Answering a Reader Question #133

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 another way. Carpet provides more of a "cushion," which is much more comfortable to walk on and your body language in your walk will reflect that, which isn't a good thing. Flat surfaces are less forgiving so you want to train your body to handle walking on this type of surface so that you don't have a fear or slipping and/or falling. The majority of runway shows use flat, sleek surfaces instead of carpet. So you want to learn your runway walk in an environment that's as close to the real deal as possible. Even if the student fashion show you're participating in ends up using a carpeted type of surface, learning how to walk on a flat surface from the start will make you better prepared for future shows and encourage good habits when it comes to your walking technique, body language and poise.

If possible, try finding a sidewalk, garage floor or similar type of pavement outdoors that you can practice on since your apartment is totally carpeted. Trust me, you'll notice a difference and it will make your walk much stronger. Good luck on the upcoming show and be sure to strut your stuff! ;-)

Comments

Want to Be a Victoria's Secret Model?

(*Due to the number of comments and questions I get from aspiring models about working for VS, please be sure to read my post on this very carefully. If you don't meet all of these requirements then you cannot become a model for VS. If you are not tall enough, if you are not signed to a top agency, your chances are not good. If you don't meet the requirements, please don't be too upset about it. Find another field of modeling you may be good for. There are plenty of other modeling opportunities for models outside of being a VS angel. They may not be as good or as well-known as VS but it's better than nothing.) I know I’d jump at the chance to be offered a gig modeling for Victoria’s Secret (although I think they’d be irritated by Photoshopping my stretch marks HAHA, yeah, I said it, I’ve got stretch marks!). All silliness aside, the gals of Victoria’s Secret are probably the inspiration for a majority of aspiring models out there. Not only do they get to wear the s...

Modeling & Pay Rates: How Much Should You Charge?

(This post is more targeted towards freelance models and not those with agency representation, although it may apply to those that have an agent but continue to find their own work.) A part of being a successful model is making money from the jobs that you book. However, being a freelance model comes with many challenges--figuring out what you should charge is one of them. I will say upfront that there are no established black and white rules when it comes to pay rates. Each modeling job is different, each client is different and budgets vary. Ultimately the factors that should influence what you charge should be the amount of experience you have, the strength of the images in your portfolio and the client's budget/needs. Not every client is going to pay what you want to charge. There may be times when you will be skipped over for charging too much or taken advantage of for charging too little. It's going to happen so be prepared for it and do not take it personally. It...

How Old is Too Old to Model?

It’s no secret that the media has made a big deal out of youth. Think about it: how many people have you heard say, “Gosh, I can’t wait to get wrinkles!” Worldwide, selling the idea of youth has made many companies billions of dollars. Without the models, however, they wouldn’t get very far. So that’s the obvious stuff but what about the question of age and being older in the modeling industry? Well, for starters, if you plan on being in the fashion and runway field, the younger you are the better. The longevity for this type of modeling is extremely short for the majority of models involved. Agencies sign girls as young as 13 years old and tend to hesitate if a model is over 18. This topic, like the height issue, is a reality of the industry that you don’t have to agree with but you will have to accept or at least get used to. It’s just a plain fact that agencies and their clients can get more work out of youthful models than those who already show the signs of aging. Sadly, this...

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

Search This Blog