The million dollar question I have been asked maybe one million times: How can I be a plus size model? How do you make it? How can I succeed? Well, dears! I can only tell you that you have to work hard and show up every day until you make it. Here you have some advice from a seasoned plus-size model to you! And if you have any questions, let us know in the comments below.
HOW TO START YOUR CAREER AS PLUS SIZE MODEL?
Before anything else, it is important to know this is a very difficult industry. There are tons of double standards yet to smash. Having a very thick skin is a must, being exposed to the public, to social media is an experience no one is ready for. This career is not for the weak or heart-fainted.
First thing first, you need to take care of yourself. There is the strong preconception that we don’t mind about appearance because we are plus size: WRONG. We need to take care of our skin, hair, nails, we shouldn´t gain weight, and the list goes on. Your body and face is your business card and must be absolutely perfect.
Exercise, meditate and keep your beauty routines on a daily basis. Your body and face have to be ready all the time. You never know when you will meet a client or a good opportunity shows up.
YOUR BIG HELPERS
There are a few tools or tips to make you build a career, but there are definitely two that will make you be noticed:
- Network: go to events, exchange numbers, get to know people, and please be very careful with who you hang out with. There are a lot of scammers, fakers and not so good people. Your reputation is priceless.
- Engage with the brands: in all your social media, which is pretty much the only way you have to be seen and notice, make sure you tag and talk about the brands you would like to work with. They are always looking for new faces, mostly they look for signed models, -which reduce the possibilities for free-lance models- however, you never know if you get lucky enough and you are what they are looking for. Tag them, use their hashtags and most important keep your social media clean and classy that is your portfolio.
- Professional pictures: is always important even if you haven´t started on this business that you have your portfolio. And don’t forget to renew it every 6 months. Your portfolio must be online and physical.
- Invest in yourself. This is not a cheap career. You need to invest in your body, photos, education, training, etc., always keep that in mind.
THE BIG DON´TS
There is a list of things that you should never do if you want to become a plus size model or a model as a matter of fact. For the sakes of your career, your reputation, and the industry:
- Keep it real. It´s very common to hear about self-proclaimed models. Don´t be one of them. You may have tons of opportunities, but eventually the truth will be known. If you are not a model just say it.
- If you have not signed with an agency, try to hire a manager or a publicist. It is exhausting to be a multitasking model. It is very hard to keep on like this for long.
- Never stay laid back. You need to be constantly getting training, education and improving yourself. After 26 years of career, I still practice my runway and photo pose at least once a month.
- Lack of humbleness takes you to nowhere. In a career so unstable and changing as modeling you shouldn´t have the wrong attitude. Keep it humble. One day you can be in the top of a mountain, but another day you may not, and it may last for long. Being humble is for free.
Be constant, stay strong, work hard (and clean). It is important to be a good listener, follow instructions and understand when there is something you might not be good at. As a model, you need to have what I call a “wow factor” that not everybody has. Ask real connoisseurs for a bit of advice or mentoring. It´s very common for us editors to hear about bad attitudes of some aspiring models. If you are not made for this, you are not, as sad and disappointing as sounds.
Modeling is a career, like any other. Embrace it, honor it, cherish it, love it, but most of all, respect it.
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