A Day in the Life

Of This Kid

This is what I look like right now.

So, this post is mostly for someone who I know reads the blog to find out more about a model's life. Hi, Kate. This is for you*. Since I'm currently in Nuremburg for a shoot, I thought it might be a good time to give a detailed look at a day in the life of a model. Even though it still feels weird to call myself a model after however many years.

It's a little bit like being prepared for a sacrifice or burial. I mean, you arrive, you have your face washed and painted and then someone dresses you and leads you to your final destination (ie the set). Today was a pretty short day: call time was 6:40am, hair, makeup and wardrobe take about an hour and a half, and then we did about 2-3 looks per hour until lunchtime. That's pretty typical for a catalog shoot. Editorial stuff (ie magazine spreads) and beauty work (ie jewellry or cosmetic ads) take much longer.

Then, after lunch, we banged out 5 looks in less than two hours, which is really fast. That meant I had time to come home and Skype in for one of my classes, and now I'm going to get delivery and go to bed. Preeeettty glamorous.


Modelling

Pros: people bringing you coffee, telling you how pretty you are, free travel and free food. Also getting to say boobies in a professional context (ie, "I need some padding. Can someone hand me some boobies?").

Cons: early call times, waiting up to 6 months to get paid, having to shave, pluck, dye, exfoliate etc. regularly, and people pointing out your flaws in a professional context (ie, "Sarah, can you angle your legs to disguise your saddlebags?). Also, unique to this trip was 6 hrs, 45 minutes and 29 seconds on a plane with a broken seat that wouldn't recline. I never knew that 3 degree difference in seat angles mattered so much.

To be honest, I'd put up with a lot worse for a lot less. I'm lucky as balls** and there isn't another day job I'd choose in the world. Except maybe internationally renowned cake taster.

*Actually, Kate has a boyfriend that would say that we don't do anything creative that we don't want to, so this is really for me. And that makes sense, since modelling is important to me that I would want to...ach, you know what? This isn't for YOU, Ken, so get out of my head. 
**Are balls lucky? I feel like they must be. Not sure why, since they're kind of gross but it just seems like they should be lucky.

A few things

Image courtesy of dooce.com and I am very jealous of her.

Spent the last two days shooting a commercial and am totally exhausted. Shooting all day, in class all evening and catching up on emails all night have left me so ready for the weekend. Even better would be a weekend in Miami, but my bed will have to suffice as a warm oasis for now. 

Thought I'd post a few pics from the last few days, just to show what I've been up to. 

View from the tour bus

Like I said, I shot a commercial that involved a) running up and down stairs for hours and hours, b) working with ridiculously attractive people and c) hanging out on a tour bus for a day and taking in the sights of NYC. It was pretty awesome. But I missed seeing this stupid little face.

Also have had loads of castings that have brought me all over the city (not, unfortunately, on a tour bus) and I was able to walk up and down 5th Ave. early one morning. Fifth Ave and the Champs Elysees are currently tied for first place in the Window Shopping Competition of my life.

Marc Jacobs Clutch at Bergdorf's

There is also something about the people coming out of their luxurious apartments and casually flagging a cab or getting into chaffeured cars that is, to me, like a carefully choreographed dance. Slim arms in cashmere coats fly into the air, and cabs slide into place. Expensive men's shoes step gracefully off the curb and step into a car. But my real favorites are the wacky old ladies in elaborate hats tipping their heads to the door men and meandering into the street. Someday that will be me.

Hats. I love them.

So, that's been my week. I like to think my weekend will involve lots of sleep but I have a hell of a lot to do.