Big City vs Little City models...

Well, I might as well start somewhere so I thought I would start here. There is a lot of basic information about this business that people don't have so I am going to start out with the difference between big city modeling and "little city" modeling. (if you aren't living in a city like NYC, LA, Chicago, Miami or Dallas- then you are a "little city")
In a BIG city there are "rules"....lots of them....you have to be a certian height and weight AND have a certain look. (and the look could depend on which way the wind blew up Fifth Avenue this week- it changes all the time) Usually the Big modeling agencies in the BIG Cities are looking for girls 5'9" and over who are THIN (and by "thin" I mean scary-sharp-hip-bones-sticking-out-over-the-waistband-of-your-Seven-for-all-mankind-jeans thin").
Yup- we're talkin' thin here.
Why do they have these rules you ask? Why does Tom Cruise only date gorgeous women? Why do gym teachers make you do push ups? Why does my puppy do his business on my living room rug? ANSWER: Because they can! They have the power- they make the rules. Period. That is the short answer. Here is the long answer. There are different types of models: Print, TV, editorial and runway to make it easy. The runway models have to be tall because the designers like how their clothes look on tall skinny people (no duh). So, if you are a modeling agent in a BIG city and you are going to hire a model, wouldn't you want a model that could be fit into all of these categories? I mean if you hired a gorgeous healthy 5'4" girl for your agency and the call came in for a "runway model" you wouldn't want to have her end up in the mix would you? LOL. So if you have ONLY skinny 5'9" or taller girls in your agency you would never have to worry your head about such things. Simple. (remember folks, I am just reporting the rules, not making them up or endorsing them)
**** For the record, the average "Super Model" is 5'11" and 117lbs. The average WOMAN is 5'4" and 140 lbs. (wow) So that's how it is in the BIG city.

Now for the good news: In a little city you don't have to be tall! Hot Dang!

Why don't you have to be tall in a little city? Because little city agents (that's me) don't usually have designers coming in and ordering up a weeping willow of a girl to strut down a runway. In little cities we have malls with clothes for average size women and if they were to spring for a fashion show there wouldn't be enough 34" inseamed pants to go 'round. I can't imaging if I had to outfit a gaggle of girls who were all over 5'9"- impossible! (I happen to be over 5'9 and until a year or two ago could barely find pants to fit just me) For all intents and purposes, a little city is a designer free zone. The jobs we send models out on are for local companies like furniture stores, banks, medical supply companies and the like. I can't think of one of these stores that would hire Giselle. She would stick out like a sore middle finger. So take heart. If you are NOT 5'11 and 117lbs there is a place for you in this business and it is probably in your own back yard. That is just one of the differences between them and us. More to come....

Copyright Ann Marie Stonecypher, All rights reserved