When most people think of modeling they think of fashion modeling - they think of beautiful slim models walking up and down the catwalks of Paris,the big money,the world wide travel,the celebrity lifestyle. This is of course because a few fashion models have achieved the status of celebrity and they are to be seen everywhere, on the TV, in glossy magazines, at hollywood parties. This is what attracts most girls to modeling.
Yet what you see here is the end product of modeling. It is the achievement of a girls dreams. What you do not see is all the hard work that went into reaching this level, al the disappointments, the endless meetings, the incredible competition, the intense rivalry. The truth is, to make it in the fashion modeling business you have to be incredibly tough and organized. You have to have the ability to get up again when you have a set back, you have to have the character not to lose heart when everything seems to be going against you, and you need the natural talent.
As far as natural talent goes, you should find out pretty early on whether you have what it takes to become a fashion model .Fashion modeling has extremely strict requirements as far as your body measurements go, you have to be above a minimum height and you have to be extremely thin in order to fit into the clothes that you are modeling.
If you decide that the fashion modeling world is for you then be prepared for some hard work and quite a few disappointments.If you have an agent who can get you to castings then you should be prepared to have a lot of meetings before actually getting anywhere. There is an element of practice required before you get an understanding of how you should be in this casting environment. Don't worry and above all don't be disheartened if the first few castings go badly. Just as with job interviews, you need a few practice goes before you start to get into the swing of things. Once you know what kind of environment to expect,things will go a lot better.
You should also remember that once you do get a job ( and this really is an achievment) the pay won't be that great at first. YOu may well find yourself doing a lot of travel in the early years which itslef can be very exhausting. Of course there is no chance of furthering your education and sometimes your standard of accommodation can be poor. Models can well end up living in fairly cramped conditions together in the major European capitals, and it is sometimes in this settng that you may come across drugs, eating disorders, mental exhaustion etc.
It should be said here, I'm not trying to put would be models off fashion modeling, but I am pointing out that it is not just about your figure and your look, it is about your character, your resilience - can you take stress, pressure and disappointment and still come out literally looking like the most beautiful girl on earth. If you can then you are truly exceptional and this is why so few girls make it in this highly competitive industry.
It is of course the competition that makes it so tough to make it as a fashion model. This is why you may well do well to look at other options. Modeling is a huge industry and fashion modeling is just one part. Turn on the television and watch a car advert, or a watch advert or a cell phone advert. The people in these commercials will be good looking but often not incredibly stunning - so who are they ? What is their role ? THese are the commercial models and their world is well worth considering for any would be models.
The competition within commercial modeling is less intense despite the fact that it can be very well paid. The other advantage is that commercial models can remain in employment for far longer than fashion models, who are considered too old when they are actually still quite young !
Commercial models will appear on the TV, in catalogues, on billboards etc. There is a lot of work for commercial models and you are chosen according to how well you suit the product you are advertising. So age restrictions are relaxed and so is the concentration on height and figure. Commercial models can sometimes be referred to as lifestyle models. They are bascially attractive people who we identify with - who basically look pretty much like us.
