The Height Factor

Height doesn't have to make or break your shot at a modeling career. For years, fashion and runway modeling has reigned supreme for decades, so many people believe that this is the type of modeling all of us should go for. And if we don't fit the height requirement? Well, then that's the end of it and we should go about our daily lives.

Well, I disagree with that and I am trying to get others to feel the same. Everyone is so obssessed with being a fashion/runway model and when they find that they are too short, they either give up any hope of being a model altogether, or they sourly decide they'll "settle" for commercial/print.

If you just don't have the height, then that's fine but it doesn't mean that you can't be successful as a commercial/print model. I think that the media portrays fashion and runway to be way more glamorous than it really is and that only models in this part of the industry will make the big bucks. That may be true to an extent but there are big-time models who have made it huge without the height:

Carmen Electra: 5'3"
Melyssa Ford: 5'4"
Vida Guerra: 5'3"

While these women will never be on a catwalk, they are being paid millions of dollars to appear in magazines, billboards, posters, catalogues, commercials, videos, etc.

There should be no reason why you can't be a successful commercial/print model. Just because you aren't 5'8"+, that doesn't mean you can't be just as bad as Tyra, Giselle or any other supermodel. Don't look to commercial/print modeling as a last-resort. This part of the modeling industry is tailor-made for you and also allows you to maintain a healthy height and weight, unlike fashion and runway. Sometimes girls don't want to be just a model, they want to be the best model and that means going all the way to the top with the supermodel elite. Commercial/print modeling shouldn't be viewed as modeling for those of us who couldn't make it in the fashion/runway world. It should be embraced and no, it doesn't mean that you are like everyone else if you model in this part of the industry.

A lot of people don't know that fashion/runway agencies have separate height requirements for their models depending on their age group. Normally, there is a shorter standard for model hopefuls who are between the ages of 13-16. Agents understand that there are still years where you will continue to grow so if you aren't a certain height, read up on the specific height and age group requirements that these agencies have. Even if you don't end up being tall enough, many of these agencies have commercial/print divisions, so you can still be represented by a top agency but doing commercial/print work.

If anything, if you become a commercial/print model, that should give you even more reason to go at it full-force and make yourself stand out among the crowd and become the next "It Girl". And it's totally possible.