Wednesday, October 3, 2012

My Modelling Career Was Very Short

Like most little girls, if they are completely honest, I wanted to be a model.  When I was 15, I begged my mum to take me to a modelling agency. With that typical teenager's vanity, I just knew they would be falling all over themselves to sign me up.  I found an agency.  I think it was called 'Cute Kids' and being the gorgeous mother that my mother is, she took me.  There are some benefits to being an only child.

The waiting room was full of photographs of familiar faces from television, so this must be the genuine article I thought. I went in, met the agent and her husband photographer.  They said they loved my look, praised me lots and told me I'd get loads of work.  They took my mum's money, for the photography apparently.  They did a photo shoot, mum paid them $175 I think, which seemed lots back then.  The photos were terrible.  I went home and sat by the phone and waited for it to ring, which it never did.  Suffice to say, that was the extent of my brilliant modelling career and it ended with a thud.  I never followed up with them.  I just let it go and went to university instead.

All we really got for our $175 was hope and few good life lessons.  The hope of an 'exciting' career in K Mart and Target catalogues and the odd walk through in a commercial.  We also got some shocking photos and the most worthwhile part of it all, several fantastic lessons, about how people are prepared to promise you the world, take your money and do nothing more than that.  The other lesson was that being completely up yourself, is totes uncool and doesn't get you far in life.  Glad I learned that at 15 and not 35.  So all in all, it was probably money well spent.


So that was really the end of my modelling career.  Or was it? Roll forward 20 years and I made a come back. I was reminded of it the other day, when I found this magazine stuffed into the back of a cupboard at mum's. My friend was mates with an editor of a new magazine.  They were doing a feature called "Dressed for Success" which was basically about updating your working wardrobe.  They wanted to use real people and they needed a teacher, as it was one of the professions they wanted to make over.  Cue Carolyn, I happened to be a teacher at that time and I was a size 12, which was the other pre requisite, I think.



We were asked to turn up in what we would normally wear to work, they were going to deconstruct that and dress us in what they thought was a better look.  OK why not I thought.  I drove to Surrey Hills, which was near where I lived in those days, to a really hip studio.  They did my make up, the hair was my creation.   I was going for the straight look, although I have very wavy hair.  Have a go at the little sticky uppy bits at the bottom.  What was I thinking?



Anyway the black dress is the kind of thing I would wear to work.  I loved those shoes, They were clear with a black raffia flower on top.  I don't know what they did to my bum in the before shot.  I was leaning on one leg and so it must of stuck out to the side.  They  were very cruel to slice it in, as my bum in those days was never that big, but I guess it was the before shot.  These days I would probs be happy to have a bum  that size.

So you can read what they said I should wear.  I really liked what they dressed me in too.  I ended up buying a shirt just like it.  I would have had the gorgeous Trent Nathan herringbone pants as well, but they were not within my teacher's budget.



So I wasn't paid for the gig nor did I get to keep the clothes, but I had achieved one of my life's dreams, lol.  Modelling in the pages of a magazine.  Alas this was the last issue of the new publication.  It was canned the next month. It's a tough business, but my previous experience with the industry taught me well Ha Ha.  Heck they didn't even spell my name right!!!!!!

Looking at the cover of the mag, I distinctly remember my friend's sister got the $5500 bathroom makeover, which looked great.  She was a fun friend/sister to have.



Looking back at this time in my life, I was very happy.  I had met Mr Beach House earlier in the year and I moved in with him the month after this was shot.  I had also just come off the back of a volunteering gig at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, which was fabulous. Or maybe I was smiling because I ticked off another dream from the bucket list.  What ever the reason this was a great time in my life.  Roll forward a decade or so and I am still pretty happy most days.  Two years after this I had a bouncing baby and hey that was a whole other dream achieved.  If  only I knew then when I know now!!!!!!!

Today I am linked up here
Wow Us Wednesdays
Feathered Nest Friday
Show and Tell Friday
Chic on a Shoe String
Pink Saturday
Sunday Scoop
Sunday Showcase
Table Top Tuesday
Cow Girl Up
Take a Look Tuesday
The Artsy Girl Connection
Live Laugh Rowe
Transformation Thursday
Crafty Soiree
Metamorphosis Monday

41 comments :

  1. This is a great post, Carolyn! Many life lessons were learned in a short period of time! I think it's wonderful that you were in the magazine...you are beautiful and I would love to have your slim shape! But I truly think your life took a more rewarding path, you know what I mean!

    XO,
    Jane

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  2. It's a wonderful thing that as we get older the wiser we get! It must have been a real disappointment to your 15 year old self to not get that call, but as a beautiful women now, you know it was a great and important lesson. If only we could time travel and tell our younger self that it's all ok and will work out, we could save the heartache. But, would we learn the lesson so well?! I liked the made over you, it looks fun and casual but competant too.

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    1. Keira's you sound very wise.
      Carolyn

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    2. I put in kirsa and it auto corrected sorry kirsa. A very pretty name by the way.
      Carolyn

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  3. I love your magazine spread and that colour really does suit you :)
    Its a shame they didnt let you keep the clothes, they should have!
    My only claim to fame was being snapped for a Street Machine Magazine because I was in a Holden singlet, not my gloriest moment although the quote next to me was something along the lines of 'Perth is full of cute woman'. Yours is much better!

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    Replies
    1. I think the line under your shot says it all. Good for you
      Carolyn

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  4. You look lovely, what a shame they didn't give you the outfit! I was a teacher too in my previous life!

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    Replies
    1. Well that set you up really well for home schooling them.
      Carolyn

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  5. lovely photos carolyn! i like the pink on you.
    x

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  6. Oh Carolyn, how fantiastic of you to share this personal moment in your life! Hurray you did;t become a model then you would not have started this blog and had friends like us! x Roberta

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  7. Great post. Good to tick things off life's list I think. Kylie x

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  8. I really liked your blogpost today.Life is a real University my dad used to say!AriadnefromGreece!

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  9. Hi Carolyn,
    That last pic......phwoar!!!
    They're all lovely but you look really pretty in the close up where you're smiling ;o)
    Tania xx
    PS. I really wish I was that confident. I love it!

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    Replies
    1. And you are so beautiful Why not confident???? Nothing to loose as you already have the "no" so go for the "yes". See what I mean?
      Carolyn

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  10. Isn't a nice feeling to know you tried. Great story.
    I didn't get the e-mails but I'm caught up now.

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    Replies
    1. It is good to know I laid it on the line and failed but failed with happiness.

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  11. Loved this story Carolyn, I think you looked great in all the photo's, you have such a lovely smile! :) xo K

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  12. how cute do you look! just gorgeous. And so happy, well done you! we met up again 4 yrs later at our 40th after about 15 yrs apart. Roll on 50 ay! (arrghghghghg)
    roll on kindergarten where we met, oh to start again with what we know now huh? I'ld be living in greece with a waiter!!
    great pics, thanks for sharing . nic xxx

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    Replies
    1. Me a waiter in France. No wait a land owner in France. No wait a boat builder in Pittwater. Careful what you wish for Nic..
      Caro

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  13. Very cute!

    My 15 minutes of fame came as a contestant (twice) on Sale of the Century. The first time around was with Tony Barber and Alyce Platt, and then later with Glen Ridge and Jo Bailey. I didn't win either time, but I for a while, I dated one of the guys who was on the show with me who won the lot :)

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  14. Hi Carolyn,
    Thanks for sharing this. I didn't realise you were a teacher. I was too - high school English.
    Beth x

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    Replies
    1. Me Economics, Business Studies and Geography and any other social science they cared to give me in those days.

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  15. LOL...he he he..had such a laugh carolyn reading this post.Had tears coming out of my eyes...especially about your bum.You just crack me up..thanks for cheering me up!xx
    Amanda

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    Replies
    1. Oh Mandy Moo Not Happy????? I'll be in touch soon
      Carolyn

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  16. Lol! That was fun to remember now right?
    There are really perks of being an only child,
    I have a son and I would love to give in to his requests whenever I can,
    there was a time he wanted to be a child actor so we went to several acting schools and coaches and eventually to a lot of auditions and luckily he was cast in several shows, bit roles really because he was just starting and when the time comes that he was already being noticed and given the longer speaking parts, it was when he said he wanted to be a lawyer and did not care about acting anymore...

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  17. What a fun post and a fun goal achieved. :)

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  18. Trust me we all feel like you. If we had known years ago, what we know now, things would definitely be different for me. You look nice in both outfits. You make a great model as well.

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  19. *giggle* I guess all of us women wanted to be a model once or twice in our lifetime. Well, at least we all model on our blogs! Good for you to at least made it on a real magazine!

    Visit me:
    LeeAnne, Style N Season
    http://stylenseason.blogspot.com

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  20. Look at you hot stuff! What a great thing to have done and I had no idea you were a school teacher. I LOVE learning new things about you. By the way the hair flick? Tres Chic lol xxx

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  21. Quite the story! Some lessons and accomplishments. Whether or not the magazine stayed in publication - you still got to be featured, pretty cool. Cute post. Enjoyed it. Thanks & Happy Pink Saturday!

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  22. Oh such an inspiring story! Happy Pink Saturday.

    Your comment at my PINK Post is always appreciated.

    Have a great weekend!

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  23. What a fascinating post - and WOW you were(are) ADORABLE.

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  24. You crack me up! I am so impressed you were a real model!
    :) Samantha @ Crafty Texas Girls

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  25. Life is full of lessons to learn, isn't it? I think you look gorgeous in your teacher photo both the before and after one!

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