You can take no credit for beauty at sixteen. But if you are beautiful at sixty, it will be your soul’s own doing. – Marie Stopes
Marie Stopes, an author and one of Britain’s first advocates for women’s rights and a pioneer in the field of birth control. As a matter of fact, she and her husband Humphry Verdon Roe found the first birth control clinic in Britain in March of 1921. Also she wrote a book Married Love or Love in Marriage when hers was falling apart. That book became a best seller; publishers could hardly keep it in print. Yeah, that’s right. The first year there were 5 editions released. Wow. Right? This is someone whom when told she couldn’t legally get a divorce, read legal papers and documents to find a way. And she did. She legally divorced in 1913 on the stand that the marriage had never been consummated. So basically, she’s bad-ass.
Now, onto the quote I chose for today. The idea that one can take no credit for ones beauty at sixteen is confusing for a lot of models. Most people assume that modeling is simply being genetically blessed and while that is definitely a part of a model’s success there is still an entire different skill set that makes a model “a model.” And most girls don’t realize they have it.
So, when a model doesn’t understand what it is that makes her a model, then the craft of modeling gets lost in the pursuit to “stay beautiful.” Many many models and actresses fall into this category and their careers end before they reach their prime.
Beyond this, most agents, photographer and editors don’t understand why one girl is awesome and another falls flat. Modeling schools don’t understand this either. Currently there is no support for models to cultivate the craft of modeling and it becomes a game of hit or miss.
Those that have innately figured it out or have been fortunate enough to have longer careers that have afforded them the time it takes to hone in on the talent and craft it find a beauty that is everlasting, mesmerizing and awe-inspiring.
So, what is this craft of modeling I speak of? It’s difficult to fit in all into one blog post. Most simply put it is the ability to capture a feeling and process through the filter of image and project it back out to be captured.
I speak of this process to shine a light on Stopes’ second half of the quote: But if you are beautiful at sixty, it will be your soul’s own doing.
And this is where the craft of modeling transcends into art. Once a model is able to craft an image, the challenge becomes constructing a framework to project their soul into. And this is where we find true beauty.
Because you see, it doesn’t really matter if one is a conventional beauty. What matters is the self awareness, emotional control and an ability to access one’s soul and spirituality.
Gah! So yes. All of us can be a model. And all of us are beautiful and all of us need not be afraid to practice our beauty today. Go ahead, try it. Find yours and express it!
