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One of my biggest regrets is that I didn’t journal my life in NYC as a model. (There isn’t much else I regret) What an awesome blog would that have made!

I just don’t know why I didn’t, but the thought didn’t even cross my mind, even though I had a blog back then, that I put on hold while modeling.

Not only did I not write about it, but I failed to take any pictures that weren’t with my cell. I guess when your job is to be photographed, the last thing you want is more photography. So I would snap quick pics with my cell when I was bored and that was that. But how much fun would it have been to write a blog about the fabulous underbelly of modeling?

But instead I have hundreds of low quality iPhone shots from castings, shows, shoots and life  ( well plus a bunch of unrealistic shots from my portfolio that would say nothing about what being a model is like).

I guess it would have been strange walking into castings with a professional camera or dragging this heavy bohemeth with me to shoots, dinners, award shows and clubs.

I still, to this day, have certain designers or casting directors call me (via assistants, of course) to be in a show or promoters texting about a club opening or some event they are inviting me to. I haven’t been in the business since 2009 and have let them know I’m no longer in NYC. But I guess connections are everything, aren’t they? I remember I always thought it was strange how some casting directors thought you were THE SHIT and others thought you were “Meh!” How opinions differ. And how much luck is involved in making it as a model or not. I would have really liked to have stuck with it long enough to see but I started way too late and soon it was time for us to think about kids. Right before I left NYC for good (at that time I didn’t know I was not going to come back. I was only going home for the holidays, but ended up deciding to stay), I was sent to a casting for American Eagle’s new line Aerie. See, the way things work is you go to anywhere from 1 to 10 castings a day and if you’re good, you might get one or two that day (depending on the size of the job). If these are big castings (like campaigns), then you can go for months without getting any big ones (because the competition is fierce). But it’s all about making sure you have steady work and if you’re new to the scene, like I was, it’s also about making connections and building your book.

JOBS:

1. fashion show prep

2. bridal shoot in Miami

3. same bridal shoot. I just LOVED that dress

4. After a show in our model’s apartment

5. a bridal show

6.another fashion show (after hair/make up)

7. showroom

8. some shoot

9. going home after a shoot (people on the subway probably thought I was crazy with that make up, but i had no time to remove it since i was already running late to a casting)

So the Aerie campaign casting went well but I didn’t even give it second thought, because chances were that someone else with a kick-ass book would get the job. That was until I got a callback and then after that a hold (a callback is when they want to see you again after having narrowed down their choice to fewer girls and a hold is an actual hold put on a certain day making sure the model is available for them for the day of the shoot while they are trying to decide between 2-3 girls). This was huge -to be put on hold by American Eagle. It was between me and another girl. I had to delay my flight home but didn’t end up getting the campaign. They picked the other girl because I was “just too European looking for AMERICAN Eagle”. Totally understandable. And damn my Russian genes! (ok not really)

Just random in mirror shots of outfits I wore.

1. Getting ready for Halloween
2. Going to a party (BCBG dress)
3. not sure what that photo was lol
4. dressing room
5. this is how skinny i was. and that’s how skinny you HAD to be to model seriously (in NYC). I was not the skinniest girl by far. Yet strangely enough I was healthy, ate healthy, excersised. A bit of an akward pose too.
6. Trying on a gown for some award show I was going that evening
7. at the gym (boo, I want my abs back)
8. going to a party. I think this was for Britney Spear’s birthday at Tenjune and she never showed to her own bday party, but there were stilt walkers (it was during the circus album)
9. going to a casting
10. going to a casting
11. going to a casting
12. going somewhere (apparently)
13. this one is funny to me, because I look soooooo tired. I rememeber clearly it was the morning after some really late party night
14. going to a party
15. going to a casting
16. My christmas dress

I did have fun though. Oh how much fun I had! Would I let my daughter model? There’s nothing I won’t support Alexis in doing but, like hell, she will go there alone until she’s 18, only if I can travel there with her. That’s even if that is something she wants to do.

I’d love to do a regular Flashback Friday post, but I gotta be realistic. I have almost no time and a million more relevant posts that I want to write, so this type of post will have to be a spur of the moment kind of thing, like this time.

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Last weekend we went to get some video shots done at the  local shopping mall and go grocery shopping. I attempted to do an “OUTFIT” shot, but as usual it was a challenge in our 90 degree heat with a baby who decided that grass is much more interesting than the camera in front of her. So that’s the best I’ve got.

I was also excited to finally wear my “going-home” dress with a matching romper for Alexis, now that she is big enough for it.

I am finding out that I almost always end up wearing nursing clothes (mostly Boob Design, because I am yet to find another nursing company with nice looking clothes) rather than normal clothes with a low neckline. It appears that most of my “low neckline” outfits are just not LOW enough to make it comfortable. Layering a nursing tank underneath isn’t an option since it’s really hot. So I am thinking that I might need to start looking for more nursing brands out there, sort of like I did with maternity. Because I am definitely not ok with resorting to simple tanks for the next 2 years. One can only pull of a wife-beater once or twice a week, I cannot live it them.

Elena: Boob Sailor Nursing dress
Alexis: Sailor Romper and Melondipity hair flower
Andrew: A&F polo and Express shorts

What is your favorite nursing clothing brand? What do you do for nursing clothes?

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Stepping out to go to a grocery store! Haha! Very glamorous, I know! But to be completely honest, it’s a big event to go to a store with Lexi. She’s getting a bit better about getting out, so I really enjoyed even a grocery outing.

Wearing:

Elena: Boob Design Nursing Dress
Andrew: MG Black Label Polo from MyHabit and Express Shorts
Alexis:   Little Bambino Bamboo onesie from Zulily

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Elena’s outfit:
Top: Yumi Kim
Skirt: Victoria’s Secret
Shoes: unknown

Again, not a Saturday, but still counts.
Going to a dentist’s appointment, then having to stop mid-way to nurse Alexis, who are 3 times longer than usual, had a diaper blow out, leaked all over her brand new romper. We went to change her, discovered we forgot the wipes at home (since we use cloth wipes), she spit up while changing, Andrew almost wiped her face with a poopy paper and of course, missed our appointment :) It was the most fun I’ve had in months! :)