Category: Modeling Stories

Test shoots are essential for models to keep their portfolios up to date. Half of my photos are from jobs and the other half are from non-paying shoots. I hate test shoots. There’s a 50/50 chance I’ll actually receive the photos.… Read more

Commercial auditions are the equivalent of selling your soul to play air guitar with a can of Coke. You’re basically a puppet for casting directors to see how far you’ll go to book a $20,000 paying national commercial. I’ve gone to tons of callbacks for commercials but I have yet to book one of the big ones, I’ve only done the smaller shitty ones.… Read more

If being pretty solves all your problems, then I must be living in some sort of fucked up world that Rod Serling couldn’t even write. Maybe one episode of the Twilight Zone where that crazy broad Janet gets plastic surgery to improve her looks but it does nothing and everyone looks like monsters or something, I don’t actually remember, it doesn’t fucking matter.… Read more

Oh goodie, it’s market month again. That means two things: I’ll make decent money and I’ll be bored out of my fucking mind. I’m actually writing this from a showroom, wearing a nude-colored american apparel one piece swimsuit and uncomfortable heels so I’m ready to run over to a designer’s rack in case clients need to see clothing on a model.… Read more

What if I started this blog with “Hey guys, been SUPER busy lately, no time to update you on my SUPER important life because I’ve been doing SUPER awesome things that YOU wouldn’t understand.” How much would you hate me? SO MUCH!… Read more

I spent last week going to castings and callbacks for a huge client. I did a job for them last year which could afford me a small shitty house in the northern peninsula of Michigan. In hindsight I probably should have moved there and married an ice fisherman.… Read more

I take the subway downtown to the last stop, which is basically the hub of Wall Street. It’s the part of New York where you’d expect to see Gordon Gecko jerking off all over the cobblestone streets and men with briefcases yelling on cellphones.… Read more

I get a call from my agent at 6pm for a 6:30pm casting.

“You’re their favorite, it’s very important Melissa, make sure to look your best. Remember we had that talk about getting as many new clients as possible? Well this is one of them.”

Yeah yeah yeah, I’ve heard that before.… Read more

I’m in my 20s still but would be considered ancient in the modeling world. I have nothing to worry about, really, other than my appearance. That sentence just sounds absurd but it’s my primary burden being a model. You’ve heard all models say “I was SOOO ugly in high school blah blah acne skinny wah wah…” but it was true for me, I had atrocious skin and a dumb lip piercing.… Read more

I stroll down 63rd street looking for a casting for a designer I’ve never met. Usually these things are in studios or offices, rarely are they in actual boutiques. I see an address two numbers above and below where I need to be.… Read more

I believe in equal rights for women, but at the same time my occupation is based on the encouragement of objectifying women for their looks. So what does that say about me other than I look good in sample size Alexander Wang?… Read more

The best memories of my 20’s have been with my friend Jason. He is an intelligent version of Judd Nelson/Jim Carey/Val Kilmer with the style of a 70’s Chazz Palminteri. He works as a stock broker, or something similar, I’ve never really asked.… Read more

My best friend Lizzy tagged along with me on a day of castings during fashion week.… Read more

My life is fashion, yet I wear a version of the same old faded t-shirt, skirt and boots basically every day. I love shopping online and seeing the latest collections from Alexander Wang and Marc Jacobs. I picture myself in the clothes and feel like I would be a better person if I spend $1000 on a dress.… Read more