Bridget Bites : Modeling & Partying

Q:

Hi Bridget!!

I love and adore you soo much :) I want to work as model but my parents think that it's an unethical job with lots of drugs and stuff like this to get the casting. Whats your opinion and experience about that?Thanks.

With love, 
A girl from Greece

 

A:

Hi there a girl from Greece! Thanks for writing in.

I totally get where your parents idea of modeling comes from. It is a very cliché stereotype that models are coked out party machines, subsisting on coffee and cigarettes. And that all bets are off when it comes to getting jobs – lots of back stabbing and bitchiness.

I am here to tell you that nothing could be further from the truth. I definitely would not have lasted as long as I have if it were the reality of modeling. I have got no tolerance for bitchiness and games, my bed time is usually around 8pm, I have never smoked and rarely drink, and my idea of a wild night out consists of walking to the beach to watch the sun set with my husband. The old stereotype belongs in the 80’s when wild behavior was more acceptable. But the fact is that the industry is very different these days. Models are expected to be professional. You cannot miss jobs because you’re hung-over/still wasted (I have never gone to set hung-over/still wasted), as you will never get booked again. You may be able to pull it off once if the client really likes you, but it is not tolerated. Girls get dropped from agencies in an instant if they cause trouble.

There is a shift in the industry towards models being healthy role models for the younger generations. Thanks to instagram and the movement towards active-wear, brands want girls who walk their talk. They want girls who choose green juice over tequila, and dancing at body by simone over at the clerrrrrb.

The fact is that models typically have a short shelf life, and brands have a huge variety of girls to choose from. If you have a reputation as a party girl, you probably wont get booked. It is expensive to put on a photo-shoot, and the client isn’t interested in investing money into something where the talent may not even show up. And if they do, both their eyes aren’t pointing in the right direction. There aren’t a lot of pre-requisites as a model, but that generally is one of them. Plus partying hard typically shows up on your face. It ages you faster, and it shows on your body. Not worth it when your earning potential is what it is.

Modeling is a job. And the most successful models are the ones who treat it that way. They are professional, work hard, save their money and don’t fall prey to stereotypes. I have seen so many girls move to NYC and have to move home after a year or so. To be a success as a model you have to be willing to work hard, and stand for no bullshit. Not much room for non-stop partying there.

I hope this helps!

Love,

Bridget