Haha, many. But one that quickly came to mind is when I was working in Athens, Greece. The outfit was a pair of silver pants and a sheer white top. I took one look at the shirt and wondered where the rest of it was. Realizing I had received the total ensemble, I proceeded to the dressing room.
When I returned, the wardrobe stylist said she could see my bra through the top, and I should take it—my bra—off. Just to show her it was too sheer, I did. I went back into the dressing room and removed my bra. I peeked out to make sure the male photographer wasn’t around, then exited the room. I knew for sure she would agree the shirt was entirely too sheer to be worn alone. Imagine my surprise when she loved the look and told me to go to the set! I didn’t move and told her I would not wear it this way. She said in broken English, “Bra no good, but no bra, okay.” Without saying another word, I turned and went back to my dressing area. I took the top off, hung it on its hanger, and carried it out to her. When she saw me, she yelled at me in half Greek, half English to put the top back on and get to the set. I shoved the wrinkled top into her hands and without thinking, replied emphatically, “You wear it!”
I was furious and unafraid of the stylist, and she knew it. As I gathered my things to leave, the British makeup artist intervened. “You can wear it with something underneath if it makes you more comfortable.” The stylist left the room without a response and never returned. So, having made my point, I returned to the dressing room.
Sure, it would have been easier to go with the flow and shoot the top (sheer as it was) how they wanted it. And chances are, no one in America would have seen it. But my Father would have seen it. I heard once that character is who you are when no one is looking. In this case, we can add, “when no one from America is looking.”
What advice do you have for a girl who wants to go into modeling? How can she keep her heart pure and focused on Christ, while still having fun with the clothes and all the fun, girly things?
Well, first of all, it’s a very cutthroat business. It’s definitely not all fun and games. And unfortunately, it destroys a lot of women. I wouldn’t be in the industry if I didn’t believe God had called me back into it after Bible college. Even then - believing I was prepared spiritually and emotionally to handle the stress related to the industry, it’s been extremely hard at times. The key for me has been holding it loosely. I’ve been willing to hang it up and walk away from it if at any point I felt God wanted my career to end. That’s the advice I’d give another…hold it loosely. (For information about modeling or industry standards, please visit my website: http://www.modeling-christ.com/2011/09/i-want-to-be-a-model/)
And now for the last question...how do you define true beauty?
The standard of the supermodel has changed throughout the years. It began with the rise of the voluptuous Marilyn Monroe. Back then thick hips and a large bust were considered perfection for the iconic woman. In the ’60s the trend changed to the boyish hip-less body style of models like Twiggy (who actually wanted to look like Marilyn!)
In the ’80s the term supermodel was introduced, and with it curvy, toned women like Cindy Crawford and Claudia Schiffer. But as the ’90s approached, Kate Moss brought back the waif and ultra-thin models, and flat chests were the trend. Today, a size 10–12 is considered plus-size in the modeling industry, but the average American woman is 5′4′′ and wears a size 14!
The point is, whether you’re tall, thin, curvy, or boney, you’re always going to compare yourself to someone else unless you embrace who you are. The only standard for greatness is to love yourself from the inside, out. I wasn’t able to do that until I found my identity in Jesus Christ instead of the image in my mirror.
“Instead, it should be that of your inner self; the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is of great worth in God’s sight.” -1 Peter 3:4
Rachel Lee Carter is a professional model, speaker, Bible teacher, and author of Fashioned by Faith. Be sure to check out her book which sheds light on trends, true beauty, modesty and more. Perfect for youth leaders, teen girls, and small group encouragement!