Ask Fashion Girl

Dear Wannabe Model,

The one thing that most successful models have in common is a contract with a modeling agency. Every major city in the U.S. has agencies and they're all looking for new talent. Most have open call days where anyone can attend. At the open calls, agencies will give you an honest assessment of the marketability of your look.

You can also mail photos of yourself to various agencies and let them know you're looking for representation. The photos do not have to be professionally done! A reputable agency can judge your look from a standard roll of prints. Stay away from agencies and modeling schools that promise you a professional portfolio for an outrageous price.

The best way to find a reputable modeling agency is to call a local high-end department store and ask to speak to their Fashion Director. He or she should be able to tell you what agencies they use for photo shoots and fashion shows.

We've all heard of models making $10,000 per day, but salaries in the modeling industry are like salaries in show business - they vary greatly! In Los Angeles the average model makes about $150 per hour for print work (photos) and about $150 to appear in a fashion show. The amount of work a model gets depends on how marketable their look is. Talk to a modeling agency in a city near you to find out the average salary, as the price to hire models is different from city to city.

Hope to see you in Vogue,