Where do I begin, in order to try and get a 15 or a 16 year old’s attention as a 40 something year old woman? Get that young, inexperienced soul to stop and think about what a mature woman has to say about life? Worst, try to pretend that young soul is yourself! What would you have most liked to tell her? Well, I think I’d start with saying something like listen. I mean really listen to the world around you and to what people say. but try to do so with all of your senses and not just your ears. When someone says something, look at their actions. Do they match what that person says? Only your eyes will tell you. When someone tells you something, how do those words feel inside of you? Do those words or thoughts make you feel better, freer, smarter, expansive and good, or does taking in their en-ergy feel draining, make your stomach uncomfortable, make you want to shut down, or weak? Pay attention to what you see, and what you feel from the world around you. Don’t be in a rush, if some-one is pressuring you to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable it’s okay to say “I need some time to think about this and I will get back to you”. Even if it’s just 20 minutes, take it and if whatever it was is no longer an option then trust that it wasn’t meant for you. Something better will always come along. Good things do come to those who wait. Try to trust in life, in yourself, in the good out there in the world and try to develop a rich interior life because life will not always be perfect and it will often throw you off course, you will be hurt deeply, you will make mistakes, you will hurt others, you will get used, you might use people, you will love deeply, and you will try many different paths out to try and find the road that will work out best for you. If you have a deep spirituality, and a belief in a higher power that faith will help you get through the rough patches, and lift you up even higher during the good ones. It’s not essential but it is fulfilling and keeps a flame of joy always present in your heart.

Modeling was something that came to me by happenstance, as destiny often does. I wish I could say I had some sort of plan, that I knew what I was getting into but sadly that was not the case. I think it’s a very different world today, and that most young people have access to so much information that they are far more sophisticated than my generation was about life, the world, fashion, relationships, and sex. When I went to Paris I had no idea what to expect, who I could trust, what life would be like. Thankfully I spoke fluent French, and my earliest memory was arriving at Charles de Gaulle airport all alone and that no one was there waiting for me! I didn’t have any French Francs, and knew not a soul in all of Paris! Finally one of the stewardesses from my flight recognized me and asked if I needed some help. She led me to a pay phone, and put in some change and helped me contact my Agency. Finally they told me that the man who was to pick me up was running late and he would be there in another hour or so. Two and a half hours later he finally arrived. I was starving, and we needed to find another young model who was arriving from the States. We found her and got in his car. While driving to Paris he could hear both our stomachs rumbling, so took us to a French cafe and ordered us each a piece of French baguette with butter and jam and a hot chocolate .... then just as quickly told us we’d never be allowed to eat bread, butter or hot chocolate again in Paris because it would make us fat and the agency would be weighing us weekly. I thought at first he was just being silly, but once I got through the doors of my agency one of the first things they made myself and a handful of other new very young girls do was step on the scale.Then they got out the measuring tape to make sure we were the exact measurements written on our cards. Paris was all business, and they advised I get some rest because the very next day I had to go out on castings. I wish I knew that I could have spoken up, I could have said I need one day of rest but I was afraid to say anything. I thought they had paid for

Nadine Hennelly

1

my ticket there [which I later found out it was only an “advance” and as soon as I started working they would take money from my paychecks that I “owed” them for rent, advances, composite cards, mes-senger fees, as well as their commission]. I wish I had been more informed as opposed to learning on the spot. I wish someone could have explained to me that this was a BUSINESS. That everyone that I was dealing with looked at me as a commodity, although they pretended to be a friend. Which isn’t to say that they didn’t like me, or think that I was a nice person but at the end of the day they were look-ing out for number one and making money, not me or my soul, or my integrity or my career. I think it’s very important to always remind yourself of that truth. All the agents, bookers, photographers, stylists, makeup artists, hair dressers, talent reps, directors, casting agents ..... EVERYONE is looking out for themselves and looking at you as a means to either make money, or to ride your tails to the next level if you happen to be starting to do well. I hope that doesn’t sound cold or depressing but rather just honest. It’s a business, fashion is a multi billion dollar a year industry and you are just a small drop in the bucket and the sooner you realize that the more the likelihood of you making better choices because you won’t fall prey to wanting to people please or to being manipulated by anyone and instead you will follow more closely what it is that you want to do.

Today with all this social media, twitter, blogs, instagram ---- a young girl has an enormous ability to control and to create her own destiny. I think what’s wonderful is that the girls with personality, style, wit, and something original to say will be able to have a voice and a direct impact on their own careers often going over an agent’s heads and owning their own brand. The downside is of course that inex-perience may lead you to make quite a few mistakes, do some foolish things and not know how to handle all that power. This is where it is super important to have a mentor, someone that you can trust who isn’t going to profit directly from you doing well, isn’t jealous of you, isn’t your competition but is perhaps older, wiser and more experienced and can help navigate some of the thornier issues. If you can’t find such a person in your circle, go online and search for role models that you can read about or if they are famous or well known you can go on their websites, fan pages and perhaps inter-act with them directly and ask for advice. Just remember to choose your friends wisely, and that is especially true for boyfriends!!!! Boyfriends can stop a smart girl’s career dead in it’s tracks! If you can focus on your work until you are at least in your early to mid 20’s and put boyfriends on the back burner you will thank yourself for it a million times over once you are 30. Modeling is a quick indus-try with a very short shelf life. Who knows how long your career is going to last, so might as well maximize and get as much as you can out of it and sock that money away in the bank! If you are smart about saving your money while you are young it will give you the most amazing head start in life and the freedom to do as you please when you are older. The power to pursue your dreams.

Now looking back on a very successful career that spanned from 17-37 yrs of age [until I was pregnant with my son] I am grateful for all of the lessons that modeling taught me. I was able to travel all over the world, stay in the most beautiful places, be treated like a princess, have access to parties, people, places, events, cities, fabulous houses, the concorde, get dressed up in pretty clothes, get my hair and makeup done daily and get paid for it! I was lucky enough to work with really great people who were amazing artists in their own right, and often we created the most beautiful fantasies on film. Oddly enough throughout the entire time I always felt that I wasn’t that pretty! I would pick apart my body

Nadine Hennelly

2

constantly and compare it to the other girls, convinced that any day I would be kicked out for not be-ing perfect enough. It wasn’t until I hit my 30’s that I decided to just not look in the mirror anymore when my hair and makeup was getting done so that I would stop myself from obsessing about minor imperfections. So often in the business if you were a teensy bit bloated, or had a pimple, or bloodshot eyes or any kind of a flaw EVERYONE would magnify it and talk about it right in front of you as if you weren’t there! It took many years to get over that one, but I think I’m almost there .... the good news is that models develop a hyper awareness of how their bodies look and know instinctively what can “hide” your flaws, what works for you and what doesn’t. This has come in quite handy as I age :) It’s funny too, because I think now I realize how lucky I was back then. Gosh I wish I could have known that then!!! I wish I could have enjoyed the ride more. I wish I could have asked more questions, and not taken so much of it for granted. I wish I could have understood what I do now, and that is that my body is my best friend. Crazy right? My body which holds stubbornly onto weight, my tummy that’s no longer taught after having been stretched out by a beautiful ten pound baby boy. I am so grateful to my body for putting up with me, for being the vessel of my soul, for being so flexible now in my late 40’s and for allowing me to fully embrace love, motherhood, work, passion, beauty, perfume, art, taste, food, smell, touch, hugs, soft kisses and hot baths.... my beautiful body doesn’t even come close to looking anything like it did when I was a model but yet I took it for granted back then. I criticized it, hated it, wished it was totally different and now I am so happy that my body gives me health and I hope it will continue to give to me so much life and health for another 40 or so years. I wish I could have understood when I was younger that I had a best friend with me all the time, and I wish I could have not wasted all that energy on seeing my body through someone else’s eyes. I guess the differ-ence is that now I see myself from the inside of me looking out into the world, instead of outside of myself trying to look in.

Be happy, life is short and beautiful.

Thanks for reading my story,

Nadine

Nadine Hennelly

3