America's Next Top Model

     So in the real fashion world this show is a joke, maybe not a big joke, but the winners aren't taken that seriously.  Well The show, to me, is not for the "real" fashion world but for those of us in the regular world who want to be models but don't have the good luck to "make it".  We have ANTM, the show that let's every little girl's dream seem possible.
     Well last night, Cycle 15 of ANTM premiered and I was there to behold my wonderful addition...well, not so much.  I won't lie Tyra lost me a few seasons ago.  The magic was lost for me after cycle 8, really after cycle 6.  I absolutely LOVED Danielle, the winner of that cycle.  To me she was the most real, down-to-earth of the winners (with that deep-south accent).  And the only winner that didn't attitude/stank her way to the top prize.  So I loved her laid-back personality and her accent, Go Danielle!
     But anyway, I digress.  This post is about cycle 15, the newbies.  So I had to ask myself a very important question at the beginning of the episode: Will I watch this season?  Well let me tell you, you will find out later in the post.  Tyra starts the show with her promises of jump-starting a career by changing the game a bit.  This season the winner will get a cover on Italian Vogue.  Wow!  Maybe the fashion world is taking Tyra and ANTM seriously now.  The winner also gets signed with IMG modeling agency now as opposed to Ford models.  So the prizes are still juicy...wish I could apply. *sadface*  But back to the show. 
     So the drama always starts early and I'm so over the drama and the playing the woman against each other.  I understand that we (woman) don't always get along but I am over it.  But personally I get along with my female friends and females in general.  But back to the show.
     What I did like was that they played to the woman's "type".  For the first challenge, the runway challenge, they did direct competition for the different groups or "types" that the modeling world would put the women in.  There were "quirky", "sexy", "strong bone structure", "blonds", and "brunettes".  I think I would make a perfect addition to the "sexy" group.  Just saying.  But back to the show.
    They then moved to the "individual" portion of the show.  Where we get to meet the models individually.  Of course milking the girls for their sad stories and "I'm the over-comer" moments.  We learn that a couple of the girls have kids, one live in a sleeping bag, one had a bad relationship with her mother, one is super religious but will gladly let go of that for ANTM, a couple of them are sisters and more than one of them, if not all, has a lot of work to do in order to become a model.
     We move to the first cut and moved from 32 hopefuls down to 20.  They have the girls first photo shoot where there are a few stand outs that let me know who to keep your eye out for.  Anamaria is beautiful but not strong in pictures.  Unfortunately, Ann, who is becoming one of my favorites because she is tall and lanky and totally awkward, did a horrible job.  The sisters, also 'sistas" did a pretty good job.  I also like them.
     So we move to the nail-biting portion of the show, the Elimination.  There is only enough room for 14 girls.  of course in the announcing of the name there is crying, screaming, shouting, even a girl cutting a step.  So the 14 models are:
Anamaria
Kindle
Rhianna (not black)
Chris (sister #1)
Jane
Chelsey
Liz
Sara
Lexi
Esther
Casey
Kayla
Ann (my dorky fav)
Terra (sister #2)
So will I be watching this season?  Was there a doubt, of course I will.  I have to hone my craft by listening to Tyra and what she tells the to do in order to improve.  I think this will be a good season, better than cycle 6?  We will see.

Quote of the episode: "Go past the type and ride that hype"-Tyra banks (in a so serious face that you would think it was the most profound statement ever made)

I should've been a model

I'm a young woman in my late 20's and I am in the position now when I constantly worry about the dreams and desires that I let slip through my fingers.  One of them being becoming a model.  We have a lot of dreams as children, some float away, some are forgotten and a few hang on in our minds and one or two (if we are lucky) come true.  Well modeling has been one of those dreams that have hung on.

I have always wanted to live the life of a model.  Jet-setting to Paris, London, Milan, having the top designers fight over my imagines for their advertisements.  But in my heart I never felt that this would be possible.  When, at 12, I started to grow past the size of my fellow classmates and cousins, I somehow knew that a traditional modeling career would be impossible for me.  So my eyes set to the Plus-Sized modeling arena.  Good news for little chubbies like me; Plus-Size modeling has become a big business.  With stores like Lane Bryant, Ashley Stewart, and The Avenue becoming more mainstream, people are desiring larger women to represent them.  Good news for chubbies, bad news for fatties, which I now find myself to be. 

Well to some, maybe not considered a "fatty" but defiantly not plus-size modeling material.  When I did my research a few years ago to be a model I found out that most plus models are still slim (size 10 to 14 range), are tall (I missed it "by that much"), and are athletically fit.  Ugh!  I can't win for losing.  So I gave up.  Gave up trying to be a model but still dreaming of being a model.  But worse part about not being an actual model is having so many friends that tell me that I should have been a model.  "You're so pretty" and "you would've made a great model"...thanks!  It's great to know that someone appreciates my good looks and ability to put together an outfit.

So, since this dream won't go away, I have been using the world as my runway.  As I walk down the aisle of my office I imagine that I am strutting down a Paris runway.  When I close my eyes I see myself on the cover of Vogue sporting my new line for the Plus Sized Diva.  When I'm at the grocery store I pretend that the paparazzi are following me to publish the next trend in fashion.  So I guess I'm telling myself NOT to give up.  I may not be there yet (and my "advanced" age disqualifies me) but I still believe.  I still think that someone will see my cute face and my striking outfit and want to put me on somebody's magazine.

I not just telling myself but I'm also telling those of you that are reading this.  Don't give up on your dreams.  Be one of the ones who get lucky enough to live out one or more of their dreams.