Ask Fashion Girl

Dear Vivien

It's great that you want to be a high-fashion model, but at five feet tall your goal is a little unrealistic. Being extremely tall is one of the basic requirements of a model -- at 5'6", supermodel Kate Moss is considered very short. On the website of LA Models, a modeling agency FIDM often uses for its Debut show, modeling hopefuls are told that they need to be between 5'9"and 5'11". Here's the link: http://www.lamodels.com/lam_info.htm.

But this doesn't mean that you're out of the fashion biz! There are many ways you can be involved with fashion other than modeling. A Fashion Designer designs the clothes. An Event Planner plans fashion shows and other events. A Stylist styles models and celebrities for commercials, photos shoots, and videos. There are also opportunities in developing and marketing fashion products, and on and on. Very few are qualified to be models, but getting qualified for a lifelong career working with fashion is a doorway just waiting to be entered. Check out FIDM's nine great majors at www.fidm.edu and see which one will work for you. They'll all keep you in daily contact with fashion!

Sincerely, Fashion Girl