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Do you want to know how to feel fabulous every day? How to turn heads in an instant? How to stand out without doing anything? I can show you how.  If you’ve read my latest release ALL I WANT IS YOU or TAMING MARIELLA you know that the heroines (Monica and Mariella respectively) were models. I felt comfortable writing these characters because I used some of my background to shape them. I grew up around models and got to see them as ordinary people. One of my aunts worked in a modeling agency, another family friend has a niece who’s now an international model. I’ve met print models and hand models and I learned from all of them. You can too. You don’t have to model to live a life where you’re complimented, admired, and treated well.

Here are five tips:

  • Only wear clothes that make you feel good. A person who feels good about themselves glows. They have an ‘air’ a ‘charisma’. Get rid of clothes that are too tight or too big or just don’t fit right. I don’t care who bought it for you, if you feel awful in it, don’t wear it. How you feel will show. If you like polka dots wear them! Wear the colors that make you feel alive.

  • Believe compliments. If someone says you look great, say ‘Thank you.’ Don’t deny it by saying ‘Oh this old thing?’ or ‘I still need to lose more weight.’ If you highlight your flaws that’s all people will start to see. Don’t make people feel like liars. Accept their compliments (even when it feels strange) and you’ll start to believe them too.
  • Focus on your assets. Have long legs, but short nails? Thin hair, but a bright smile? Don’t worry about what you don’t have, flaunt your assets. I once met a model who was not ‘classically beautiful’ but her odd features were what made her stand out from the rest and she used that to her advantage.
  • Stand tall. Yes, that means work on your posture. Put your shoulders back, raise your head up and walk like you matter. Why? Because you do. Walking tall with pride is a great and inexpensive makeover. It’s also an instant attention getter. For fun, when my friends and I used to go to the mall we changed our walk. One moment no one was paying attention to us. But the instant we started ‘the walk’ heads turned. People looked and they didn’t even know why. Try it, it’s fun. Pretend you’re someone else—someone famous and important. Act like them and you’ll be amazed at the response.
  • Attitude is everything. Models get turned down all the time. One agency will think a woman is beautiful. Another thinks she’s ugly (and will say so!). You have to believe in yourself. Individuals who have a healthy, successful career are the ones who know their limits, who will stand up for their rights, who will venture into other projects and not depend on anyone to define who they are. I think of the model/actress Jenny McCarthy who was initially told that she’d never make it in modeling.

Be bold, fearless. Know that you’re unique. Celebrate your difference. Whether your skin is dark or light, your hair short or long, your eyes big or small, don’t fall for the ‘one standard of beauty’ myth: You’re beautiful.

That’s a compliment, now just say ‘Thank you.’

© 2011 Dara Girard