Daphne and Fern’s parents are horrified that they’d become models, considering the profession one step above prostitution. Has the career evolved over the years? In what ways do you think attitudes about models and modeling have changed, if at all? If you had a daughter who wanted to model, what would you tell her?
I believe that the Mary Quant era was the beginning of a change in attitudes towards models and the modelling profession, pushing its boundaries to become less staid, more fun, and more exotic, with names like Jean Shrimpton, Twiggy, and many others becoming known worldwide. Should my daughter consider modelling as a career, I would advise her to pick designers whose work ideally inspires and excites her.
My impression of what it’s like to be a model is totally different from how it was depicted in Chelsea Girls, possibly because that was a different time. These days all you hear is how cutthroat it is and competitive. Also as a female you have to be very careful of photographers, etc. who may take advantage of you. I have three daughters and I don’t think I would encourage them to be models.
I would tell her it was a hard life currently and try to discourage her.I think todays models have a hard life and can be exploited by some men in the industry.
I think potential models have to be really careful. There are many unscrupulous photographers ready to take advantage of unwary girls. I wouldn’t want my daughter to do it.
Modeling for the characters in Chelsea Girls seemed quite different, actually fun, from what we hear about life for today’s top models. Today it seems that models have a very difficult life, often exploited by photographers and even politicians. For the most successful in the field, it is very lucrative I have read but I do not think I would encourage my teenage granddaughters to pursue this career path. While I love looking at catalogues and attending our local fashion shows, I would find this as a career for myself to be a bit superficial. I did model teen clothes for a summer for a store in my area. It was fun but not something my parents would have encouraged beyond that. I do love clothes as a result of that experience and still look for interesting things to buy, especially for my family.
I thought the models in the book seemed to be having fun. But in today’s world you read of a lot about the difficulties for models, the hours holding a difficult pose, the constant concern with body weight and shape and then predatory photographers and cutthroat competition. While I would want my daughter to follow her own path, I would be worried for her to be a model. In truth, the model is a lovely hanger to show off the clothes, it is all about the clothes not the person. The goal is to sell the clothes and so that will come before the model. I think it is a tough career choice, but I do believe some models really do help to make the clothes more appealing.
I think modeling has changed a lot over the years, and people’s views of it as a career have probably changed too. But the book made it seem like everything came so easily. It didn’t really talk about all the girls who had the same dream but never made it. I’m sure the modeling world was exciting and a lot of fun for the few who became successful, but for every Twiggy, there were so many others who dealt with rejection and disappointment. I just wish the book had shown a little more of that side too. If my daughter wanted to be a model, I would support her, but I’d also make sure she understood the reality of choosing a career that’s based so much on looks and an industry that can be incredibly competitive.
If I had a daughter who wanted to be a model, I would tell her it would be a lot of hard work, someone would always be telling her what to do, and she would be modeling clothes out of season. She would have to watch out for men & women who would try to take advantage of her. However, she she was determined that this was what she wanted to do, I would support her however I could.
I have always considered modeling to be cut-throat and difficult: pressure to look a certain way, be a certain size, and be dependent on the people who got you jobs. I have a daughter who wanted to be a model in the early 90’s. She was quite artistic and would draw fashions from a very young age. At one point I considered sending her to the New York Fashion Institute for a summer program for high school students but she got cold feet. (We lived in Atlanta at the time). I insisted that she focus on a more “responsible career”. I have teenaged granddaughters now, and if they expressed interest in modeling I would still discourage it but I would support them if they had interest in other aspects of the fashion world.
In recent society a person needs connections to even appear in the modeling industry. It is also a cutthroat industry. Most models of today and in the past have eating disorders with the emphasis that you are never too thin. Thankfully there is less pressure in the current environment-
I think back in the 60s, the world looked at models as women having a exciting, fun and easy job. We realize now that it’s a tough field to get in to and to remain relevant. I think I would discourage a daughter from becoming a model.
I would discourage my daughter from becoming a model because the job is hard work. It only looks glamorous on the outside looking in. It seems they have litle personal life. But mostly I would be worried about her health both physical and mental in an industry that cares about appearances than either of those things
Modeling is a very difficult career choice, but if I had a daughter who wanted to pursue it, I would suggest she also have a backup career to fall back on since modelling is usually short term. I do hope that those in charge of models these days realize that the models are people also, and yes, they want their clothes to look good, but have faith in your models to make the designs wanted by others.