Looking like a model involves more than just pouting and walking the catwalk. Models have a confident mystique about them. Even the most unconventionally beautiful models carry themselves with an aura that exudes style, grace, and health. Here's how to get in touch with your own inner model and who knows, maybe even get discovered!

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Get fit. Being healthy is a million times more important than being thin. Check with your doctor for your proper weight range and work to get and stay within it. Exercise, eat properly, and drink plenty of water. You are what you eat, so learn to like it in order to achieve the weight you want and be as healthy as you can be. As long as you're in your healthy range, you'll look fabulous. And even if you're already happy with your body, it still might be good to tone it up--turn that flat stomach into a six pack!
Mind your style, top to bottom! There are two things that can make or break your look: your hair and your shoes.
- Look through hair magazines and talk with your hairstylist about what would look good with your face structure. Always keep your hair clean and styled, and make sure you go back to the salon every 2-3 months as your hair grows. Make sure the shade of your hair is vibrant; there's nothing worse than dull hair.
- Wear clean, feminine shoes. That doesn't mean you always have to wear high heels (although that does help to send your model look up a notch). Models wear sneakers, too, and they wear them with style. Just make sure your shoes aren't worn out, and that you can walk comfortably in them (a grimace accompanied by a limp from the pain of wearing a torturous pair of shoes is unbecoming). See the Tips section for more advice about shoes.
Be fashionable. This one is a given, but a lot of people don't realize how wrong they are in the clothes they wear. Learn about your body type, height, skin tone and preferences. Discover yourself, and fashion will come to you. Rid yourself of any insecurities, because you can look bad in a Gucci & Manolo shoes if your shoulders are slouching and you have a scared look on your face. You don't have to wear designer clothes, especially if you can't afford them. Just look through fashion magazines, pick your favorites and then find look-a-likes. Remember: Clothes don't make you, they complement you.
- Tyra Banks - Healthy, natural, and stylin'
  
  Smile, and do it like you mean it. Models can be happy girls, even though they might look bored or fierce on the runway. They make tons of cash, have lots of beautiful friends, attend the hottest parties, and let's not forget that their job is to walk around in really expensive clothes. So generally, they appear to have good lives. Who cares that you're broke, know no celebrities, and your job involves flipping burgers? Just make sure you're the prettiest burger flipper in your joint! Smile, be merry and people will notice that. It will help you meet people and be talked about. But to smile genuinely, you have to be genuinely happy with yourself. Some models are unhappy, some have eating disorders and use unhealthy ways to lose weight. Just because they do that, doesn't mean you have to. Don't hide behind your smile all the time. If you are unhappy about something, express your opinion - the key to being a good model is emotiveness (the ability to convey emotions).
Be your own makeup artist. Makeup is amazing, and any fashionista knows that. You can transform into so many different looks if you have the necessary tools and skills. Look through fashion magazines and practice the looks you see on yourself and your friends. Then invent your own looks and perfect them. Being able to apply makeup like a pro is a must for looking like a model. It requires practice, practice, and then some more practice.
Make sure every part of your body is as flawless as you can make it. We all have this idea that models are perfect human beings with perfect super powers, but they're just girls like you and me. Of course, they have been refined, polished, re-invented, and perfected. You can be all of these as well, with proper maintenance! Hygiene is extremely important.
- Don't bite your nails and always keep them polished.This doesn't mean always have nail polish on just make sure to buff them and maintain them.
- Keep your feet in impeccable conditions at all times (you never know when you will have to take your shoes off and dance on the tables!).
- Soft elbows and knees are just as important as matching shoes and belt.
- To get softer skin, try to exfoliate your skin at least twice a week with something simple like white sugar and aloe vera mixed.
- Keep those pearly whites pearly white! Use whitening strips if you need to, and stay far away from cigarettes and coffee, which will turn them yellow.
Be seen. What does it matter to look gorgeous if the only one that sees it is your family, and your teddy bears. Go out dancing with your friends, or dining, or whatever it is you like to do. Have fun and live it out. Models are also known for being party girls and amazing party hosts!
Educate yourself in culture. Stay on top of the arts, film, music, fashion, news and all things hip. Learn key phrases in various languages from countries with an active fashion scene. Travel the world, or watch the Travel Channel. Professional models learn to feel at home in any part of the world, and so must you--or at least you can pretend!
Watch your posture. How you carry yourself affects how people perceive you more than you think! Perk up that chin, throw those shoulders back, and glide through the air as if you just signed a ten million dollar contract. At home, practice carrying books on your head. Move like a dancer. Keep your head back, chin up, and shoulders down and back. Remember that every moment is a potential pose! However, you shouldn't become obsessed.

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[edit] Tips

Skip the foundation, unless you're doing a photo shoot or runway show. Instead,so focus on having healthy, clear, gorgeous skin and you won't need it! If you have to wear it, wear the light kinds and make sure it matches your skin tone, or, wear a little bit of concealer only where you need it most (pimples, under-eye circles and red or brown patches) and a light dusting of loose powder. Go to a makeup shop and let a make up consultant behind a counter help you find your shade. She knows more than you do.
Most girls don't or refuse to acknowledge that foundation and cover up are very bad for your skin. You should avoid using it whenever you can, as it can cause skin problems later on in life, and may cause acne as well.
Moisturize! Everywhere!
Mascara and lip gloss should be part of your first aid kit. Mascara will open up your eyes and make them shine, and lip gloss will make your lips look juicy and inviting.
Magazines like Vogue (or Teen Vogue), Allure, Elle, etc. are very helpful in finding hairstyles, make up and clothes. If you're going for that runway look though, you might want to switch or combine with high fashion magazines such as Flaunt, Zink, MUSE, W, NYLON, etc. These are magazines basically made for models, so you'll get the insider tips. These high fashion magazines also have lots of information about latest books, music, film, arts and all those things you want to know about.
This is an old trick: Find a model you like and follow her throughout the years. You'll learn tons of fashion from them.
Have a pair of shoes for every style you wear. Make sure you have different shoes for every season, especially if the weather changes dramatically in your area. There's nothing more hideous than Ugg boots in July, unless you live near the North or South Pole. Make sure that you have ballet flats and fierce pumps for the Spring; Indian sandals,flip flops and espadrilles for the Summer; Mary Janes and cowgirl boots for Autumn; and Uggs and all kinds of cute fuzzies for the Winter.
If you're serious about becoming a model, then you might want to invest in a modeling class session. You will learn a lot from these, and you will network with the professional models that teach the classes, and the amateur models just like you. Just make sure the organization is licensed so that you don't waste your money. Beware of agency scams, they will usually ask for money up front. If you don't have the money for classes, there's a lot of books, shows, and mentors out there that will help you. When you go to auditions, be extremely careful. Don't go to auditions posted in the "Jobs" section of the news paper. In reality just start contacting legitimate agencies and go to their open calls. If you are what the market is looking for, they will give you a call back.
Pouting can be a natural reaction which allures the focus onto your lips. If your lips are chapped or dry apply some lip balm or lip gloss to magnify their appeal. If your lips are thin, add some lip liner or lipstick to make them more noticeable and eye catching.
Remember, never get caught up in the Fashion Industry. Their ideals are nonstop and crazy, so remember that being you is more important than pretending. Don't lose your happiness in hopes of finding happiness being thin.
Just because you do look like a model doesn't mean you have to be one. You can be a sexy scientist or even a smokin' hot stay at home mom. Don't make the fact that you are beautiful become a handicap for you; your brain will get you noticed by the best people.
When you walk make sure your feet are straight, some people walk with left foot straight and the right foot a little to the side. This would be considered unattractive.

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Girls can easily become obsessed with losing weight, resulting in eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia among others. Keep in mind that being healthy is more important than being thin, and healthy isn't always a size 1 ! What does it matter if you're wearing the hottest trends if you're inside a casket due to an eating disorder. Sounds rough? It's the truth. Tyra Banks actually weighs 161 pounds, which is healthy for her because she is tall.
A lot of people rely on BMI (body mass index) as an all-telling key to whether or not someone is underweight. If someone notices that your BMI is "low", but you feel that you're the same as you've always been, don't fret. Do not try to add weight on the doctor's scale by sticking change in your pockets or wearing baggy clothes if you know this is you. What it really comes down to is health: if your blood sugar/pressure and protein levels are in the OK range, that's when doctors know to back off. Don't let authority figures push you into overeating to gain unhealthy weight that you don't need.
If you're actually doing some modeling, be careful of "agents," "photographers," "model scouts," whatever. Make sure you bring your mom or your friend with you. Watch out for the sickos out there. Never pay to be in a photoshoot. They should be paying you.
Watch out for the trend of plastic surgery. 99 times out of 100, you don't need it. If you desperately think you do, make sure you get a second opinion and consider counseling.
Don't get too stressed over your looks. Remember that love for yourself is more important than anything else, because it's what moves you to achieve things. It's all about having a good time. Being fashionable today is a lot like playing dress up when you were a little girl. It's all about experimenting and playing. Skip the plastic surgery, please!
Don't be a jerk! You need to have your own attitude, but looking pretty doesn't give you the right to look down on others and treat them badly. You catch more bees with honey than with vinegar. A model's clients are always impressed with a sweet disposition.
Models are constantly being told to lose weight or gain weight. They are also rejected a lot for jobs. If you can't handle rejection without taking it personal then modeling is not for you. Find something else to do.
Don't swear- especially around photographers.
Don't be a clone of every one else; be unique.
To be pretty and beautiful you do not need to be a model. Your personality and your kind heart can make someone say that person is really beautiful. Because even though beauty is received this way in our society, there is much more to being beautiful than you think. Don't be anything you're not, and be true to yourself and the people that love you for you.