A Day in the Life of a Fashion Model

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A fashion model’s life may look glamorous from the outside, but it’s anything but! From photoshoots and catwalks to endless interviews and rejection, modelling can be a tricky industry to succeed in.

Wondering what a career in the modelling industry looks like? Let’s take a look at a typical day in the life of a fashion model.

What Does a Top Model Do?

A day in the life of a top supermodel will look very different to those who are new to the industry, but even top models say it’s not all exotic destinations, expensive clothing and champagne. Modelling requires a lot of waiting around, strict diets, gruelling exercise routines, back to back interviews and a lot of rejection and criticism. This can make it a difficult industry for many to work in because it can massively affect your mental health if you don’t have a thick skin.

Travelling is not always glamorous, either. While you may get the occasional job in a prime holiday destination, it’s more likely that you will be catching endless trains and taxis to cities all over the UK. Travelling is tiring and makes it difficult to keep to the strict diet and exercise schedule all models have. This means many models bring their own food along and must do workout routines in their hotel rooms.

Even top jobs are not as fun as they first appear. Many models aspire to work at top fashion shows and runway shows like London or Paris Fashion Week – but the reality of these jobs is that you are running around from job to job, having heavy make-up applied then removed, your hair styled and re-styled, with little time to eat or rest. Many models aren’t even paid well; some claim to receive clothing as payment.

Despite all this, for the right person modelling can be great fun. It can open a lot of doors and is a great way to express yourself artistically. Top models have access to the best clothing, places, accessories and experts (make-up, styling, photography…) in the world. For many, this is well worth the difficult start models often face in the industry.

Here’s What a Day in the Life of a Model Can Look Like

A model’s day to day changes frequently, and no two models have the same regiments or routines. But a typical day in the life of a model can look something like this.

Waking Up

Models tend to rise early. 6:30 am – 7 am is typical, though they may wake earlier if they have a job or travelling to do.

Many models like to work out first thing. Some have a full gym session, while others go for a gentle walk. Some prefer to work out on an empty stomach, while others prefer a hearty breakfast beforehand.

A model’s breakfast can look like the following:

Eggs, avocado and spinach
Porridge with yoghurt and fruit
A green smoothie
Avocado on wholemeal toast
Greek yoghurt with fruit
Grapefruit with a sprinkle of cinnamon

Many models also claim to like an apple cider vinegar shot as it is thought to help with digestion, though there is no scientific support to these claims.

A Day Off

If a model isn’t working, they may like to wind down or spend the day catching up on errands. They still try to squeeze in some form of exercise, though it tends to be lower impact workouts like yoga, walking/hiking or pilates. Many models also claim to enjoy a meditation session in the morning too.

Models like the following workouts:

Pilates
Yoga
Hiking/walking
Spinning
Barre class
Resistance training
Using light weights

Models may also choose to get facials, massages and other forms of healing therapies to help ease sore muscles that occur from working out. They may also see other professionals to help straighten their posture, buff their skin, remove body hair, and other work-related practices to help them look their best.

Working Out

Most models don’t tend to work out every day – professionals advise against it as it’s just as important we have days of rest – but they do work out a lot, and they like to incorporate some form of movement most days.

If a model has an important job coming up, they may ramp up their workouts to every day, sometimes even twice a day. However, typically a model works up to 5 days a week, or however often they need to in order to look and feel their best.

Cardio should be done twice a week for health, stamina and fat burning. The rest of a model’s workouts tend to be strength-related to help tone muscles (bigger muscles also burn more calories at rest, another plus to weight training).

A Work Day

During a work day, a model’s day will look different depending on the type of work they’re doing. The beauty of modelling is that no two days ever look the same, so it’s perfect for those who like change. But if you’re a creature of habit, you may not like the constant change to your routine.

A workout nearly always features in a model’s schedule, regardless of whether they are working or not. A model may spend time making healthy meals and snacks for her day so they don’t have to resort to unhealthy alternatives while on the go. Models also like to prepare a bottle of water to take around with them, usually with a slice of lemon added.

In addition to their bottle of water, there are several other necessities to be found in a model bag:

Phone and charger
Paperwork (contracts etc)
Modelling portfolio
Book/magazine – something to keep them occupied
Healthy snacks
Sunglasses

After a shower, a model will quickly make themselves presentable; this usually involves slicking hair back into a neat bun and little to no make-up (there’s no point in spending ages styling hair and doing make-up if off to a job because it will all be removed).

If a model is attending go-see’s, they may need to attend up to 8 interviews in a single day. This can be exhausting and time-consuming. It can also be mentally taxing, especially if faced with 8 consecutive rejections. That’s why models like to spend a lot of time focusing on their mental health and general well-being – so they can ensure such occurrences do not result in a defeated attitude.

If a model has already landed a job, they will be up bright and early to attend the job. This will typically require travel – it’s unlikely that a job will be taking place around the corner unless the model is situated in the middle of a major city.

They will be required to sit for hair and make-up application, and they will need to talk to their stylist and other top designers to ensure the clothing fits just right. They will also need to talk with the photographer and shoot directors. Any contracts will be signed beforehand.

Models can get back fairly late from a workday, so they make prefer to eat out or pick up a healthy takeaway on the way home. Fortunately, there are many more healthy options in major cities; most models claim to love sushi.

Many models claim to enjoy a more “cheat”-style meal after completing big shows or when between jobs. The Victoria’s Secret models claim to enjoy burgers and pizza after the famous catwalk. While models enjoy high-calorie foods just as much as we do, they must be stricter about the amount they can eat; after all, their bodies are their work, so it’s more important they stay trim year-round.

Bedtime

A model’s bedtime seems to vary between 9 pm and 11 pm. This again depends on the time they get up, and how many hours of sleep they need to feel their best. This ranges from person to person; while some people are quite happy to have only 6 hours of sleep per night, others may need 10. Generally, a disrupted 8 hours is required for a good night’s sleep.

Models do tend to prioritise their sleep schedule because modelling can be very demanding. Sleep is also important for our physical health as well as our mental well-being. Simply catching up on the weekend is not good enough; we need consistent sleep each and every night. As models tend to work such long days, sleep is even more important not only to look their best but to give them the energy to complete such long working days.

Sleep is also important for the following reasons: