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Corina Maynes
Dr. Danizete Martinez
English 1102
February 4, 2019
A Look at Beauty Beyond the “Look”
So, do you have what it takes to be a model? This is a question that many people may ask
themselves in their lifetime. Young fashionistas will use social media to “model” their newest
outfits for their friends to try gaining followers and perhaps dream about one day being on the
cover of Vogue. Although many people may dream of becoming a model, very few will verbalize
it and even fewer will eventually pursue it. An instructor at On Point School Of Modelling stated,
“Just remember, there are thousands of people trying to do the same thing and get noticed on
Instagram and agents/scouts are busy people, so don’t get discouraged after the first couple of
tags, keep at it!” Countless people find themselves asking what life is like for a model. Is it truly
all glitter, glam, and gain? Cameron Russell was one of Victoria’s Secret Angel runway models.
She spent more than ten years modeling for Victoria’s Secret and other various companies.
Russell speaks out about her life as a successful underwear model in a riveting speech titled,
“Looks Aren’t Everything. Believe Me, I’m A Model.” Russell includes incredible examples of
ethos, pathos, and logos throughout her speech and really captures the viewer’s attention with her
clever use of different stylistic devices. She engages the viewer by giving an honest account of
what life as a model truly is.
Russell is really open to her viewers. In this exclusive TedTalk there is no sugar coating
or masking the model’s life. She mentions how she would answer questions during interviews
and admits that she never really divulged much truth. Russell explains how and why modeling is
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not a career path. She explains how modeling may be good for a person while they are young
but, they may have no future in it. While a woman or many times young girl with “the look”, is
young, beautiful, and tall, she can continue with an amazing opportunity. However, once this
woman shows signs of aging or no longer has the “look” that the industry wants and needs well,
that woman will be passed over and the newest model will be the next beneficiary of this
modeling legacy. Which is exactly what Russell calls it. When talking about how she became a
model, Russell explains, “The real way that I became a model is I won a genetic lottery, and I am
the recipient of a legacy.” Not many women will be so lucky in their lifetime. This legacy, as
Russell describes it, will be handed to mostly white women.
Although there are models in the industry that are non-white, that number is less than
