David Jones have been a long-standing client in the 25 years i've been working as a model. I've been popping up in their catalogues and television commercials for decades. well this week i found out i was too fat to work for DJs.
this is how it went down: a couple of weeks back DJ's were casting 'classic' models (mature women, aged 35+) for their festive catalogue. at some castings models are asked to try on some of the clothing for the shoot. i did and "quell horreur" most of the pieces didn't fit.
never-the-less the dear art director liked my look and felt i was right for the job, even put me 'on hold' (modelling term for penciled in).
my girlfriend who is a make-up artist worked on the shoot. at some point through the day my name came up in conversation when the art director was saying "she would have loved to have booked kate bell but unfortunately she didn't fit the samples supplied". the conversation was about how clients are always going on about how they want 'real women' advertising their product but buyers and designers supply size 8 samples for 35+ women.
interestingly my 12 year old nieghbour wears a size 8. at the height of my modeling life i was a size 10 and could passably squeeze into an Aussie 8. these days my bottom half is (just) still a 10, but i'm broader through the shoulders and back and fit more comfortably into a size 12 on top.
i'm 43 and totally happy with my bod. it's the only thing i truely own and i take care of it. i've worked hard to achieve a harmonious balance - what goes in = energy expended (what goes out). i eat mainly organic, i don't drink, i love being in the water, walking with friends, i do truckloads of yoga.
but i'm too big to work for david Jones.
