'America's Next Top Model': Send in the short girls

To be honest I haven't watched one full season of "America's Next Top Model." The bits of it I have seen have mostly made my eyes roll. My first thought, besides "these girls really aren't that short," when I turned on the premiere for Cycle 13 was: This is so damn ridiculously dramatic. Tyra didn't help matters with her over-the-top French "accent" and turning each girl's turn in front of the judges into a mini-therapy session.

Some of the sad things learned: Rae was picked up at a gas station once and sexual assaulted and beaten. Bianca got beaten and then cut her hair all off. Sundai was a foster child. Nicole was born with a bloody eyeball and likes to paint self portraits because no one will sit for her. Kara comes from a lifestyle where she never suffered at all ever and loves the tropics, and used her dad's credit card to fly to the audition.

So I figured Lisa "the underdog" could kick butt, at least for Latina magazine and that perhaps she should call the features editor if she gets kicked off, which of course happened during the first freaking round! Thank goodnes she was called back to replace Amber. I can only imagine the circus if Amber stayed on. Was she cast to make us all go "WTF"?

Best Makeover: Sundai. Loving the short bob on her.

Worst Makeovers:
    Erin is too pin-up blond.
    Brittney, a caramel color layered look would have worked much better.
    Jennifer, what changed?

Who's Standing Out:
    Rae, she worked her body well with that beautiful ballet photo.
    Jennifer, down in the sand, Sports Illustrated calling.
    Courtney, I think she will impress us later.
    Laura, wowed me with her holding the baby and her lips and hair and eyes, doll face.
    Kara will also surprise us from being a bit awkward to becoming a Cindy Crawford, in her own weird way.

So did a bunch of shorter models just strut around in their highest heels, or did we learn anything?

Jay Manuel made some good points; I feel that I will tend to notice what he says compared to anyone else on the show.

When he mention to Lisa (who got kicked off anyways), to not worrying about being relatable to men but focus more on being relatable to women, it was a good point.

Posing for the sake of men is the wrong way to go about getting work as a professional model. Shorter aspiring models tend to take photos in ways that are meant to turn a man on, assuming that badly lit, half-naked modeling is the only way to go because they are "too short to model," when really in the area of print modeling these shorter girls can excel. In print modeling the products they will be modeling in print ads are more often targeted for females, shoes, cosmetics, handbags, jewelry, and learning how to be relatable, approachable to a female consumer when you pose is a good idea.

A smile can get you further than a bitchy pout while sticking out your ass.

Jay is also correct in saying as a model, no matter what, you have to always deliver. Models don't have to like what they wear. Bianca thoroughly misstepped by turning sour over her makeup and makeover. In modeling you are many times the doll to dress, and you have a part to play, and you don't get a say, you don't have to "like the way you look" but the client does. Even if you hate the outfit you are wearing during the AT&T commercial, wear it well. You wear it even if the shoe is ugly and makes your foot bleed.

Will "Top Model" make more girls want to be models?

Yes.

Will it change high fashion agencies height requirements?

No. It will be very unlikely for fashion agencies to start welcoming herds of shorter girls. However a shorter girl can still model and should hit up print modeling agencies and talent agencies for print work, to model lifestyle products, beauty, accessories, and basically every non-fashion product out there.

Fashion is not everything, although it is the most talked about in the media.

Although before Weds night I was not a die-hard fan, a part of me can't wait to see what shorter-than-average model ends up winning.

Your tiniest model in her highest heels,

Isobella Jade


Isobella Jade is known as one of the tiniest working models out there. She is also the author of "Almost 5'4"," her modeling memoir. This fall her graphic novel "Model Life: The Journey of a Pint Size Fashion Warrior" will be released. Daily, Isobella gives modeling insight and advice on being a shorter-than-average model on her blog, Petite Modeling Tips. Despite her height she has modeled for Marshalls, Victoria's Secret, Easy Spirit, Macy's, Bon Appetit, Time Magazine, TLC, Women's World, and many others. You can find her at www.isobelladreams.com and follow her on Twitter.


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