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Should You Pay to Join A Modeling Agency?

Should you pay to join a modeling agency?

Lemme get straight to the point….NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

The End

via GIPHY

But seriously…No, You do not have to pay an agency to represent you.

When it comes to getting representation by an agency, you will have a percentage deducted from your check that will pay the agency for representing you. it can be anywhere from 15% – 25% depending on the agency and your contract. When it comes to spending money in regards to working with an agency, they may ask you to get your pictures done to their standards or to take acting classes. They may have a list of recommended photographers or acting coaches that would be able to help you but you don’t have to use them its completely up to you. They give you these reccomendations because your model tools may not be the right tools for them to use to market you properly.

For example, you may have a ton of photos in your portfolio in the style of an editorial or high fashion model. The agency that is interested in working with you feels that you would make the most success as a commercial model, so they suggest you get a few shots done that represent your commercial look. If you get them done, great, you should start having work in no time. If not, expect that it will be hard for the agency to “sell” you to clients.

If an “agency” asks you to pay money to have access to various jobs that are available, it’s not an agency, its a job listing service and if they are portraying themselves as an agency and not a listing service, don’t bother spending money with them. That just screams SCAM to me.

As a model, or with any profession, you don’t need to pay to get work. With the internet and social media, you can find information on various bookings and agents that can help you along in your journey, you just have to do your work and build your network to help you grow.

Read my post on how I got started in my modeling career!

February 18, 2019
Black Models and “Professional” Hair

Black models hair is so unique and versatile. One of my most Frequently Asked Questions is, How should I wear my hair to a Casting?

More specifically, I get that question from Black aspiring models the most.

So how should you wear it to a casting…Its a simple answer really.

Wear it HOWEVER you want, just make sure it is out of your face.
In essence:

via GIPHY

If you have a huge afro…wear it (as long as its out of your face)
If you have a lace front…wear it (As long as its out of your face AND looks natural)
If you have a weave…wear it (As long as its out of your face)
If you have a relaxer…wear it (as long as its out of your face)

via GIPHY

…see where I’m going with this?

You can wear your hair out, up, down, and swirled around town. Just make sure it is out of your face.

BUT

Be prepared to possibly be told that they will want to style your hair differently to fit the look for the booking. If its something your aren’t comfortable with, be professional and say “thank you for your time” and politely decline.

Then move on to the next gig.

Want to know if you should wear braids to a casting?
Check out my post about braids.

February 18, 2019
Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show…Did you see me on CBS?

If you are in Philadelphia Area and stayed up to watch the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, I hope you stayed up a bit longer and watched the news to see me giving you my runway and smizing tips!

Special thanks to CBS 3 and Tori Woodill for having me! I hope to come back for the 2018 show!

Just in case you missed it click here to watch!

If you learned anything from it, be sure to comment below and let me know what you think.

And if you are looking for my tips on what you should wear on a casting click here!

November 27, 2017
Absolut Lime Launch Party : My Recap [VIDEOS] #absolutlime
Pause the music…

Atlantic City, NJ

Premier Night Club

January 23, 2017

I was there…

I was at the launch for Absolut Lime Vodka and I had sooooo much fun!

If you were following my Instagram Story you would have felt like you were there, forreal!

Let me lay it all out for you…

When I walked in, this is what I saw

Absolut Lime Models

I mean, I expected a lime green atmosphere, but I didn’t expect this! It was so fun to be around and generated the energy I expected, which was the sense of a night where anything is possible.

As I made my way through the green atmosphere, got a quick pic with the Absolut Lime Models,

then I made my way to our favorite place, the bar. 😀

Before I came to this event, I heard about the launch of lime and already had a ton of ideas about the cocktails that one could make with Absolut Lime. I even bet myself (yes, you can do that) that there would be a cosmo on the menu…and ya know what…it was there.

My First Drink – Absolut Lime & Soda

I started off with the Absolut Lime and Soda because I really wanted to get a taste to see how intense the taste of lime was in a cocktail. I’m not a big fan of doing shots while I’m out, so for me, trying vodka with soda is perfect for getting the full flavor of flavored vodka. On the first sip, I honestly couldn’t taste the lime too much. It was a subtle texture of lime flavor but it didn’t over do it. As I took my 2nd sip, I could taste it more and a bit more as I continued on with my drink. It was as if the lime flavor was building on top of what I tasted in prior sips but still didn’t overpower the simplicity of vodka, soda and lime.

My 2nd Drink – Absolut Lime-ito (right) / Absolut Lime Cosmo (left)

Next I decided to try the Absolut Lime-ito. I figured since lime is a pretty important part of a Mojito, a “Lime-ito” would have to have good attempt to measure up to the classic cocktail, and it did, BUT. (There’s always a but) I think the bartender took away from all the drink really could have been because he didn’t muddle the mint. The cocktail was great, but I was looking forward to really getting that “mint spritz” lol (you know what I’m talking about).

The Absolut Cosmo pictured is my friend’s cocktail and I opted not to get a full version of that drink. I did, however, try a sip of hers and it was pretty much what I expected from a cosmo. I guess with the lime flavor already in with your vodka, if cosmos are your thing, you don’t have to go the extra step/ingredient to making your Cosmos.

There was another cocktail that was available to try, but I opted not to for several reasons, the main reason being I didn’t want to drink too much at one time, the other being I didn’t want a super (what i perceived to be) sugary cocktail. That cocktail was the Absolut Cherry Limeade which consists of:
- Absolut Lime
- Sprite
- a splash of grenadine
- cherry/lime garnish
But enough about the drinks, you should see the party!!!!!

It wouldn’t be a brand launch without a photo booth right?!

Oh and can we talk about how this girl was going AWF on the violin…yes, a violin!!!

Me in front of the Marquee! 😀

I had a ton of fun at this launch, this was definitly one for the NJ launch books!

Thank you Absolut for the invite.

I can’t wait until the next one!
January 27, 2017
Alcoholic Sparkling Water…Yea that’s a thing now #LiveTruly

Disclaimer: This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. I have received no forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions or other forms of compensation for writing this post.

Have you ever been thinking about something and then magically it appeared? That’s what happened when I was thinking about something light and not overly sugary, like wine coolers, to sip on over the weekend. Enter my mom, asking if I ever heard of Truly…

…and I’m like WHUT?!

Apparently, the person that was reading my mind was the folks over at Truly. Truly is a “Spiked Sparkling Water” that claims 100 calories and 2g of carbs. Now, to some of you, you probably wouldn’t care about that, but me, I care.

I’ve had a few friends deal with health issues this year, and I recently started working out more and watching what I eat (sometimes, lol) including what I drink. I’m working on becoming healthier in all aspects of life, especially with my sips. So something like this sparkling water deal was perfect for my Sunday sipping because I really didn’t want to do club soda and vodka or anything that might take me from 0 – 100 real quick (Drake voice), or something that felt too heavy to drink.

Side note – Most alcoholic beverages don’t have Nutritional Facts on them…can Truly get a round of applause for that please?! We need more brands to do this!!!

Soooo…I took a sip and it was just what I was looking for something with a light texture that I could sip on all day. It was bubbly, but not to the point where it felt like I was drinking soda. It reminded me of a settled sparkling water with a little bit of flavor. The one I had was Grapefruit & Pomelo (wth is a pomelo?) but the flavor and the taste of alcohol wasn’t overkill, it was enough to where you got the point, this ain’t some plain water.

So would I drink this again…welp yea!

I could see this really mixing well with a few cocktails I like to make with sparkling water on top of being able to sip it and being able to still function after it. The taste was very clean and not overly bubbly and if I had to suggest the perfect thing to mix with it, it would be Belvedere. ONLY because it has that clean taste also and Putting the 2 together I imagine it would taste light and refreshing, but pack a punch (that 0 – 100 I was talking about earlier).

Have you tried any other sparkling waters with alcohol? Tell me about it in the comments or on Social Media!

Follow me:

@topmodelwithbottles – IG

@topmodelwbtls – Twitter

Drink Responsibly!

September 15, 2016
Women & Whiskey: My Recap (@stbenjaminbrew & @bulleitus)

Recently, I had the opportunity to be invited to an event called “Women and Whiskey”

The event was held at South Restaurant in Philly and it was my first time there. I had heard things about the place, and it was exactly what I expected it to be. A very classic atmosphere with high quality food and great presentation in the food, drinks, and the staff.

For the Women and Whiskey event, I attended it alone because all of my Whiskey loving friends had to work that day. 🙁 None the less, even though I don’t really like going to events alone, I thought it would be a great way for me to break out of my shy shell and speak to people and network at least with the special featured guest and others who came out to enjoy it.

The event took place from 4p to 6pm. I arrived around 5 after battling a bit of light traffic coming from NJ. When I arrived I saw a familiar face that I knew so I sat at the bar with them the whole entire time, and lo and behold, I was also sitting next to the owner/featured guest of the night, the owner and brewer of Saint Benjamin Brewing Company, Christina Burris.

One of the reasons that I attended the event was that I loved the name. It meant something to me, because throughout my experience within the beverage world I have noticed that there is a huge gap in the ratio of men to women within the industry in various positions in everything from the sales team to the production. It was very refreshing to me to see a female brewer who has an AMAZING product and making strides in the Philly beer scene! Can I tell you how much more motivated that made me to keep pushing in my business?!

Any whooo, lets get to the drinks I got to sample! 😀

There were 3 beers that were available to sample as well as a bourbon whiskey (not by St. Benjamin). I was excited to sample everything there was to offer but I made sure not to do it on an empty stomach. I ordered the Crispy Rock Shrimp appetizer just to make sure I had something in my system. It was delicious!!! It was basically fried shrimp with tartar sauce 8.0 lol (but not really tartar sauce!!! Lol I don’t know what kind of sauce that was on it but it was tasty, I kinda want to put it on my fries and stuff.)

The First beer that I tried was suggested by Christina herself called Liaison Saison, the website describes it as A lightly hopped, dry saison with notes of peppercorn and a slight lavender finish. This floral beer appeals to saison aficionados as well as casual beer drinkers. It definitely had a floral scent to it, I could smell it before I took my first sip. The color was a light golden color and the flavor was crisp. I liked it and thought it was very smooth tasting for a beer that is 8% alcohol. The lavender added something to the overall taste that I think makes it leave a nice finish that isn’t bitter or linger longer than it needs to.

The 2nd beer that I had was Little Peat from St. Benjamin. It was darker in color, somewhat reminiscent of a Guinness or other stout. Although, it didn’t have the stout scent to me, It smelled less malty than most stouts but still had a tart taste in the beginning but finished with a smoky taste, VERY similar to a peaty scotch whisky. I can see how this is going to be a hit in the fall and winter months for this brand.

There was another beer that was available to try but I didn’t try it. I wanted to save room for the Bourbon. *cue happy music*

I was able to try the Bulleit Bourbon 10 year, of which I loooooved! It was very smooth and easy to drink. It did have a peaty (smokey) taste but it wasn’t overpowering and the after taste was very pleasant. It wasn’t bitter or sweet, it was very light finish. According to the brand – “Bulleit 10 is the brand’s selected reserve, delicious bourbon that, at 91.2 proof, is consistently smooth, russet in color, rich with oaky aromas and hints of vanilla and dried fruit with a long smoky finish.” I CERTAINLY didn’t get the 91.2 proof feeling but I guess that’s a good thing, it definitely goes down smooth.

Overall, I had a good time, got to know some great new drinks and a new way to eat shrimp, and I may have a new spot to stop in and catch some entertainment when I’m in the city.

To learn more about the brands I mentioned, be sure to check them out:

Saint Benjamin

Twitter – @stbenjaminbrew

Instagram – @stbenjaminbrew

Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/stbenjaminbrew

Website – http://stbenjaminbrewing.com

Bulleit Bourbon

Instagram – @BulleitUS

And be sure to follow me on Instagram – @topmodelwithbottles 🙂

January 12, 2016
Allow me to reintroduce myself…

My name is Hov, (Oh) H-to-the-O-V.……..
But not really tho! Lol

If you haven’t figured it out by the domain name of the site, my name is

Alean Elston

(AL-leen ELS-ten)

and welcome to my digital space!

I’ve been modeling for 12 years now (and still getting stronger) and as I’ve gone about in my career I’ve come across some awesome people and learned a lot about business and a ton about myself. What I’ve realized is that I learned the most when I shared with others and when they shared with me. It enabled me to grow and I hope that I’ve enabled others to grow as well. With that being said, my goal is to connect with the aspiring models, the professional models, the drinks and business enthusiast, and the beverage and modeling/entertainment industry folks who want to follow along with me in our journey with my blog. I believe that if you are one of those people, then we have a few things in common.

I love modeling, modeling led me to start my own business, starting my own business enabled me to work with various beverage brands and sparked the passion of me working within the beverage industry. All of these things are very connected in my life and if you have a passion for any one of those things, there is where we share our connection. I’ve been in your shoes as the inexperienced model, looking to find out how to get started and how to start booking shoots, shows, and getting paid. I’ve been the business owner that struggled (sometimes I still struggle) to get the first client and develop the momentum to continue to build a customer base. I am the person passionate about cocktails and wine and beers and wanted to learn all I can about the business of it, I’m also the blogger that lives life just like you but my goal is to share my experiences and ideas and to connect with those who share the same sentiment, and build and grow.
The one thing that I hope that you take away from my blog is that you can have multiple goals but they mean nothing if you don’t pursue them. All it takes is a few baby steps towards your goals for them to gain traction and watch it grow faster than the speed of light. I’ve watched it happen to a number of my peers, and now it’s my turn.

Watch me work.
If you need to reach out to me with any questions, or you would like to work together please don’t hesitate to email me – alean@aleanelston.com

July 7, 2015
#Goals…Let’s just say I’m setting some more…
Welp, summer is over according to the calendar. Labor Day marks the unofficial end of fun in the sun. For me, today marks the start of a fresh new month. What I usually do at the start of a month is plan out my bookings and figure out how to fill it a bit more or if its packed, how I’m going to survive such busi-ness! Lol I also take the time to review goals that I have set for myself in the past and think about new ones or keep the old ones and try my best to achieve them all. Some of my past goals have included:
- Video blogging (vlogging) every week
- More client bookings
- More ‘dream job’ model bookings
- Travel to different places
- And keeping above a certain threshold in my accounts
If you have been following my blogging habits (or lack thereof), that first goal that I mentioned was a failure lol but it only failed because I became busy with more client and model bookings. Even though it was a failure other goals were a great success and there’s more time for me this month for me to modify that goal, among others, and of course set new ones to achieve.

With that being said, I wanted to take a different approach to my goals. I’m a firm believer in “The Secret” and I noticed that a few people that I follow on social media following the law of attraction and I’ve been watching their goals come to pass. The way I see it, if they can bravely put their goals out there and I can watch it unfold, I should have no problem doing the same. So here I go, my goals for September 2014:
1. Acquire a booking or contract that builds upon my strategy for financial and career growth
2. Do 3 photoshoots with various phenomenal photographers and clients
3. Consistently blog EVERYDAY
4. Vlog at least 2 times a month
5. Continue to develop my ‘jumping’ skills
6. Reach and maintain a new account threshold
So now that it’s out there, I’m going to work on making it all come my way!

Be sure to follow me on social media to watch it all unfold!

Facebook – facebook.com/AleanElston

Instagram – instagram.com/completebeauty

Twitter – twitter.com/completebeauty

Pinterest – pinterest.com/AleanElston
September 1, 2014
You Might Like This: DJ Hones feat. Fat Joe, Twista, Joey Moe – Christian Bale #newmusic [VIDEO]

This was sent to me by DJ Hones asking me to check out his new music video. I did, I liked it, pretty cool vid and the black and white gives an awesome feel. Especially liked the Twista feature of the song, when’s the last time we’ve heard from him lately?!

Let me know your thoughts on the video. Tweet me – @completebeauty

Cant see the video – Click here to view

Get More of DJ Hones:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Clubwrecker
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DJHONES
Instagram: http://instagram.com/officialdjhones

December 4, 2013
My 5 Favorite Shots from my #deeplyrootedproject #Photoshoot with @PRiMo_SuPReMo Photography

Before you read my little blurb about this shoot and you take a look at the pictures I want to make sure I mention that the great idea for me to be involved in this shoot came from

@PRiMo_SuPReMo

Check out his website – www.primosupremo.com

Follow him on twitter – @primo_supremo

Follow him on Instagram – @primo_supremo

and like him on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/primosupremothebrand

Phenomenal Photographer Endorsed by Yours Truly! Contact him to book your shoot today!

Now, onward to the pictures!!!!

This was my first photoshoot of 2013. Before then, I cant remember the last photoshoot that I have done. I have been modeling consistently for the past 10 years but this was the end of a looooong season of not having a photoshoot. I was so excited honored when I was approached to participate in this project, when you see the pictures you’ll see why. Bola aka @Primo_Supremo is a great photographer and takes a fresh approach to photography that steps away from the current fad of highly glamorized and over edited pictures. And for that I love these images! Everyone looks for photography to make them look great, but I think it should show what is there and bring to life an emotion or thought that you may not have thought of or felt before. His photography does that, and I’m glad to have been a part of this project.

Oh yea, I know the post title says 5 of my favorite shots, but I had to add more. There were so many frames from this shoot that I loved I couldn’t limit myself to just 5!

[nggallery id=7]

Also, as part of this project I was asked to share my natural hair story. Read about it and see the rest of the pictures that feature me from the Deeply Rooted Project here – http://www.primosupremo.com/alean

Want to book me for your next photoshoot or photography project? Email me the details – alean@aleanelston.com

September 20, 2013