile campaigns for Louis Vuitton, Donna Karan, Lacoste and Lanvin this year alone - is surprised at having become one of the most recognizable working models in the world because she never dreamed of travelling the globe for modelling jobs as a small town girl.

The 20-year-old star revealed: ''I grew up the second of four sisters in St Louis, Missouri. Let's just say, a Midwestern town isn't exactly fashionable; no one, least of all me, saw this career coming.

''I live in New York but I travel so much that I can never really predict my 9-5. Usually I'll be in New York shooting for a couple of days for a glossy editorial or Victoria's Secret. Then they'll be a trip to Brazil or Europe most weeks.''

The svelte star candidly admitted she doesn't spend as much time in the gym as her fellow health-conscious Victoria's Secret models, and prefers to keep fit by practicing ballet.

She said: ''I'm not a crazy exerciser. I guess I should step up my game a little bit. I mean, when you look at the other Victoria's Secret girls. They are like serious Olympic athletes!

''I've always been passionate about ballet, and for me it's about building muscle through dance and feeling strong and healthy. That's what I think is sexy. ''