Modeling 101 - Answering Reader Questions

Lily Wrote: Hi, My name is lily  im 13 years old and i have always watched the victorias secret fashion shows growing up. i have done a lot of research the past couple of weeks and i really wanna be an angel im just a little confused how to get there i understand i should go to the ford and elite agencies when i turn 18. Modeling is my dream job and i really want to achieve this dream. i dont understand do i need to go to some modeling college when i graduate high school or do i just jump right into getting a spot with ford or elite. and if i do jump right into getting a spot with one of them should i just move to new york city. i live in arizona right now, and my height right now is 5'2. im a redhead with blue and green mixed eyes and i found out they are very good models because there isnt very many..(lol) one more question if i went to an appointment would i get into trouble for wearing makeup or do i not wear makeup because my eyelashes are blonde so you cant really see th

Anonymous Wrote: Hi Dania! I just want to say I love your blog so much! It has taught me so many great things. I have wanted to be a model for a long time. I am currently 19 years old and live around the St. Louis, MO area. I went to the Tribute Model Search for Mother Model Management a few months ago but I never heard back. Obviously I am a bit discouraged. Do you have any suggestions as to where I should go from here? Do you think I should try to attend another open call of theirs or would it be silly since they have already seen me and apparently were not that interested? To give you an idea, I am 5'8" and weigh around 130. My measurements are around 33-25-36. Thank you so much for any feedback!! Hi, Anonymous! So happy to hear how my blog has helped you! For now pass on attending another open call for them (the rule of thumb is to wait at least 6 months from the time you first submitted before trying again). Below are other agencies in St. Louis that you sho

Anonymous Wrote: Hi, Thank you so much for this blog it has helped me so much! Say for example you wanted to become an VS angel. Do you need to be signed with an agency? If there was a day where you could come for an audition could you fly over to the country, if you didnt live there, and audition? If they accepted you would you be able stay for the show then go back home? Thank you so much. Sorry about the long question :) Hey, Anonymous! You're very welcome and don't apologize--asking questions is how you get answers. :-) To learn more about how to be considered for VS modeling you'll want to read my blog posts below to find out about the specific requirements: http://amodelsdiary.blogspot.com/2008/04/want-to-be-victorias-secret-model.html http://amodelsdiary.blogspot.com/2011/12/want-to-be-victorias-secret-model-part.html Unfortunately, companies like Victoria's Secret need their models to be in New York so flying back and forth isn't going to be

Charlotte Wrote: great post - as per usual. i love your blog!!! i do have a question for you though... do i apply to an agency abroad? i really want to become a model but i am not conventionally pretty. i am 16 years of age, 5 foot 8.5 , very slim and i am quite photogenic, however i keep being turned away by agencies (i live in the uk) would it be mad for me to go abroad and get signed by an agency or shall i give up my dream of pursuing becoming a model?? (obviously that is the last thing i want to do - but maybe i just don't want to hear the truth idk) THANK YOU SO MUCH idk what to do Hi there, Charlotte! I'm glad you're able to find my blog of use, I appreciate you being a reader! It is difficult to be a model in the US if you're coming from another country. The best way to go about working with an agency in another country is to be represented by an agency in your home country that is a "mother agent" and have them submit on your behalf to t

Anonymous Wrote: Is it possible to fly over seas and see an agency, then get signed, get a gig and fly back home? Hey, Anonymous! Technically, yes, but you'd be hard pressed to find an agency that would be okay with a model flying back and forth every single time. Usually for a model to work with an agency overseas, they will require her/him to live in the country for a few weeks or however long they need them for the season so they can be submitted to as many castings as possible for that duration. When a model goes to a casting or go-see, it is the model that is responsible for the cost to get to and from seeing the client. The costs of flying from your home country to the country where your agency is will end up costing a small fortune so it wouldn't be realistic to go back and forth each time. You'll have to eventually plan to reside in that country for a little bit then go back home when the modeling season is over. So those are factors you need to keep i

Anonymous Wrote: What is the process of getting into a magazine? Would it be possible as a teen to get onto magazines, such as Vogue? Modelling is my dream, I just can't get my head around it all at the moment. How do you apply for agencies like FORD if you're living somewhere else? can you apply as a teenager? Thank you so much for this blog, I love it! Hi, Anonymous! Let's tackle your questions one at a time: What is the process of getting into a magazine?  The most effective way to accomplish this is to get signed to a modeling agency and start booking work, which would include magazine print work. Would it be possible as a teen to get onto magazines, such as Vogue? Back in 2012, Vogue magazine created an initiative to show the world it cared about protecting the welfare of its models. One of those initiatives was no longer using models under the age of 16. But they already broke that rule threes times but apparently they've been working hard to make

Anonymous Wrote: Can you apply for an agency outside of your country? Hi, Anonymous! Anyone can apply to an agency outside of their country but the chances of gaining interest from an international agency is much more challenging than one would think. In many instances, agencies in other countries aren't as likely to consider an unsolicited submission from an individual that does not live there. The more effective way to submit to international agencies is to already be signed to an agency in your home country that is a "Mother Agent." Mother agencies have the authority and network to place their models with other agencies in other markets, both nationally and internationally. To learn more about mother agencies, you can check out the link below: http://amodelsdiary.blogspot.com/2011/12/understanding-role-of-mother-agencies.html It is more likely for an agency in another country to trust working with a model that is coming from a mother agency they've