Reasons For Modeling.

I LOVE CLOTHES AND MAKEUP

Do you have a unique sense of personal style, a flair for hair, a passion for makeup? Do you love to shop and put together outfits in different ways? if so, you may be attracted to modeling for the opportunities it offers to get more involved with the fashion and beauty industries. You may love the idea of wearing beautiful, interesting clothing and getting your hair and makeup done in new and different ways every single day.

I LOVE BEING THE CENTER OF ATTENTION

Do you love dance, theater, or music? Do you love to perform? do you love to get your picture taken? Are you confident and self-assured? Are you comfortable with a roomful of people looking at you? If so, modeling may be right for you because it offers you an opportunity to play a part, creat a character, or set a mood, whether your playing a waitress in a photo shoot or a brid on the fashion runway.

I WANT TO MAKE A LOT OF MONEY

If making money is your sole motivation, you should know that it's a long shot that you'll make millions. Unlike other lucrative professions, such as doctor, professional athlete, or investment banker, modeling requires no particular training or experience schooling; but knowledge of the profession makes likely tha you'll have a successful career. For a lucky few, modeling can be a means to earn a significant amount of money. It's true that top models such as Claudia Shiffer and Cindy Crawford make several million dollars a year. Even the many models you'lve never heard of--the people in the Spiegel catalog or in a newspaper ad--may make $100,000 a year or more. (It's estimated that other make very little modeling, or nothing at all. Despite giving it there best shot, they can't get their foot in the door. Because modeling is so lucrative and so competitive, trying to get hired for a modeling job is very difficult.

I'D LIKE TO BE FAMOUS

Some people pursue a modeling career hoping that it will make them famous, wheter appearing on the cover of Vogue, or being featured in a local newspaper that all their friends will see. It's true that some models--Christie Brinkley, Kathy Ireland, Linda Evangelista, Tyson Beckford, Vendela, and Stephanie Seymour--have become household names. This sort of prominence is rar, however, and is usually a result of exceptional physical attributes and incredible luck.



Modeling can also be an excellent stepping stone to other careers, which have been proven by the many models who have gone on to distinguish themselves in other careers. Modeling can open the doors to many opportunities. Even if you don't ever produce your own calendar or appear on the cover of a fashion magazine, you may still be able to enjoy your 15 minutes of fame, starring in a school fashion show or modeling at a local department store. The poise and self-assurance you learn modeling can also help you throughout your life, interviewing for jobs, making presentations, and giving speeches.

I WANT TO EXPRESS MYSELF CREATIVELY

If you're an artistic person and want to get involved in an artistic field, modeling could be a great way to get an up-close and personal experience with the creative world of fashion.



When you're hired for a modeling job, you get to be an actress/actor for the day. For instance, when you go into a photo studio, the photographer will give you an idea of the kind of image he's after and the story he want's to tell in the picture. Whatever the photo is going to be about, you need to be able to play the part, whether it's a working woman in a catalog selling business attire, or the belle of the ball in a stunning gown for a magazine story. The set is there, the clothes are there, the hair and makeup people can help you creat the look, but the magic has to come from you. Models are essential because they're the ones who interpret the idea and make it come alive.

For one Sports Illustrated shoot, I was dressed in an antique bolero jacket and carried a fan, so I knew the photographer wanted to capture the image of a matador in the ring with a bull. I remember asking myself who I was supposed to be and how I could project that image. I began to pose, interpreting the energy of a bullfighter facing off with a fierce bull. In the photo, you really get an idea of a metador in the ring.

A model has to be able to creatively express personality and emotion with her body and face, sort of like an actress in a silent movie. But if you like performing and other creative endeavors, such as drama, dance, and music, modeling could be a great outlet for your artistic aspirations.

I WANT TO BUILD MY SELF-ESTEEM

Growing up I was insecure and self-conscious about my weight and height. I was always too tall for my age--I was 5'10" when I was 13, and as skinny and flat-chested as a string bean; everyone else was average hieght and I started filling out. I stuck out, which made me feel very insecure. But as soon as I became a model, I was celebrated for exactly those things I thought were so weird about me. Realizing my height and string bean body were my best assets helped me get over not liking those parts of myself.

Why do you want to Model?

Your reasons for getting into modeling will help determine the level of modeling you wat to pursue. Most models get into the business for more than one reason. They may love fashion, they may be attracted to the glamour of dressing up and posing for the camera, they may want to get out of there small hometowns, or they may want to express themselves creatively. Some may harbor a secret desire to become rich and famous--or at least to make some extra money and be the center of attention for a short time. Your reasons for wanting to get into modeling, and how much you're willing to give up to pursue your dream, can help you determine what kind of modeling career to pursue.

Your physical characteristics--height, weight, body type, facial structure--will play a part in determining the path of your modeling career. Also important are you reasons for wanting to pursue a modeling career. (Yet despite your desire to model and make all the sacrifices, keep in mind there's still no assurance that you'll even be able to get your foot in the door!)

But before you take your first step down the runway, you need to figure out why you want to model.

There are as many reasons to model as there are models. Are any of the following yours?

1. I love clothes and makeup and want to be more involved with the fashion and beauty industries
2. I love to perform and be the center of attention.
3. I'd like to be famous.
4. I'd like to make a lot of money
5. I want to express my self-esteem.
6. I want to be independant.
7. I want to experience new things and be introduced to a more sophisticated world.
8. All of the above!

I'll explain each of these in depth in the next blog!

The Three Basic Levels of Modeling

Although the big-time models on the cover of Vogue get most the attention, there are actually three different levels of modeling: hobby modeling, secondary-market modeling, and big-time modeling. Each has its own requirements, which means there are opportunities for many different types of models.

Maybe your not ready to leave your friends, family, and education for a modeling career in a big city such as New York or Paris. Maybe you just want to have some fun, express yourself creatively, and get involved with the fashion industry. In this case, you may want to consider hobby modeling. Hobby models model at local malls, in local TV commercials and ads, and for their hometown newspapers. Hobby models generally earn little or no money.

Maybe you'd like to earn some money, get a chance to be the center of attention, and develope a stronger sense of self-esteem, but don't want the stress and loneliness of traveling all the time and never seeing your friends and family. In this case, you may want to pursue secondary-market modeling, modeling in cities such as Miami, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Secondary market models appear in catalogs, advertisements, local runway shows, and regional publications. Many manage to carve out lucrative careers, without the continual travel, competition, and stress of big-time modeling.

Or maybe you're prepared to make the necessary sacrifices to give big-time modeling a shot. Maybe you've been dreaming of seeing your face on a magazine or big bill board in Times Square, and you're ready to leave your friends and family to work harder than you ever have before to give big-time fashion modeling a try. Although the rewards are great, so is the competition. Even though you realize you may not you may not make it, your decision is so strong you're willing to risk everything to give it a shot.

Just Say "No!"

Many models are also frequently invited to parties, nightclubs, new restaurants, gallery openings, charity galas, and other events. Although this is very enticing, it's also true that too many nights on the town can contribute to drug and alcohol abuse and leave you looking less than camera--ready.

The number of models who've used drugs and lost everything--careers, friends, possessions--is depressingly large. Besides the well--known cases, such as Margaux Hemingway and Gia--who were top models in the late 1970s and early 1980s--there are many less-famous models whose careers were derailed by drugs. Although it's probably true that these people might have become addicted even if they hadn't become models, it's also true that the pressures, rejection, and superficial values of the modeling industry can exacerbate drug problems. the fashion industry is also quite tolerant of models' drug problems. Kate Moss admitted that she smoked marijuana (and drank alcohol) pretty much continuously throughout her career, until al stay in a rehab clinic. Although not every model becomes an addict, drugs are a common problem throughout the industry.

Alcohol is also widely available in the fashion world. Backstage at runway shows, the champagne is always flowing, even at nine in the morning. While one glass of champagne isn't a problem, the easy accessibility of alcohol makes it more likely that some models develope problems. And the frantic pace of stress of some models' careers--they appear in a dozen fashion shows in three days, they have to fly somewhere new every night, or they're just running around town meeting 15 potential clients--makes it easy to understand why some models start to drink too much.

If you're still gung-ho about a modeling career, even after hearing all the pitfalls of the fashion industry, your next step is to figure out what level of modeling you'd like to pursue.

A Scam a Minute

Models at all stages of their careers, from beginners to supermodels, are targeted by con artists hoping to profit form their hopes, dreams, and naivete. Although you may be complimented by their attention, don't fall for their scams.

Aspiring models are generally very young, and their desire to model may occasionally cloud their judgment. There are many horror stories about disreputable people who offer drugs to young models, who coerce them into modeling nude, who demand sex in exchange for a modeling job, or who want the model to pay them to get the job.

Another big source of frauds and swindles is photographers who try to get young models who are just starting out to pay hundreds (or thousands) of dollars for photos, portfolios (an album of specially selected pictures models take with them on job interviews), and composites (a card with several photo's on it that's sent out to potential clients). They will insist these material are necessary in order to find a modeling agency that will represent a beginning model, or that they're needed to get started in the modeling business. These con artists will insist that agencies wont accept them if they don't have a portfolio full of pictures. Don't fall for this common scam; professional photos are definently not necessary to get started as a model; in fact, they can actually hurt your chances of making it.

Many established models have also been victims of scams. Successful models often find themselves in the middl of a swarm of men who are dying to meet them. As exciting as that may seem, it also exposes model's to shady people who want to take advantage of them emotionally and financially. Many of these con artists date models, hoping to convince the models to give them money to set up investment companies, where they buy risky stocks. Other con artists want to open their own businesses, such as health clubs, nightclubs, restaurants, and resorts. Many models, inexperienced in business or head over heels in love, fall fo the hype and give them money. More models than I can count have lost their peace of mind, their careers, and all their savings to unscrupulous guys.

On the Road

Most successful models travel constantly, all around the world. this sounds great, but the downside is that you may also not get to see your family and friends as much as you'd like. Even though i've seen some incredible sights--the Louvre Museum in Paris, the pyramids in Egypt, the beaches of Jamaica--I've also missed a lot of fun at home, including my best friends's birthday, my brother's graduation, and may christmases with my family.

Traveling so much also means spending a lot of time alone; although I enjoy this, some models find that they often feel very lonely and isolated. On top of that, it's exhausting and stressful to always be running to catch a plane, train, or automobile to get to the next job.

The Downside of the Glamourous Life

Many of the things that make modeling sound so exciting--the travel, the cute guys who flock around successful models, the parties--can actually be negatives. Your fith plane flight in a week isn't as much fun as the first time, those cute guys can turn out tobe con artist and predators, and too man parties can take their toll on your looks and career. So before you say yes to modeling, you need to take a closer look at the darker side of some of its (so-called) fringe benefits.

Skipping School

At the same time that you'r going on go and sees and trying to launch a modeling career, your friends back home may be finishing high school, attending college, or learning marketable skills on the job. Even if you're one of the lucky few who makes it a as a model, in five or ten years your career may be coming to an end. (The average career span of a model is eight years.) Your friends from home, meanwhile, may have graduated from college or acquired skills that will allow them to support themselves throughout their lives. In those same years, you may have been working full-time and making good money, but you've had to forego the education and job experience necessary for a career modeling.

Even though it may sound tempting to drop out of school to pursue modeling, you need to consider just how much you're giving up. The truth is, people with college degrees usually earn far more than those with just high-school diplomas, and that gap is growing all the time. If your career takes off, that's great, and you could make enough to be set for life. But if it doesn't, and you skipped college to give it a shot, you could end up with dim prospects for the future.

Poor and Alone: Not as Glamorous as it Sounds

Even after a week or month of meetings and go and sees, you may still not have gotten even one modeling job; some models have a harder time than others getting a career off the ground (and others find theirs never takes off). One client after another may decide you're not exactly right for them. You may be completely broke living in a teeny two-bedroom apartment with six other models and surviving on peanut butter and jelly sandwhiches. Besides not having any money, you can become extremely depressed expending all that time and energy trying to find a modeling job, only to be rejected again and again.

Meanwhile, your friends at home may still live in their own rooms in their parents' house, have full access to a well-stocked refrigerator, a TV, stereo, video games, a phone, and a car with gas already in it. Except for the occasional problem at school or work, they live pretty cushy and stress-free lives. But if you want to be a model, you may have to forego these comforts of home.

Rejected and Dejected

We've all had some disappointment or rejection in our lives--we didn't make the school play, didn't get that cushy lifeguard job, didn't ace the test we studied for all semester. Models have to deal with that rejection every day, all day. I've gone on as many as 15 go and sees in one day--killing myself rushing around town to make sure I was on time to every single one. Even though I was exhausted and had aching feet by the end of the day, sometimes not one of the clients I met ended up hiring me.

There probably isn't on other business in the world in which one human being can recieve as much rejection as in the modeling industry. So if you decide you wan to become a model, get ready! Plan to have doors slammed in your face and hear very blunt criticisms of your body and features: Her hips are to wide; his shoulders are too small; we don't want any black girls (yes, i really did hear that once!); no Asian girls; her jaw's too square; and so on.

So if you decide you want to have a modeling career, you'll need to be prepared for a whole lot of rejection. Even though you eventually learn that these comments aren't meant to hurt you personally, it's hard to deal with them every single day. But it's a fact of life in the modeling business.

Missing Out on Fun

Many professional models who rise to the top of the industry start their careers when they're as young as 13. (Age 15 or 16, however, is the average.) Usually, they continue to attend high school and may model just on Christmas break, spring vacation, and during the summer. Other times, they may choose to miss a few days of school for a very important assignment.

As exciting as it may sound to spend your vacations modeling in a big city, the reality is that while your friends are having fun going to the beach, attending parties, shopping together, playing tennis, or learning to drive, you may be exhausted from walking around a large city all day, map in hand, going from one job interview, known as a go and see, to another. Believe me, being lost on the streets of Chicago after your twentieth go and see in 95-degree heat is neither fun, exciting, nor glamorous. And yet it's an aspect of modeling you don't see on television shows.

The Dream Vs. Reality

The reality is, the vast majority of models will never reach the supermodel stratosphere of limos, champagne, and million dollar paydays. To give you just one example, of the thousands of girls who every year enter the Elite Model Look--a nationwide model search contest to find the next generation of models--only a few of them end up with modeling contracts with the Elite Modeling agency, and maybe just on of them--if she's lucky--may go on to supermodel status.

Although the rewards can be incredible for those fortunate few, a professional modeling career at any level involves a lot of hard work and sacrifice--many models have to leave their friends, boyfriends, and family behind to move to a big city where they can pursue a career. They also usually need to leave or defer going to school in order to model or make special arrangements to complete their basic education. Because most models travel so much, they may need to live out of a suitcase, wearing the same few outfits for weeks at a time, spending more time sitting on planes than at home. Many models, feeling lonely and homesick, also get caught up in drug or alcohol abuse, or are taken advantage of by abusive boyfriends; many end up losing everything they worked so hard to earn. Before you decide whether you want to pursue modeling, it's important that you get a realistic picture of what a career entails.

Why become a model?

• The Reality of Modeling
• The different levels of Modeling
• What type of modeling is right for you?

The million-dollar paychecks. The closet full of designer clothing. Jet-sitting from Paris to New York to Jamaica. Flocks of men pursuing you. Your face on the cover of magazines. Fans from all over the world asking for your autograph. Dressing up and getting your hair and makeup done--and getting paid for it. Who wouldn't want to be a model?

But the truth is, this is the side of modeling you see only in the movies, on TV, and in magazines. Sure, for a very fortunate few supermodels--perhaps 10-20 women in the world at any one time--this is a true picture of a modeling career. But behind all the glitz and glamour is a completely different reality and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. Although female models garner more attention than male models, they face many of the same obstacles.

Do you have what it takes to be a Model? Quick Quiz!

So, you want to be a model but not sure if you got the right thing going for you? Answering the questions in this quick quiz will help you out!

1. You were supposed to start working on an important book report a month ago. It's now the night before it's due. You:

A. Call your friend to see if she has the book
B. Are almost finished reading the book.
C. Are halfway finished writing the report
D. Put the finishing touches on the finished product

2. The clothes you wore yesterday are:

A. On the floor where they fell off your body
B. On the floor under the bed where you kicked them
C. In the family hamper
D. Washed, dried, folded, and put away--you do your own laundry

3. You're old enough to:

A. Cross the street
B. Baby-sit
C. Drive
D. Get your ears pierced

4. You're sitting in your favorite class next to your best friend. How long can you go without talking to her/him?

A. 10 seconds
B. 10 Minutes
C. You don't say anything to her/him, but 10 minutes before the bell, you pass her/him a note about your after school plans
D. The whole class

5. The cutest guy/girl in the school wants yout to go for a swim at a romantic but dangerous cove where a bunch of kids have been hurt. You:

A. Buy a new swimsuit and shave your legs
B. Practice your crawl in the school pool in case something happens
C. Agree to go, but invite along some friends who took lifesaving classes
D. Politely decline--a guy who doesn't care about your safety and well-being isn't worth dating.

6. The foods you eat most often include:

A. Candy, chips, and soda
B. Hamburgers and French fries
C. Cereal, sandwhiches, and juice
D. Fruit, vegetables, and fish

7. You need a step stool to reach:

A. The bathroom sink
B. The top shelpf of your locker
C. The place where your mom hides the cookies on top of the refrigerator
D. The moon

8. You joined the school drama club because you really love to act. But instead of playing the lead, you're stuck painting backdrops and hauling furniture backsate. You:

A. Quit as soon as you learn about how you were cheated out of a part
B. Miss a lot of rehearsals to show them how unhappy you are
C. Do everything you're asked, but really slowly and sullenly
D. Act as cooperative as possible, because a good attitude may help you land a part next time.

9. Your relationship with your parents most resembles which movie:

A. Saving Private Ryan
B. Clueless
C. Hope Floats
D. Sense and Sensibility

10. How did you pay for your most recent clothing purchase?

A. You whined until your mother gave you the money
B. You hit your dad up for money when your mother was out of the room
C. You paid for half with your baby-sitting money, and your mom paid for the other half, because you also needed money for a new CD.
D. You saved up your money for your part-time job

11. How long would it take you to find your school ID card in your room:

A. 2 years
B. 3 days
C. 10 minutes
D. 7 seconds

12. You have an 11:00 curfew. As the clock strikes 11, you're:

A. Just starting another game of pool
B. Looking for your car keys
C. Careening home in your car, breaking every speed limit
D. Walking in the door

For every A answer, giver yourself 1 point. For every B answer, give yourself 2 points. For every C answer, give yourself 3 points. For every D answer, give yourself 4 points.

If you scored 36 points or more, congratulations! You're definently on the right track to a successful modeling career.

If you scored 24 to 35 points, you may have what it takes to be a model, but there may be soem things you need to work on. Look at the questions where you scored only one or two points, and work on improving those things.

If you scored 23 points or under, you're probably a lot of fun and the life of the party, but you have a way to go before you're ready for the responsibilities of a professional modeling career.