As a model, I succumb to the pressures of looking like the quintessential girl 24/7 - skinny, flawless, and dolled up. When I meet someone new and they find out I'm a model, I feel like I have to disclaim myself with "Oh, I know I don't look like one, but I transform completely on set. Just look at my pictures and then make judgments." Some of my pictures don't have the best representation of me, as they can look like a totally different person! I recently came across a quote from Canadian model Coco Rocha that really put a smile on my face - I'm definitely not alone. This is what she had to say:
"You see a model walking down the street and she's wearing jeans and a T-shirt, no makeup, her hair down, and she looks like a regular girl. For me just to look 'natural' in a photo takes two hours of hair and makeup, good lighting, styling, and Photoshop--and six hours later, you have the picture. But when I go home, it's just me with no makeup, pimples, and a pair of baggy pants. That's life--the rest is just fantasy. We all need to remember that a photo is just what beauty was to one photographer on one day. You can't compare yourself to those pictures. You are real. Photos are two-dimensional. Beauty is three-dimensional. Your confidence, your personality, your presence--it all adds to what make you beautiful."
Similarly, I go about my day in yoga pants, no makeup, and my wavy hair let loose. I don't feel incredible all the time, but I at least feel truly me when I'm joking around with my coworkers or having a fun time with friends - you tend to forget what you look like!
