16 September 2007

Modeling update: the past three weeks.

I had been requested for the casting for the first-ever Burberry Prorsum Fashion Show in Millennium Park in Chicago, which would have been quite a show to get--Burberry is one designer that I actually really like. But alas, it was the same day as my dear friend Chad's wedding. Chad & Rachel's wedding was definitely more important than any fashion show! They had a lovely wedding in Greenville and I was so happy to be there for their beautiful day and see Chad's family. Keith had a game in Iowa, so I made the trip by myself. I also got to hang out afterwards with my old friend from Bushnell, Lisa, who is a student at Greenville. She gave me a campus tour. Thanks, Jill Hartman on Facebook for the photo. I had forgotten my camera.

Last week (3rd-9th) I had two print castings: Tuesday for Office Max and Wednesday for a medical uniform catalog. Also on Wednesday was small group with the other Christian girls with Elite. On Tuesday I had super-encouraging times with my friend Alli from Moody before the casting, and my friend Mireille from Elite afterwards. Then on Wednesday after the small group, I had coffee with Elise & Meredith, and that's when Elise gave me my silk wrap dress (for doing the print job for her)! Here is the dress (this isn't me modeling in these pictures). It can be worn endless ways! Mine is this beautiful blue-green color that is not shown.

On Wednesday after my casting I stopped in at the agency to drop something off, and my runway booker, Alyssa, had this list of things for me to do for the next two weeks. She hadn't heard anything from the print division about my new plan. *sigh* Communication.

So I was back up Friday for a runway casting. Also on Friday I got a bang-trim, and got tea with Lois, a newer friend of mine at Elite who's part of our small group. I'm amazed at how God has richly blessed me with friends who love him.

So, this past week I had to do the two jobs that Alyssa had booked me for, but I skipped the other casting because it was for a job that would not pay enough. The jobs she had booked for me were Monday and Saturday, and basically the same job both days. It was a show & "informal" at Saks Fifth Avenue on Michigan Ave. for their "Want it!" fall campaign, showcasing "fall's most coveted trends". Each floor at Saks had four models showcasing a new trend. The audience moved from floor to floor with a woman named Nena from Saks who explained the trends. I was on the second floor and we were "the cropped jacket". I wore a Zac Posen skirt/jacket/blouse combo in olive green (second from right in the picture below). On Monday we had two of these shows, and then yesterday there was one.
The rest of the time we did informal. Here is a modeling lesson: An "informal" is a job where you walk around a department store in designer clothing (essentially, living, walking, talking mannequins) often holding a small sign displaying the designer's name whose clothing you are wearing (example, right). You usually spend about 30 minutes walking around per outfit. Thanks to Meredith for taking this photo and the one before.


The last outfit I wore for the informal yesterday was this breathtaking dress (left) by Alexander McQueen. I loved it. It was so well-made, and beautiful, and it was my color. I seriously felt ready to walk down the red carpet. Thanks Elena (model to the right of me in the two previous photos) for taking this one in the dressing room with her iPhone.

Nena at Saks wanted all the models to have tons of makeup on-- "smokey eyes" with false lashes and red lips ("drag queen makeup", my runway booker calls it). I am not a makeup artist. I am not good at applying very heavy makeup. So Meredith was walking with me up to Saks, and she suggested that instead of doing my own makeup in some public restroom (which is pretty much what I always do in Chicago) that I stop and get it done for free at a makeup counter in a department store. GENIUS! I would have been too timid (or scared of being pressured into buying something), but with Mere's encouragement, I went to the MAC counter in Marshall Field's (I'm refraining from calling Field's by its new name) and got it professionally done for free. And Faith, the makeup artist (She was super-cool. She's an artist & works for MAC part-time.), didn't even pressure me to buy anything! MAC was even hosting an event about the smokey eye look that day. Smokey eyes with false lashes & red lips done professionally for free: check. Definitely going to remember that for future jobs I have to do my own makeup for. (And readers, remember the makeup counters in department stores when you want to get your makeup done professionally for free.)

Meredith spent the whole day with me yesterday! When I arrived at Union Station in the morning we met at Corner Bakery for an oatmeal date. Then she hung out with me while I got my makeup done, and watched the show and some of my other informal modeling at Saks. Brandon also met up with us there, because I had texted some Chicago friends about the show. After the job was over, Bran, Mere & I had dinner together at Bella Luna Cafe before I (barely) caught my train back home.

7 comments:

MeredithJoy said...

sorry. i would totally send you those pics but all we have is memory cards that pop into our computer, and your memory card it too big!

Anonymous said...

oh, no problem. thanks for trying!

i'll just get it wednesday. xo

nataliemma said...

This post was fascinating! I liked a detailed look at your life and job. That "informal" sounds real neat! You DO look like you could have walked down the red carpet in that. We were watching America's Next Top Model Saturday afternoon and you know when Tyra repeats in her annoying way the prizes for the top model and the contract with Elite? I casually mentioned, "that's Lindsay's agency..." and I just love people's reactions!! They usually think I'm joking. (This was the season that Jaslene won...Natasha was 2nd).
A walking, talking manequin. I love it!

Anonymous said...

wow, thanks nat!

it's SO satisfying & helpful to hear what my friends find interesting to read in my blog.

i love feedback!

StL Steeles said...

Hey... fun post. It is good to hear what's going on with you. And that's cool that you got that dress for doing that print job. Would you have any time to go through Ali's old baby clothes in the near future and pick out any 12-24 month fall/winter/spring stuff? I would appreciate it SO much if you're able!!!

nataliemma said...

That's so funny because Alexis kept saying the same thing: "I'm sorry, we really don't have to keep talking about this." And we were all sitting there, our eyes bugging out like "oh um, well if you don't want to talk anymore it's ok. It is pretty personal and all... but we really don't mind! No one talks about this! Married life has turned into a black box which friends enter but never seem to return...!" That's an exageration, but we were just as surprised that she thought we wouldn't want to hear about it all as she was that we actually wanted to hear anything she was willing to tell us! ;)

Ha ha... yes, girl weekends forever! If college is the peak of one's life, that would be so very depressing. I refuse to even consider that. A year to transition makes sense, but I'm already feeling much better. You've just got to regain your footing... emotionally, spiritually, relationally, socially... college isn't very real if you think about being surrounded by people the same age, mostly socio-economic class, goals, work-ethic, etc. all in one place. So real is good. But of course, harder.

Anonymous said...

yes, and i think there are certain positive aspects of college life that are good to be preserved beyond college--like strong community (but other parts are very unrealistic &/or undesirable).

i just think true community is a huge thing that we're missing in our american lives. and often college is the closest we get to experiencing it (outside of marriage). it's almost like people see individualism as maturity. but i don't think that's the way God designed us.

we need to share our lives (like you guys did this past weekend). God created us to need each other; to need community.