Diary of a model

Lily spends her days as a model, rushing from shoot to show and then to another casting. On Amayzine, she tells you all about what her life is really like. Under a different name, of course, but that means she can share all the juicy details. This week, you get to spend a day with her, which means you'll be taking at least 15,000 steps.

This morning, it took me a while to realize where I was. It's Friday, and I've been in three different countries this week. I'm coming out of such a deep sleep that I only realize after snoozing twice that I had an early yoga class planned for today. I quickly make a bowl of oatmeal with apple, raisins, cinnamon, blueberries, and peanut butter while I’m on the phone with a friend in the Netherlands (multitasking is key in this fast-paced world).

Halfway through my breakfast, I realize that what I'm doing isn't very smart. I leave half of it, so I don't end up ‘laying’ my breakfast on the yoga mat during the first downward facing dog. I tend to live a bit too hastily, as you can also see from my multitasking moment above. I'm also a pro at racing through my thoughts about the day's schedule, Instagram, and awkward moments from 2006. Yoga is a way for me to not have to think about anything for a while. Living more in the moment is currently a challenge goal for me. There's a stack of self-help books on my nightstand, and I've read the first chapters of each book. Finishing what I've started can be challenging.

Challenge two. Back to the day's schedule. Today, I have two castings in my agenda. After yoga, I first eat my cold oatmeal (yum) and jump in the shower to wash the sweat out of my hair. Then it's time to pick out a casting outfit. A typical outfit consists of skinny jeans (preferably black) with a tight top, so the casting directors can see your body well. Casting directors have hawk eyes, so an extra centimeter on the hips or a bit of fat can be seen from a kilometer away. I find these kinds of outfits boring, and luckily, it's increasingly appreciated when a model shows ‘herself,’ even in her clothing choices. Today, my choice is a baggy army pants with a crop top. I didn't just train my abs with yoga for nothing, so I like to show them off.

I walk out the door and grab a cappuccino to go. With almond milk, of course, because you have to keep up with the lactose-free trend in hipster East London. That brings me to challenge number three: getting less coffee to go. That's better for both the environment and my wallet. The first casting is an hour's walk away. That's a perfect distance because the more steps in a day, the better. Challenge number four: to take at least 15,000 steps in a day for slim legs.

I always make sure to arrive five minutes early for a casting, so I can fix my hair in a restroom, comb my eyebrows (duh), and – after an hour of brisk walking – dab the sweat off my forehead. I take my portfolio out of my bag and step into the casting. I chat with the woman at the reception (challenge number five: be nice to everyone) and then check in on the second floor. Luckily, there's only one other model waiting. I already know the people at the casting, so we chat a bit while they flip through my book (another word for portfolio). Then they take photos with a phone, grab a comp card (a model's business card with a photo and the exact measurements of your bust, waist, and hips), and thank me for coming. Here you can read more about castings.

Casting number two is again an hour's walk (yay for challenge number four) and goes the same way. I run into a friend in the waiting room, and we decide to have lunch together and catch up. After that, I walk home in an hour and forty minutes. I don't do this all at once, but I stop halfway for a coffee (challenge number three not going as well).

 
By the time I get home, it's already half past four. I had planned to do an hour of administration today, so I grab my box full of receipts. Challenge number six is to keep my chaotic pile of receipts better organized in an Excel file. Around seven o'clock, my roommate comes home, and we cook a delicious healthy meal together. We had planned to go to the movies, but neither of us has the energy for that anymore. Together, we flop down on the couch with a big cup of tea and put on a feel-good movie on the laptop. Tomorrow is Saturday, and we're both off. And what do models do on a day off? Exactly: exercise.
 

XX Kisses from Lily