Model Liberation

"Daydream Believer"


United Colors of Benetton Spring '12

As a kid, I had a big imagination. I'd pretend I was a princess, a ballerina, and even a superstar. I had big dreams! My childhood best friend and I would put on talent shows for our families to show them just how well we could dance or sing. Okay maybe we weren't all that great, but they always encouraged us. I learned that it was okay to play out loud.

As we get older, reality starts sinking in. We settle for the practical instead of the magical. Some of us may not achieve those lofty hopes we once had. We may never be the next pop sensation or movie star, but the future's still bright.

Imagine that your inner child is double daring you to do something big. If there's a goal you've been wanting to to accomplish all your life, then go for it. If it doesn't work at least you won't have any regrets about not trying.

Take a leap with no fear, just love. Be a daydream believer!

This one's dedicated to Davy Jones.

Think Healthy, Not Skinny

There's a body image war waging on in our society. In one corner weighing in at 110 pounds and 5'10" is your average model. In the other corner coming in at 5'4" and 164 pounds is your average American female. Each contender is vying for the chance to represent for all womankind, but one size does not fit all. In our fight between our ideal body size and our actual weight, we're forgetting what really matters.

Every year around Fashion Week, I get all worked up about models and their weight. My concern is that many of them will go without proper nourishment to look skinny for a show. (It's similar to when a bride-to-be tries to lose weight before her wedding, but the ramifications are even worse.) Even though the CFDA's health initiative has been in effect for five years, noticeably thin models still walk the runways and grace the pages of fashion magazines.

If these young girls are looking for positive reinforcements to stay skinny, all they have to do is look online. Try twitter for example. You'll find messages from models, entertainers, and from well-known fashion bloggers almost promoting being thin. It's quite disheartening.

When I first started modeling, I knew a few girls who chain-smoked and were on laxatives just to stay skinny. After a few months of that regimen, they looked tired and emaciated. Those once beautiful models were now suffering from mood swings and a lack of energy because they gave in to the temptation to stay thin no matter the cost. It just proved to me that some women will go to extremes to maintain their girlish figures: dieting, surgery, and eating disorders.

According to statistics, the majority of models are thinner than 98% of Americans. Yes many people in our society are overweight, but many fashionistas are just too thin. We need to meet somewhere in the middle. The bottom line is- I would rather be a happy, healthy average-sized female than a sickly skinny model chick.

In honor of National Eating Disorder Awareness Week, what beauty standards do you think need to change to improve body image?

Make a Statement: Tiger Print

Deciding what I'm going to wear to a special event is never as simple as I'd like it to be. I had my eye on this once sequins animal print dress for months, and it was finally on sale. I even had dreams about the thing. But when it came down to the wire, I decided not to spend the money on the dress and opt for an oldie-but-goodie.

Enter my Hourglass Lilly Tiger print dress. It's a classic long-sleeved wrap style that flatters my figure and with those tiger stripes, it never looks drab. I paired it with cute Mossimo glitter heels, a vintage brown clutch and rhinestone earrings I swiped from my mom's closet years ago. The old gal's got good taste.

That special event I got all done up for... the NAACP Image Awards. Taye Hansberry of Stuff She Likes was my date for the evening, and she was knocking them dead in her dress too. I think we represented pretty well for young Black Hollywood.

Are you a fan of animal print?

Beauty With an Edge

CK One is a brand that defines hip and cool. It got its start in the 90s with a unisex fragrance that has since made a come back. Now the new kid on the block in the Calvin Klein family is makeup. CK One color will include products for both men and women including eyeshadow, lipstick, and a lightweight 3-in-1 face makeup (serum, primer, and foundation).

CK One color doesn't roll out in the US until April with a full worldwide launch in September, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the great ad campaign now. Featuring models like Lara Stone, Herieth Paul, and newcomer Ehren Dorsey, these ads encompass everything we already love about CK One: simple, edgy, and youthful.

Will you try CK One color?

Skin

Never say never. Remember that time I talked about posing for photos in your bare essentials and how you should proceed with caution if you decide to do it? Yeah, well I took the leap... tastefully.

A few weeks ago, I shot an art project for a well-known photographer and director. Before I even booked it, I knew that the project would require a little nudity. Funny thing is, I was actually okay with it. Then a few days before the shoot, the casting director asked if I was alright working with snakes. Uh, yeah sure... I guess. So not only did I have to be comfortable enough with my body to pose nearly naked, but I also had to pose with a snake or two around my neck. No pressure.

The day of the shoot, I was ready for the challenge. I swear, it felt like one of those crazy assignments you see on America's Next Top Model. I went thru hair and makeup pretty swiftly. The photographer wanted me to look pretty natural, so makeup artist Mylah Morales moisturized my skin and gave me lashes. Then off to wardrobe where I was basically handed a pair of heels. Once on set, my final accessories were added: the snakes. I started off with two small snakes, then moved on to a really huge snake that was squeezing the life out of me. The grand finale was a Black King Snake who tunred out to be my favorite.

All in all, I had a great time. Posing in the nude wasn't a big deal for me, I guess because now I'm secure enough in my own skin to do it. And the snakes were a piece of cake. Now I can cross those two things off my Model Bucket List.

Dear Fairy Model Mother: How is Natural Hair Treated on the Catwalk?

The stuff that dreams are made of is here... Fashion Week. From London to New York, and pretty soon LA, we're all celebrating the latest runway presentations. What we see will dictate our ideas of what's stylish from head to toe. For many years, I've noticed a trend that really gets under my skin. Not only is there a shortage of models of color on the catwalk, but there's also a lack of naturally curly and kinky hair too. What's up with that?

Let's investigate together. Read about my fashion show hair nightmare and why we need a curly revolution in this week's Fairy Model Mother on KISFORKINKY.

As always... if you've got questions, the hotline is open.