Modeling & Acting 101 - A Model/Actor's Diary

Aspiring runway models are perhaps the most intimidated when it comes to the runway walk. This post is to assure you that this part of the industry is not one that you should be losing sleep over. It goes without saying that you can't be a runway model if you don't know how to walk. However, at the same time, we all have to start somewhere. No agency expects a new/inexperienced model to come into their offices with a walk the likes of Gisele Bundchen. So if you are on an agency hunt it is okay if you are not a master at this type of walking. When you attend an open casting call for modeling agencies that represent runway models, they will ask you to walk for them. While this can be pretty scary for first timers, the agency isn't there to embarrass you or make fun of you (it's not a reality show!). Nor do they expect your walk to be dead on perfect, either. All agencies want to see is how your body moves naturally. They'll give you feedback and tell you what to...

Deanna Wrote: Hi Dania! :) I just applied to be a ford model the other day (through their website) and they replied to me the next day! (which was super exciting haha) now they're asking me to send in more pictures wearing a bikini and more profile shots, as well as my runway walk I really want to make a good impression so do you have any tips for me? :) thank you so much!  Hey, Deanna! Kudos on hearing back from Ford right away...that's awesome! :-) In regards to the additional photos you'll be sending, here are some quick tips: - Wear little to no makeup...whatever look you had in your first set of pictures you sent them, stick with that. - Choose an age appropriate swimsuit style that is one solid color that flatters your skin tone (no logos, brand names, images or other distracting patterns on it) - Don't wear heels/shoes or socks. You'll want to be barefoot. - Don't pose in these pictures...at the most you can put one hand on your hip. ...

In order to be a successful fashion/runway model, you have to learn how to walk down a runway. The best advice in a nutshell is to watch fashion shows and take note of the various ways the models walk. No two models walk the same and as you get more experience, you'll be able to own your own style or throw in a little nuance that will set you apart from the other girls. Of course there are a few basic rules of thumb that every runway model should know: Posture There's nothing glamorous about a runway model that is hunched over. Anytime you set foot on that runway, your whole body needs to be upright and alert but not so rigid that you look like a robot. While walking, keep your chin tilted down slightly but not in a way that your whole head is looking down. The audience sits below you during a runway show and you don't want them completely looking up your nose the entire time. It's all in the eyes Anytime you watch a fashion show, the model's eyes are...

Nothing makes aspiring models want to be in the industry more than the idea of strutting down a catwalk. I've had my fair share of messages and inquiries from people asking for tips, resources, tutorials, advice, etc. related to how to do this type of walk. In answering all these inquiries, I realized that it is important for me to point out that when it comes to practicing and developing a solid runway walk, it isn't about imitating exactly what is seen on television and YouTube videos. Male models and female models alike, take note of the title of this blog post. When learning how to do your runway walk, it isn't about copying other people. I often tell newbie models to refer to videos of fashion shows in order to study the models and the different styles of walks there are. These resources are more for inspiration--not to be copied exactly. Truth be told, there are many runway models in those videos whose walks aren't that good. If you've watched enough...

(This blog post will be mainly useful to new/inexperienced female models.) Heels and modeling go together like Oreos and milk. Regardless of the type of model one wants to be, knowing how to walk properly in heels is crucial. Ladies, have you ever put on a pair of heels and automatically felt like a more elegant and grander version of yourself? Wearing heels--for whatever reason--transforms us. It causes us to walk differently and makes us super aware of how our bodies are moving. Don't ask me to explain this phenomenon--it just is what it is. However, nothing is worse than being in a pair of heels that haven't been broken in. It is vital that models of all experience levels--but mainly newbies that may not know any better--start strutting their stuff in any pair of heels they've just bought. Trust me, by doing this your feet will thank you! So what's the hubbub about breaking shoes in? For one thing, it makes wearing the shoes themselves much more comfortable...

Notice I put three exclamation points on my blog post title? That's because this topic, as simple as it may seem, is SO important if you are a new/inexperienced model that wants to do fashion shows! This particular blog post is for all models of all heights that want to be on a runway. I'm not a snob so yes, I am addressing not just models that are participating in huge, top notch fashion shows, I'm also including the smaller, local ones--even the ones put on by fashion design students. They all count as fashion shows and regardless of whether the outfits you'll be wearing are brand name or put together by an aspiring designer, the end result is still the same: you want to make sure you showcase the clothes and rock the runway! New models, if you want to get hired repeatedly for fashion shows, you've got to learn how to walk in high heels. I cannot say this enough times! Although you are new/inexperienced, this is not an excuse to NOT know how to walk in hee...

It goes without saying that modeling is a harsh business. Models are in a profession where being judged and evaluated is just another day at the office. Those who've been in the industry for a long time certainly have the thick skin needed to get through but it's only natural that newbies may have a tougher time getting used to such an uncommon learning curve. I think what is important for newer models starting out to keep in mind is to put everything in perspective. As I've mentioned in previous blog posts, any feedback--positive or negative--isn't a direct reflection of who the model is as a person. It's just business. Piggybacking off that concept, it is vital for new female and male models alike to understand the difference between criticism and constructive criticism. CRITICISM: Pointing out certain faults, flaws, mistakes or shortcomings in a disapproving manner. Example: "Your runway walk is sloppy and your posture is terrible." CONST...

It's always been normal for models to experience slow seasons but with the pandemic still making itself at home out in the world, many of us have been grappling with how to stay productive during a slow year. The modeling business is still thriving--just at a much slower pace and with the holidays now here, many agency offices have either closed for the rest of the year or dramatically reduced its activity since the clients they typically work with have also gone into holiday hibernation. Are you wondering just what to do with yourself in the meantime? Allow me to throw some ideas your way if you've been feeling stuck lately (or for a while): LEARN TO DO YOUR OWN MAKEUP Being self-sufficient is a wonderful trait for a model to have, male or female. Thanks to IG, Tik-Tok and YouTube, being a DIYer couldn't be easier. Playing around with makeup and hair for fun is one thing but step it up a notch and focus on mastering these skills as it relates to modeling. Of course, that d...

It's rare that I meet aspiring models who don't have goals of being in a fashion show and doing their thing on the runway. I can't say I blame them--there's something about being in the spotlight with all eyes on you as you strut down the catwalk. It's a pure adrenaline rush. I've written numerous topics about the runway walk on this blog but wanted to add this post to break down some of the important dos and don'ts that female and male models can learn from, especially if you're just getting into the industry. Remember: you don't have to be in Fashion Week to use these tips to your advantage. Whether you're doing a huge show or have the chance to model in a student fashion show or other type of event, the work atmosphere tends to be pretty similar so going in armed with the info below will help position you to be the type of model that clients will want to work with again and again. DO: ARRIVE EARLY My motto is, "Early is on tim...

I recently received a comment on my post, titled “ The Runway Walk ,” asking if I could briefly talk about how to walk with other runway models. While the comment wasn’t too clear what “walking with other models” meant, I’ll do my best to explain it in this post. In runway shows, you are one of many models, obviously. Most shows leave each model on his/her own to strut down the catwalk, pose at the end and come back. During this time, the next model is already on his/her way towards the catwalk and you may have to pass by them. Most of the time there is no interaction between two models passing each other on the catwalk. However, some fashion shows tend to switch things up a bit and may require that you play off of each other while on stage. In this case, you can do anything from giving a playful wink at each other, turning your head to “stare them down” in a playfully competitive way or even give them a hi-five (this is rare, though in high fashion shows). The majority of fashi...

Anonymous Wrote: Hello Dania, I noticed that you mentioned you did some runway work despite being a shorter model (which is awesome by the way ^_^). I'm only 5'5; However, everyone constantly says I have a stunning walk and suggest runway.Considering my height, print/commercial seems to be the obvious route, but I feel as though my walk would "go to waste" if I never included any runway work. I was wondering if you had any advice on how to get runway work as a short model.  Hi there, Anonymous! In your situation, I would recommend using freelance methods to find runway work for a model of your height. Although I have an agent for commercial/print, they never submit me for runway stuff (for obvious reasons) so I seek those opportunities on my own. It's a matter of knowing where to look, as well as networking with the right people that are willing to take on shorter models. In this case, Facebook became a useful tool for me. I don't know what cit...

ABC Wrote: Hi Dania, I'm wondering if you have any tips for breaking in heels. I tend to get blisters a lot on the knuckles of my toes when wearing heels. Is there a way to prevent that? And why is carpet bad for practicing? My apartment is all carpeted unfortunately. I'm practicing walking because I have a student runway show this weekend. Thanks!  Hey, ABC! Great questions! So to knock out your first question about breaking in high heels, I came across this great article that is filled with tips for handling this situation. Breaking in heels takes some effort but is so worth it so try out the tips/suggestions the article talks about: High Heels: How to Wear Them Pain-Free To answer your second question, there is a huge difference between walking in high heels on a carpeted surface and a flat one, like concrete/pavement. First, the feeling is different--walking on carpet will cause your body to move a certain way and walking on pavement will make your body move a...

One of the first things that I commonly hear from shorter aspiring models that want to get into fashion and runway is, “Well, it doesn’t matter if I’m short, as long as I can wear really tall heels, right?” I hate to be a buzz kill but the answer is “NO.” Any time an agency asks for a model’s height they automatically mean “without heels or shoes of any kind.” So the height they desire is the one you are naturally standing in bare feet. It’s kind of hard to fake that. Agencies will measure you so it doesn’t matter if you strut into the offices wearing the cutest pair of heels—when it’s time to take your height, you’ll be asked to step out of your shoes. On many go-sees I’ve been asked my height, and they often add the following words to the question: “without shoes.” You would think that they would make an exception to the rule for shorter models that can successfully wear 4-inch heels as if they were tennis shoes but as much as I hate to say it, they do have their reasons for tak...

I know that many of you aspiring fashion/catwalk models want to learn the best way to walk. Since I can't be there in person to show you, I decided to browse through YouTube to see what they had to offer. There are tons of fashion show footage on this site but a lot of them focus on the behind the scenes fluff instead of getting right down to the walking. However, I came across this great video tutorial that deals only with the different methods/techniques for doing a runway walk. I wasn't able to embed the video in this post but here is the link to it. I highly suggest checking it out and practicing on your own until you get comfortable enough to do it on cue (ladies, to be the best catwalk model, practice in 4-inch heels--hey, beauty is painful!): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px69eKV5lWk For the aspiring male fashion models, I came across this YouTube video for one of Versace's runway shows. Luckily, I was able to embed the video so here you go, fellas: (Yo...

I gotta tell ya, I've trained a lot of female models when it comes to walking in high heels for runway and fashion shows and almost every time I've almost had a heart attack for fear that one of the girls was going to roll or break her ankle. In the past I've vented about how I really hate the latest trends of high heels that place a lot of weight on the front of the shoe using the "platform style," which automatically makes the wearer feel like she's teeter-tottering. Even I've had to do extra practice in these types of heels. To be quite honest, I'm looking forward to the day when high heels do away with excessive platforms and models can once again go back to wearing heels that promote more stability when walking. But then again, when has being fashion forward ever meant being comfortable? But I digress... Okay, back to what I was saying about training models to walk in high heels...newbies are the ones I worry about the most because they ...

Anonymous Wrote: Hi Dania, Thanks for your post about jewellery! You do a great job making everything look fabulous! I do have a question that I would appreciate your input on - I am a jewellery designer who is about to do her FIRST (eek!) show and I'm expected to wear the jewellery and model it on a runway! Do you have any helpful hints for those of us who have no experience just in the walking part, let alone how to professionally showcase your jewellry? Your thoughts would be appreciated! Thanks Norma J Beads  Hi, Norma! Thank you for your questions and kind words, how exciting to be doing your first show! Yes, it can be nerve wracking to be on the runway for the first time and the fact that you'll actually be modeling jewelry can be super intimidating. However, with practice I am sure you will knock 'em dead! When it comes to walking on the runway, the most important thing to remember is to place one foot in front of the other. It's one simple t...

Hmmm...little ole 5'4" me tearing up the runway? Thought you'd never hear that, huh? Okay, so it's for a college fashion show which isn't exactly New York Fashion Week or anything to brag about, but hey, it's still a fashion show and one that I'm actually volunteering for...yep, no pay. Hard to believe, I know! But I do make exceptions to the rule. While I don't care for fashion shows and the runway scene normally, this sounds like a fun event that will help Brooks College in CA showcase their students' work. Plus, any fashion show that has an open height requirement is one that I will usually want to do, since it's always nice to work with folks who aren't so snobby about how "tall" and "runway" are always together like PB&J and are open to working with shorter models. haha. Last night I was actually practicing my runway walk in my 4 inch heels from Victoria's Secret (they're way sexy, thank you v...

The worlds of acting and modeling both fall under the entertainment industry but they don't always share a lot of the same factors.  Whether you want to become a model or an actor or if you want to do both, it can be helpful to understand exactly what kind of training/background one should have to pursue these paths properly. There's always an opportunity for misinformation to arise or people identifying a chance to make a quick buck with engaging content encouraging model and actor hopefuls to pay X amount of money to fast track them towards success. While the industry has evolved and adapted to keep up with the latest happenings online and in the real world, not all of it has completely changed. Many of the same things that were true for getting into the industry back in the day still holds true today. In this post, I'll focus on modeling specifically. DO MODELS NEED FORMAL TRAINING TO SIGN WITH AN AGENCY? The short answer is, "No." Why? Because modeling is the ...