A Day in the Life of a Professional Model

When we live in a world with the Next Top Model franchise it could leave you feeling overwhelmingly like you understand the day in and day out’s of a model’s lifestyle. Let me be the first to tell you, if you aren’t living the life of a model you have no idea what a week in the life of a model looks like. NO: all models aren’t popping pills till 3 A.M. and rolling on to set picture perfect and ready to go. No: all models aren’t being flown off to the most foreign beaches in the world by a client and NO: all models aren’t living in a small model house with thirteen other models.

Read on to see the real lifestyle of a model…

where models live…

London and Italy are hot spots for models but if you’re in the states you’ll find the most opportunity in New York or, where I reside, in Los Angeles. I also hear good things about the Chicago, Washington and Atlanta markets. In a post COVID-19 pandemic world the arts and entertainment industry has adapted to zoom meetings and self tape auditions giving small town models a chance to shine without necessarily needing to live in the city where you are shooting or even represented. However, the type of modeling you do will still be highly influenced by your location. Currently I’m repped by Los Angeles and Hawaii based talent and modeling agencies, that’s because as a petite model, what I lack in height I make up for with talent as a trained actor, dancer and certified yoga coach. Los Angeles is a place fruitful with talent agencies and as a model who does both print and commercial modeling it makes since for me to be in Los Angeles where a lot of commercials are being filmed. Also, Hawaii has a shortage of Black or African descent models so finding representation in that area was a strategic move for me in being booked and blessed. See how location is so important? As a petite model it wouldn’t have been the best strategic move for me to have started my modeling career as a runway model in New York City. Not saying that it wouldn’t have been possible but like I said location, location, location. Modeling is like starting any other kind of business; it pays to have strategy. Another example, I’m a professional dancer and one of the types of modeling I do is fitness modeling so being in a city where there are elite dance companies, trainers, and fitness agents are primarily found in a big city like Los Angeles so that’s where you’ll find me growing my business!

what models do: a potential model week looks like…

Models are many things such as artists, producers, strategist and business oriented entrepreneurs. Often models are multihyphenate talents such as myself - I’m a certified yoga teacher with my own private yoga and mindset coaching business and I’m a model. I’m an ecommerce entrepreneur (see yoga mats above) and I’m a model. I created designs for my online store The Hummingbird Hood full of fashionable clothes, trendy décor and lifestyle essentials and I’m a model. Many models have jewelry lines or clothing companies - take my friend Nia Hutchington, dancer and model, for instance, with her new fitness appeal company Muse Wear where “fashion meets fitness”.

Want me to spill some tea? The truth is, modeling is the only industry I know of that can take up to a month to get paid. That’s why models can’t sit around all day waiting on a check - no matter how big it is! Here’s an outline of a typical week in my life as a model, in fact, this was my schedule just this past week right before heading off to vacation. As you can see my week is highly scheduled, I live by my daily outline however this particular week did not include any in person auditions, acting or dance classes so it’s a lighter week than most. Also note that every models week looks different based on there artistic and entrepreneurial pursuits and even my schedule shifts from week to week:

Sunday:

8am-12pm: Submit to acting, dancing, modeling castings on Casting Networks, Casting Frontier and Actors Access
Relax

Monday:

7am: wake up and start my day with a meditation sessions, shower and a stretch
8-10am: answer emails, look over my to do list OR work with private yoga clients online
11-12pm: Accountability screenwriters group meeting
12-2pm: Lunch
2-6pm: Research videos and articles for my blog and YouTube channel on whatever topic I’m making content for that week
Wear a Facemask to prepare for my commercial modeling booking

Tuesday:

7-10am: grocery shopping, get car brakes fixes or whatever domestic task needs to be done around the house
10-12pm: writing session for my tv series pilot
12-2pm: lunch
2-5pm: wash and style hair for booking
5-6pm: nail salon appointment (the client asked me to get my nails done)

Wednesday:

7-10am: wake up and start my day with a meditation sessions, shower and a stretch
10-12pm: writing session for my tv series pilot
12-2pm: lunch
2-4pm: Update my modeling portfolio and website
4-6pm: work with private yoga clients

Thursday:

8-10: answer questions from customers regarding my online store The Hummingbird Hood
10-12pm: writing session for my tv series pilot
12pm: pack for photoshoot
4 hour shoot with props and male models
Dinner

Friday:

8-10am: complete 2 selftape modeling auditions
10-12am: write tv series
12-2pm: lunch
2-6pm: write blog post

Saturday:

7-10am: wake up and start my day with a meditation sessions, shower and a stretch
11-1pm: write
1-2pm: lunch
1-3pm create new designs for The Hummingbird Hood
4-6pm: pack for flight
6-9pm: wash and style hair

Sunday:

11am: Flight

how models prep…

As you can see from my schedule above there are a variety of tasks models need to do each week to maintain there best selves inside and out. I do a lot of fitness modeling but this week was a lifestyle shoot so I skipped my workouts this week to go for a lean look in my arms versus chiseled dancer arms. If I had a more fitness oriented shoot you better believe I’d go heavy on the planks.

In my modeling contracts it literally states to keep my appearance up if I want to maintain an active relationship with the agency. So to maintain my current look I do a facial twice a week and do my deep condition hair routine every five days and workout at a minimum of three times a week of either yoga, cardio, dance or HIIT training. This week was unique as the client asked me to also get my nails done as well (with reimbursement of course). I also take online acting classes to brush up on and learn new skills that will benefit me both as an actor and model.

Stay tuned for my next blog posts on “What’s in my model bag aka what to bring to a model casting” and “how to develop your personal style”.