The Contract

If anyone told me 10 years ago that I would one day be a working model in New York City, I would have laughed at them, to be honest. I have always been obsessed with clothes, fashion, and beauty, and have always been extremely confident.

I matured early, emotionally, mentally, and physically. I was as tall as a lot of the boys for most of grade school. Then came the curves, the giant boobies, and the cheerleading muscles. Some curves turned into bigger curves in college with the sucky state-school gym (not to mention the social anxiety that came along with working out there) and the unlimited cheesy bread.

Despite these changes, as long as I was healthy, I’ve always felt very comfortable in my own skin.

Fast forward to 2016, I started working at a showroom for a British-based lingerie company in Midtown Manhattan. At the time, this was the god-sent door-opening job that I had always wanted and it gave me the opportunity to move to NYC — the city of my dreams. Some of my responsibilities included auditioning, sizing, and managing the models that we would hire for Market Week and trade shows. 

I soon found out that I wore the same bra size as the models, which was surprising at first. Turns out curves and big boobs are important when it comes to lingerie models– who knew! This worked out pretty well for me when it came time to either donate or take home the dated samples (I procured quite the collection).  On occasion, when a quick fit test was needed in the showroom and a model wasn’t immediately available, I would informally step in to help evaluate the fit of a certain bra. I always had fun doing this, and it felt satisfying to be able to help out with the production of a product in such a significant way.

Long story short, this eventually led to me signing a modeling contract with an agency called MSA Models (to read the long version, go here). I signed on as a Fit Model (which, no, doesn’t mean Fitness Model… read my explanation of Fit Modeling here). My agency, which later changed its name to STATE Management, was so helpful in teaching me what I needed to know to succeed. It took me over a year and what felt like a hundred go-sees to book my first gig, but I eventually did, and it only got better from there.

My unwavering confidence and drive were essential in becoming a Fit Model, as it is a world that can sometimes be a little brutal. Overall, the experience has been one of the best things I have ever done. It was worth every dollar spent on photoshoots, every hour spent in Tech Class (“technical class” at my agency), and every subway ride I took to a meeting at a company that would never book me. It’s been a long journey, but one that was truly life-changing and fulfilling. 

Click here to see my STATE Management portfolio.