What Does It Take To Be a Supermodel?

Supermodels don’t grow on trees. Rather they exhibit an array of physiological, psychological, emotional and personal characteristics that coalesce into an aesthetically vivacious channel of expression. With that in mind, let’s take a look at what it takes to be a supermodel in today’s world.

Supermodels are, of course, beautiful and tall. But there’s more to being a supermodel than simply being tall and pretty. There’s a vast abyss between beautiful and distinctively gorgeous. Most supermodels have a certain quality, in some cases a flaw that sets them apart. They are sui generis, unique. This uniqueness goes beyond beauty, entering the realm of the exotic, which encompasses the unusual, the interesting, the mysterious, and aspects of the glamorous.

Along with distinctive or surreal beauty, today’s supermodels have Type A personalities, i.e., they are motivated to succeed. Somewhere inside them lies a stubborn determination to make it to the top. And they are willing to work to achieve success. Don’t let anyone kid you, supermodels work unimaginably hard.

Supermodels also have talent. Specifically, their talent is charisma allied with personality and magnetism. Supermodels exude a palpable charm that can be captured in a photograph. It’s a fugitive quality that shines out; and it goes beyond mere acting.

Supermodels also have symmetry. “Symmetry is the hidden persuader,” says Nancy Etcoff in her delicious book, Survival of the Prettiest. One word says it all: décolletage. High, rounded breasts, cinched waists, tight sleeves to slim the arms. The effect is overwhelming to males. Men worship the female breast. And the experts, the scientists, still are undecided as to why.

High levels of androgens cause the female wasp-waist to disappear. High estrogen manifests in the desired symmetry: narrow waist, slender hips, and height. The child’s doll, Barbie, if given commensurate “realbody measurements would be 36, 18, 33. Marilyn Monroe was 36, 24, 34. Elle MacPherson is 36, 24, 35, with 44-inch legs as an added attraction. Indeed, supermodels are singularities; they are physiological rarities, for they combine height and leanness, along with curves.

That brings us to high heels. Supermodels have to look good in heels. Wearing heels forces women to arch their backs, thrust out their breasts, throw their shoulders back, flatten their stomachs, and plump-out and extend their glutes. Additionally, the leg is elongated and appears more symmetrical to the beholder’s eye.

Thin is still in. Supermodels are 5’9″ to 6′ in height. And they weigh around 110 to 115 pounds. The average American female is 5’5” tall and weighs 145 pounds. An asthenic body with large breasts has become a status symbol in American culture. It’s just that few achieve it.

Slenderness is a fashion – a fashion of the rich and successful, the beautiful. Fashion: “the current style or mode of dress, speech or conduct,” according to Webster’s New World Dictionary and Thesaurus.

Supermodels require an avenue to achieve success. Simply put, they need to find the right agency to represent them. A professional, reputable modeling agency is the antithesis of a “modeling school;” such schools are pervasive and, unfortunately, often little more than rip-offs. Modeling schools want you to sign up for expensive modeling classes. Reputable agencies represent professional models by booking jobs.

Finally, supermodels believe in themselves. They are supremely confident in not only their physical attributes, but more importantly in their talent. They accept rejection as an integral part of their profession, knowing that the tighter the discipline of an art form, the more subjective the criteria of taste.